By Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland in Amsterdam.

Relatively smartly dressed and a woman, no wonder my repeated taps on the glass were met by scantily-clad woman after scantily-clad woman with a look in their eye that hovered between amazement and rejection of me.

Quite a few wouldn't even open the door. Even Amsterdam's prostitutes draw the line somewhere.

Of course I wasn't there for any reason other than to do my job... to try to gauge reaction amongst its hundreds of sex workers to the Mayor's controversial plans to 'clean-up' the city. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the layout of the Red Light District, the streets are lined with see-through doorways - about the size of a normal front door - in front of which prostitutes showcase their wares. 

Normally this means displaying optimum flesh in a provocative fashion in the hope of luring a passing punter into a bedroom beyond to strike a deal.

For years Amsterdam has enjoyed its reputation as an easy-going, liberal city where prostitutes can be bought as easily as a bunch of tulips.  But things are changing.

The Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen, says the sex industry has become dominated by criminal gangs - people traffickers and money launderers - and is out of control.

He's taking drastic measures - especially making it harder for gangs to get a licence to run brothels.  Prostitution is legal.  But if sex entrepreneurs aren't transparent he says they'll be driven out of town.

In addition, a seventh of Amsterdam's former prostitute windows have already been turned into temporary fashion shops.  The Mayor's argument is that the industry is being flooded by foreign women - particularly eastern Europeans - who are being people trafficked and manipulated by pimps. 

Eventually on my travels around the Red Light District I chanced across Jacky - a 39-year-old Dutch woman who's worked as a prostitute for 15 years.

But it has to be said it spoke volumes that I had great difficulty finding anyone who spoke enough English or Dutch to even understand my introduction of myself let alone hold a conversation.

Predictably, Jacky and the other sex workers are opposed to Mayor Cohen's clean-up.

It's not just that the oldest of industries has come under the spotlight.  Jacky told me she enjoys her work and enjoys the right to be able to choose to sell her body. It was not, she said, Mayor Cohen's decision to make life harder for her to do her job.

But beyond this the prostitutes believe  the Mayor's clean-up will backfire with disasterous consequences.  They believe the sex industry is being driven underground, heightening the risks for them.  At least with their 'in your face' style of pick-ups prostitutes feel safer.

Jacky's other theory is that the clamp-down could see Amsterdam's Red Light District out of business within five to ten years.  That, she says, would be a tragedy not just for the sex workers but for the entire city. 

Over the years Amsterdam earnt its reputation for tolerance through its legalisation of prostitution and soft drugs.  The sex workers believe that's  exactly what's lured the tourists to town.

Holding onto that reputation whilst striking a blow against criminal gangs will not be easy and risks bathing Amsterdam in a much duller light. 

Comments

[sylvia ..hull 1 Mar 2008 13:16:35]

girls in the sex industry both in holland and in britain choose to do this job because it tolerated by the authorities..take that tolerance away and yes alot of workers will stop ..but this will open the flood gates for more eu slaves to be chained in squalid flats..and then we will have real victims or are you blinkered people not bothered about these people if they are out of view??? the way to stop people traffikers is to target them!! not the local workers it is impossible to stop the demand so regulate it and keep the people traffikers out of the business

[Justin, Buckinghamshire 27 Feb 2008 14:10:33]

Prostitution is known as the oldest profession. The selling of sex has always gone on, and always will go on. Where there are men willing to pay for sex there will be women willing to offer it. How it can be managed is the issue. Red light districts are unpopular with residents, and they don’t want them in their street. Brothels would need to be located out of town and may attract unwanted attention. I don’t think they are the answer. Many who are prostitutes would prefer not to be, but can be forced into it by criminal gangs, or through a necessity to finance a drug habit, or just through a need to survive. Every effort should be made to offer these girls an alternative. All prostitutes should register with Social Workers and Health Workers who can offer regular checks on their health and well being. With community help and where applicable, drug rehabilitation classes, these girls can try to seek a better life for themselves.

[David,Bergen,Norway 20 Feb 2008 00:08:44]

Bergen,Norway has prostitution all of it illegal..now its in the newspaper weekly..why because of all the coloured immigrant prostitutes have came in and undercut the prices!Mostly ran by Albanains I read. The local "working"girls are very annoyed & are complaining to the press!Strange world if it was legal and the goverment got to tax it..different matter !

[Harriet 17 Feb 2008 20:39:48]

I used to go to Amsterdam every other weekend for 4 years whilst my father worked over there. I have recently been again some 8 years later and to my shock found it to be everything i hated. The people were rude and the prostitutes even ruder! So the sooner that it is cleaned up the better, bring back the old Amsterdam when it felt friendly and wasn't over run by eastern european 'slaves'

[Clive.Whitehaven 17 Feb 2008 15:42:37]

No matter what the PC brigade say no one will ever stamp out prostitution,so the only thing to do is to bring it under government control and tax it.

[3229806464 16 Feb 2008 18:30:16]

I'm in full agreement with Jenny, Wales and Joe, Liverpool. What's more I'm really angry that one British judge was able to give the green light to sex workers advertising their services in my local newspaper. I've seen these come-to-see-discretion-assured-sex-worker-me adverts, (translation: your wife or girlfriend won't get to know what you're up to, and paying for, behind her back when you're with me), lined up alongside people's adverts for their Lost Pets. Quite frankly, I think that Judges who think this sort of sex-for-sale advertising in family read newspapers is okay are a disgrace to their profession. It also speaks volumes about their fitness to be Judges. Yes Joe, I too, don't want to see this type of activity made legal in the UK but you can bet some British Judge will, for reasons best known to himself, decree that this sort of women degrading activity is just what sex obsessed Britain needs and wants, and particularly so from amongst its prostitute using menfolk.

[Steven, France 16 Feb 2008 16:08:07]

I disagree that Amsterdam or Holland for that matter has a liberal, thought-out attitude to prostitution. Having lived there for 2 years, Dutch society is one of "couldn't-care-less" about others. Don't be fooled into thinking that this equates to a liberal, caring society.

[jodieTs London 16 Feb 2008 13:31:57]

If the article author wishes to contact me by mail, I'd be happy to talk further about escorting & civil rights, oppression, Failure of all euro govmts re people slave trafficing & then blaming/oppressing the escorts!
Mail me, there is a further story here.
I am a sex worker activist.

[Jon Norwich 16 Feb 2008 05:52:15]

Having lived in the Netherlands for more than a decade, i would like to dispell this belief that soft drugs are legal in The Netherlands, or even just in A'dam. They are not, they are merely tolerated.

[John (SA) 15 Feb 2008 21:49:31]

Amsterdam/Sodom will get what it deserves. People/Cities/Countries will always reap what they sow. Good luck chaps.

[Chris, Gillingham Kent 15 Feb 2008 20:33:21]

Amsterdam jas some beautiful parts of the city, yes! But I found the Red light district disgusting, walking around dodgey looking foreign men standing around on corners offering far more than soft drugs, "Charlie Charlie" they say under their breath as I passed, I got totally fed up with it!!!

[Neil England 15 Feb 2008 17:37:44]

It is naive to believe that the sex industry has changed. As a one time residebt of amsterdam I can speak with more authority than most. Unlike the british attitude of brushing it under the carpet and denying it exists, the dutch have an open attitude and long may it remain so. In britain it is worse than amsterdam will ever be and people are exploited to a greater degree.The difference is we are in denial and all the mayor will do is drive it under ground. if anyone is stupid enough to think prostitution will disappear then they should think again

[Mrs D Dart 15 Feb 2008 13:03:34]

Having visited Amsterdam on several occasions, including the red light districts, I can understand the concerns over the sex traffickers but surely clamping down on all prostitution will just drive the whole scene underground and the girls will be in real danger. Amsterdam is not just about "coffee" shops and prostitution, there are many other things to do that are completely unrelated but the whole charm of Amsterdam is the friendly atmosphere and tolerance of it's multi cultural people. It would be a shame if this were to change.

[paul nolan 15 Feb 2008 13:01:59]

having visited the red light area. i think that it is reasonably safe and if it was restricted, then without doubt crime would increase, and the police force would not have time to deal with real domestic issues for the dutch people of Amsterdam.
Good ideas, always have a negative side when implemented, then there is no going back.

[Jenny, Wales 15 Feb 2008 12:59:20]

It is a filthy, degrading and sleazy way of life, however you dress it up. It always has been and it always will be. Get real - there's a lot of violence in prostitution and there's a lot of coersion, with threats of what will happen to their families if they don't comply. Do you really think you can't catch anything from a prostitute who has had a 'regular' health check? You're joking, of course! I'd like to see prostitution stamped out worldwide; it really is degrading and ruins people's lives.

[Vicky in Cwmbran South Wales 15 Feb 2008 12:19:44]

Sorry but I have to disagree with what Joe in Liverpool says.
If our government took steps to protect prostitutes then perhaps we wouldn't have incidents like the Ipswich killings.
Prostitution has been around far longer that any other profession and it will not go away.

[Rob Bristol UK 15 Feb 2008 11:58:58]

It is pointless stating that this activity should be illegal. It will exist as it has done for thousands of years whether it is illegal or not. I have known many females during my lifetime who have told me that they could not imagine an easier way to make money and would do it themselves, if it weren't for theh stigma. The answer? Legalise it totally, flood the market with sex workers, supply will outstrip demand, prices will drop to nothing, and it will no longer be lucrative to the criminals who run the current trade. The added bonus is that the drug trade that feeds the desperate girls at the moment will lose its customer base as well, so the traffickers get hit twice. Goodbye people traffickers, goodbye drug traffickers, and hello tax payers.

[Ralph Amsterdam 15 Feb 2008 11:53:50]

The red lights are part of Amsterdam and have been run by criminals from the start. So why start the cleanup now.
Of course eastern Europeans - who are being people trafficked and manipulated by pimps need to be helped. But will it. The Whore house will just turn illegal or the women moved to another city (Hamburg??). Furthermore it's more an idea of mr Asscher from the city counsil. Nice way to promote his book about the future of Amsterdam.
The red light are part of amsterdam just let it be.

[marta 15 Feb 2008 11:25:41]

The prostitutes of Amsterdam and NOt mostly slave for eastern Europe. That is a stupid comment from someone who does not know what they are talking about. The Dutch approach tomprostitution the the best and safest for all concerned

[Elaine from Manchester 15 Feb 2008 11:06:42]

I think Amsterdam is a lovely city and should be left exactly as it is. The people are friendly and welcoming,and the red light district isnt pushed on anyone, if you want to visit it the choice is yours. By changing the laws prostitution will be forced underground not stopped and then the safety of the girls is called into question. Leave this beautiful as it is!!!

[Vicky in Cwmbran South Wales 15 Feb 2008 08:59:55]

Amsterdam is a beatiful city and you could not ask for friendlier, happy, laid back people.
The control they have over prostitution is a brilliant way in ensuring the womens safety and regular checks mean they do not spread sexualy transmitted diseases.
By clamping down on the number of brothels will only endanger these women as they will continue to sell their bodies but they won't have the safety and protection of the law and the number of sexualy transmitted dieases will go up.
I think it is wrong.

[Joe Liverpoool 15 Feb 2008 08:39:18]

Prostitutes in Amsterdam are mostly slaves from eastern Europe and the sooner it is banned the better. I do not want this type of activity made legal in the UK.