The Moulin Rouge is home to one of the RLD’s most popular sex shows (Photo credit: ) Is it all about sex?Īlthough de Wallen is full of red-lit windows, sex clubs, brothels, sex shops, peep shows, condom shops, and even has a sex museum, it is not only about sex. When visiting the RLD, do remember that taking photos of the women is strictly forbidden! Bear in mind that this is usually not the women’s day job and you should always respect their privacy. The two things that are illegal and closely monitored are forced prostitution and underage prostitution. Brothels need to have permits plenty of policemen patrol the Red Light District to ensure the safety of both clients and prostitutes, and the latter need to take frequent health tests. The sex industry in the Netherlands is heavily regulated and is generally considered fairly safe, especially in comparison to the same industry that goes on underground in other countries. They have their own union, can access medical care, and have to pay taxes although, as you can imagine, the nature of the job makes it difficult to inspect the truthfulness of their income declarations… In fact, sex workers are officially recognized in the Netherlands just as any other profession. Prostitution became legal in this country in 1811, and the ban on brothels (entrepreneurial organization of prostitution, also colloquially known as pimping) was ended 14 years ago.
With Dutch travel ideas, foodie pics and much more, we’re on…įacebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram What if someone is interested in something more than the standard offer? It is not unusual in a service industry such as this that more demanding customers need to pay extra if they wish to have their demands met. Usually it costs around €50 for 15-20 minutes of pleasure, but this can differ per individual. Most of the women work independently, so they have the freedom to choose what they offer, for how long, and how much they charge. Once a man is interested, he knocks on the door and that’s where the negotiation part begins. Some of the women try to attract customers by wearing outfits that are more sophisticated than lingerie (sexy nurses, police women, cats and bunnies seem to be the most popular costumes), while some of them adopt a more proactive approach by knocking on the glass, waving and encouraging the passers-by to come closer. There are around 400 such vitrines in Amsterdam, so you can imagine that the competition is fierce. This means that the person behind the glass is transgender or transvestite.
You will also see some windows with curtains shut and the red light turned off: it sort of speaks for itself, doesn’t it? You might also notice windows with a blue light instead of a red one.
The red light above the windows indicates that a woman is currently available. When you’re walking down the narrow streets of the RLD (also known as De Wallen), you will already notice women appearing behind their windows in the early afternoon, but the busiest and most interesting time to go “window shopping” is from around 11 pm onward. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the RLD… Amsterdam’s Red Light District has been drawing crowds for decades… (Photo credit: ) How does it work? Not surprisingly, as you’re wandering the streets of the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal, you’re likely to have a lot of questions about the Red Light District (RLD), feeling a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment. When you hear Amsterdam, you probably think: canals, cannabis and the Red Light District. This post was originally published on Augand was updated on October 18, 2016.