There was a typically Dutch news item on tv today. One i wouldn't expect in the USA. The last few weeks the weather was uncommonly warm, even hot. And the Dutch like to complain so they complained about the weather a lot. Oh, it's to hot! And since there's not much else happening in The Netherlands, the tv has been wasting airtime to let people tell about how the warm weather is affecting their lives. Yesterday the florist could complain about how the flowers grow faster as a result of the high temperatures. And to make thing even worse, people aren't buying as much flowers as when it's cold!
Today a different group of entrepreneurs got their go. The pimps, prostitutes and mistresses. Yes, really... a five minute news item about how the prostitution industry is suffering from the warm weather. It turns out that when the weather is hot, the horny guys are not. The pimp was putting up a "for rent" sign. The prostitute was smoking some pot on the beach. The mistresses was weeping in her dungeon... such an awful sight.
You know there's actually a union for prostitutes in The Netherlands. I think they'll start lobbying for a tax deduction for airconditioners soon. Yes, in The Netherlands prostitution is taxed. In Holland you really can get screwed by the government, so to speak.
Click here to get more info about prostitution in The Netherlands.
In 1996 the Dutch government adopted new legislation to abolish the criminalisation of brothels. Key elements of the new policy are:
- The distinction between 'forced' and 'voluntary' prostitution. 'Trafficking' and other forms of coercion and violence remain offences in the penal code.
- The regulation of prostitution is delegated by the state to the various regional and city governments. The city can thus regulate, through the licensing of brothels, the number, if any, and type of commercial sex based businesses it will accept. Individual sex-workers will not, however, be required to register.
But the legalization of brothels and prostitution also gave the prostitutes and pimps more to complain about. Prostitutes in Holland are complaining about the rules, which include washing their underwear in boiling water. They have also been told to soak vibrators for 10 minutes in an alcohol solution and shower separately from their customers. The women complain the new rules will ruin their slinky underwear, destroy rubber sex toys and spoil the erotic atmosphere. More about the rules..
I'm so *ashamed* to be Dutch!
i really like you people and i want you to give me a loving friend for business bye.