De Wallen: Difference between revisions
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De Wallen, together with the prostitution areas ''[[Singel (Amsterdam)|Singelgebied]]'' and ''[[De Pijp|Ruysdaelkade]]'', form the ''Rosse Buurt'' (red light areas) of Amsterdam. |
De Wallen, together with the prostitution areas ''[[Singel (Amsterdam)|Singelgebied]]'' and ''[[De Pijp|Ruysdaelkade]]'', form the ''Rosse Buurt'' (red light areas) of Amsterdam. |
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==History== |
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The Rokin and Damrak run along the original course of the river Amstel. These two roads meet in Dam Square which marks the spot a bridge was built across the river in 1270. It had doors which were used to dam the river at certain times to avoid flooding. The Damrak then became a harbour and it was around this area that the red light district first appeared. The walled canals led to the names De Wallen and Walletjes. |
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In 1578 a Catholic and Calvinist city board was formed. All fornication was deemed punishable, working girls were banned and forced underground though it still prospered. One or two girls would work for a madam who would provide food, accommodation protection and advice. Often the madam and girls would venture out at night visiting pubs and inns to pick up clients. |
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Parlours remained illegal but tolerated if kept hidden. Trade remained small scale though spread across the city. Well known areas were De Haarlemmerdijk, De Houttuinen, Zeedijk and as always around the harbour. |
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In the 18th century wealthy men would meet working girls at gambling houses on De Gelderskade and Zeedijk. The girls would then take the men back to the parlours where they came from. However these were often squalored and unappealing to a gentleman of means. A solution to this problem was for the gambling houses to provide boarding for the girls. This suited everyone including the authorities. The gambling houses made the most of it by investing in luxury furnishings and gradually they became upmarket brothels employing up to 30 girls. Famous brothels included De Pijl in Pijlstraat, De Fonteyn in Nieuwmarkt and Madame Therese on the Prinsengracht. For those who could not afford these expensive places there were still girls to be found around Oudekerk. |
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In 1811 the ban on working girls was finally lifted. A system of regulation was brought in and there were compulsory health checks. This was largely to protect soldiers from VD. They were given a red card which was essentially a permit to work. If they were found to be infected the card was taken until they could prove they were disease free again. |
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In the early 20th century religious organisations ran campaigns to try to end tolerance of prostitution. by 1911 a law was passed which once again bans brothels and pimping. Working girls themselves were not banned though. Once again it was driven underground and tolerated as long it did not cause a disturbance. With the closure of many parlours some girls moved to De Pijp. |
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In 1935 it was estimated that there were around 150 disguised parlours. Fronts included massage, pedicure, manicure, and beauty treatments. Working girls continued to work around the Oudekerk (Oudekerksplein). Instead of being visible as they are today they would stand behind closed curtains and peer through a small crack looking for customers. If they stood in the doorway they would get arrested. |
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==Location== |
==Location== |
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Revision as of 18:55, 20 October 2013
De Wallen (Dutch pronunciation: [də ˈʋɑlə(n)]) or De Walletjes (Dutch pronunciation: [də ˈʋɑləcəs]) is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam and a maallen consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred tiny one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana. 26 coffeeshops in the De Wallen area will have to close their doors between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2015.[1] As part of new restrictions which came into force in 2012, a Dutch judge ruled tourists can now legally be banned from entering cannabis cafes.[2][3]
De Wallen, together with the prostitution areas Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, form the Rosse Buurt (red light areas) of Amsterdam.
History
The Rokin and Damrak run along the original course of the river Amstel. These two roads meet in Dam Square which marks the spot a bridge was built across the river in 1270. It had doors which were used to dam the river at certain times to avoid flooding. The Damrak then became a harbour and it was around this area that the red light district first appeared. The walled canals led to the names De Wallen and Walletjes.
In 1578 a Catholic and Calvinist city board was formed. All fornication was deemed punishable, working girls were banned and forced underground though it still prospered. One or two girls would work for a madam who would provide food, accommodation protection and advice. Often the madam and girls would venture out at night visiting pubs and inns to pick up clients. Parlours remained illegal but tolerated if kept hidden. Trade remained small scale though spread across the city. Well known areas were De Haarlemmerdijk, De Houttuinen, Zeedijk and as always around the harbour.
In the 18th century wealthy men would meet working girls at gambling houses on De Gelderskade and Zeedijk. The girls would then take the men back to the parlours where they came from. However these were often squalored and unappealing to a gentleman of means. A solution to this problem was for the gambling houses to provide boarding for the girls. This suited everyone including the authorities. The gambling houses made the most of it by investing in luxury furnishings and gradually they became upmarket brothels employing up to 30 girls. Famous brothels included De Pijl in Pijlstraat, De Fonteyn in Nieuwmarkt and Madame Therese on the Prinsengracht. For those who could not afford these expensive places there were still girls to be found around Oudekerk.
In 1811 the ban on working girls was finally lifted. A system of regulation was brought in and there were compulsory health checks. This was largely to protect soldiers from VD. They were given a red card which was essentially a permit to work. If they were found to be infected the card was taken until they could prove they were disease free again.
In the early 20th century religious organisations ran campaigns to try to end tolerance of prostitution. by 1911 a law was passed which once again bans brothels and pimping. Working girls themselves were not banned though. Once again it was driven underground and tolerated as long it did not cause a disturbance. With the closure of many parlours some girls moved to De Pijp.
In 1935 it was estimated that there were around 150 disguised parlours. Fronts included massage, pedicure, manicure, and beauty treatments. Working girls continued to work around the Oudekerk (Oudekerksplein). Instead of being visible as they are today they would stand behind closed curtains and peer through a small crack looking for customers. If they stood in the doorway they would get arrested.
Location
The total area is approximately 6,500 square metres (1.6 acres), limited by the Niezel in the north, the sea dike/Nieuwmarkt in the east, the Sint Jansstraat in the south and the Warmoesstraat in the west. Prostitution takes place within this area in the following streets: Barndesteeg, Bethlehemsteeg, Bloedstraat, Boomsteeg (now closed), Dollebegijnensteeg, Enge Kerksteeg, Goldbergersteeg, Gordijnensteeg, Molensteeg, Monnikenstraat, Oudekerksplein, Oudekennissteeg, Oudezijds Achterburgwal, Oudezijds Voorburgwal, Sint Annendwarsstraat, Sint Annenstraat, Stoofsteeg and Trompettersteeg.
Organization
Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, with the exception of street prostitution, but work permits are not issued for prostitution; therefore legally working in the trade is limited mostly to EU citizens. (A non-EU citizen can work legally in Netherlands without a work permit in certain circumstances, for instance, if they are the spouse of a local citizen.)
Whilst health and social services are readily available, sex workers are not required to undergo regular health checks. Brothel owners and room operators often require health certificates before employing or leasing rooms.[citation needed]
To counter negative publicity, Mariska Majoor, founder of the Prostitution Information Center, organized two "open days" in February 2006 and March 2007, allowing visitors access to some window brothels and peep shows and informing them about the working conditions there.[4][5] Majoor was also instrumental in having the world's first monument to sex workers[6] installed in the red light district. The bronze statue was unveiled on the Oudekerksplein in front of the Oude Kerk at the open day in March 2007 and shows a woman standing in a doorway.[6]
Pimping and human trafficking
Netherlands is listed by the UNODC as a primary country of destination for victims of human trafficking.[7] According to Job Cohen, the former mayor of Amsterdam, "We've realized this is no longer about small-scale entrepreneurs but that big crime organizations are involved here in trafficking women, drugs, killings and other criminal activities".[8]
In 2004, the Amsterdam authorities ordered research into the nature and scale of pimping and human trafficking in Amsterdam. The Willem Plompe institution took up that job. The researchers, under the leadership of professor Frank Bovenkerk,[9] found that women under the control of a pimp can be easily put to work in the legal brothels with the brothel owners being aware that the women are controlled by pimps. The general setup of window prostitution was said to be helpful to pimps, as it facilitates the direct control of the women by their pimp.[10]
A Christian organization of aid workers named the 'Scharlaken Koord’ (in English, Scarlet Cord) has set up a special 'pal'-program for prostitutes in which the pals help the women build a new social network.[11]
City government actions of 2007/2008
In September 2007, the city council of Amsterdam at the behest of mayor Job Cohen, concerned about trafficking and pimping in the area, forced the owner Charlie Geerts to close 51 prostitution windows, reducing the total number of windows in De Wallen by a third. Amsterdam authorities bought 18 properties from Geerts, with the aim of developing the area with fashion designers and other upscale businesses.[12]
Mariska Majoor of the Prostitution Information Center and representatives of the sex worker rights group De Rode Draad have decried the decision, claiming it would not reduce crime but would only lead to higher rent and more competition for the remaining windows.[13][14]
In January 2008, the city council announced plans to close the Rosso live sex theatre and the Banana bar strip club in the area.[15] Local business owners have formed the group "Platform 1012" (named after the zipcode of the area) to oppose the efforts of the Amsterdam government.[12] In the end, the actions of the city government resulted in the closure of the Yab Yum brothel.
At the end of 2008, mayor Job Cohen announced plans to close half of the city’s 400 prostitution windows because of suspected criminal gang activity; part of the city's 70 marijuana cafes and sex clubs will also be closed. Mayor Job Cohen: "It is not that we want to get rid of our red-light district. We want to reduce it. Things have become unbalanced and if we do not act we will never regain control".[16]
In 2009, the Dutch justice ministry announced plans to close 320 prostitution "windows" from Amsterdam.[17]
A former Amsterdam prostitute who is now a city councillor said: "There are people who are really proud of the red light district as a tourist attraction. It's supposed to be such a wonderful, cheery place that shows just what a free city we are. But I think it's a cesspit. There's a lot of serious criminality. There's a lot of exploitation of women, and a lot of social distress. That's nothing to be proud of."[18]
See also
References
- ^ "Straatgerichte aanpak" (in Dutch). Amsterdam.nl. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Dutch cannabis cafe owners fight changes". BBC News. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "New Rules". New-rules.eu. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Mutsvairo, Bruce (23 February 2006). "Amsterdam Red Light District turns spotlight on its practice". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "Red Light District holds 2nd annual Open Day". Dutchamsterdam.nl. 9 March 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ a b Statue in honor of prostitutes unveiled, DutchAmsterdam.nl. Accessed 21 September 2007
- ^ BBC NEWS
- ^ NYtimes.com
- ^ Google Inc.
- ^ Slavenhandel op de wallen, NRC-handelsblad, Ruth Hopkins, 1 October 2005. Template:Nl icon
- ^ Scharlaken Koord
- ^ a b RadioNetherlands.nl
- ^ Amsterdam Cuts Prostitute Displays, Spiegel Online, 21 September 2007
- ^ "Amsterdam closes a window on its red-light tourist trade" by Anushka Asthana, The Observer, September 23, 2007.
- ^ Casa Rosso is next red light target, DutchNews.nl, 17 January 2008
- ^ Timesonline.co.uk
- ^ DigitalJournal.com
- ^ RNW.nl
External links
