To me, he looks super easy. Super relaxed, right? An easy client.
Particularly if his girlfriend weren't there.
He's a wuss, too. All three of them.
The red light district is located in the oldest part of Amsterdam.
An area with an dodgy reputation, full of prejudices and dark sides.
In Behind the Red Light District we visit people who make an honest living here...
and see the neighbourhood from their perspective.
Behind the Red Light District
Workshop for Prostitutes
In the past, prostitutes had worse working conditions...
but since it's been legalised, there are many more rules.
Still, many things go wrong...
and there are many misconceptions about how it really works.
We'll be talking to Mariska Majoor, a former prostitute who loved her job.
She's the founder of PIC, Prostitution Information Centre.
She also organises workshops for budding prostitutes.
She'll give us a workshop and tell us how she now feels about the area.
Welcome, I'm Mariska.
This is the Prostitution Information Centre.
I set up this foundation almost exactly 22 years ago.
After I stopped working as a prostitute. I used to work in a window brothel.
I didn't mind working in the industry, but I did mind the world around it.
I wanted to let the world around know what it's like and dispel prejudices.
Share information by way of workshops, face-to-face meetings and publications.
And to tell my story, too.
Mariska has different ways of informing people about the red light district.
She gives lectures, writes books...
and gives workshops to budding prostitutes...
to prevent them from making unnecessary mistakes.
Zsófia is new to the game and about to attend a workshop.
She's keen. Hasn't started working yet, but she's running in.
Are you comfortable? Kind of? -It feels a bit weird.
It's weird having people look at you.
Window brothel prostitution is the most autonomous way...
of working as a prostitute.
If you decide to work here, you'd rent this space.
You're free to set your own prices and working hours...
within your shift. The hours you rent the room.
What do I do if I get into trouble with a client?
Good question. First of all, make sure you don't get into trouble.
Beware of who you let in. The door can only be opened from the inside.
No one gets in without your permission. Also, never let a guy in just like that.
People really think that you open the door for any horny idiot.
That's the biggest misconception.
What are the main prejudices?
People base their opinion on whatever they hear the most.
If everything you read about prostitution is related to human trafficking...
abuse, drugs and criminals, then that becomes your truth.
So most people here would look at a window prostitute and think:
'Oh, that poor girl. Where is her pimp?'
People genuinely think that as a window prostitute...
you have to open the door to any old horny idiot.
That's the biggest misconception.
Of course, some women here work against their will...
or because they have major financial difficulties.
But that doesn't change the essence of prostitution:
Providing sexual favours for money.
People taking pictures are always a problem.
That's one of the biggest complaints right now. In this area, too.
People taking pictures because they think...
window prostitutes are part of the public domain.
Is there anything we can do to stop it? -Of course.
I used to run out to take the roll out of the camera.
I've also thrown camera's in the canal. These days I am a bit nicer...
but I still get very angry if people just don't understand.
One of our current projects...
is dealing with unauthorized usage of photographs of prostitutes.
Why is it such a problem?
The majority of women are from countries where prostitution is prohibited.
So they can get into serious trouble back home.
Prostitutes end up in jail for doing this work.
Secondly, it's rude and disrespectful to take a picture of a human being...
without asking permission.
Shall I show you the room? -Yes.
As soon as a client enters, he has to pay. First and foremost.
You can make it as cosy as you like.
You wash your client in this sink.
The first thing you do as a window prostitute, is wash his penis.
You also have to wash yourself between clients.
After that, you get to work.
This mattress is old. It has seen too much action.
In my days, we had little carpets everywhere.
Carpets on the wall, around the bed... A lot more cosy.
Mariska has been around for ages. She seems to long for the olden days.
But the area keeps changing and she'll have to get used to it.
Looking around, is this the same red light district as 30 years ago?
Those outdoor terraces are too close to the window brothels.
That bothers me. It also bothers me that nobody works during the day.
It has become a bad location because of all these people outside.
Before, people who came here felt a bit intimidated and excited.
They felt it was a dodgy area, even though it wasn't.
But the area could be quite intimidating.
Nowadays, people walk around here as if it's any old area in Amsterdam.
They look at the window brothels...
but not with the same reverence as they used to.
How will it look ten years from now? -The red light district will be gone.
The council says they don't intend to shut it all down...
or to prevent sex workers from doing their job, but it's slowly fizzling out.
That's not just down to the council. They do good things too.
Compared to other countries and major cities, this is paradise.
I always say the 80s were better, but maybe that's rubbish.
When it comes to safety and working conditions...
It's crazy that back then, a 16-year-old could work here.
leave the red light district alone