The business of paid sex is growing in Bad Wörishofen and nearby towns. However, prostitution is illegal in the area. Police say they now regularly find women — and sometimes clients — offering or buying sex in hotels and vacation apartments.
Local Rules and Recent Cases
In Germany, prostitution is legal, but only in towns with more than 30,000 residents.
Bad Wörishofen has fewer than 19,000 people, so sex work is not allowed there. In the Allgäu region, prostitution is only legal in Kempten.
Police report that several women have been caught offering sex for money in Bad Wörishofen, Mindelheim, Türkheim, and other nearby towns.
Most of them rent rooms for a few days and advertise their services on online platforms. Officers say this trend has become more common in recent months.
A spokesperson from the South/West Swabia police headquarters said the women usually work alone or with minimal help, such as drivers or organizers. Some of these helpers may be investigated for aiding prostitution or for possible pimping.
Consequences for Women and Clients
When the police suspect illegal prostitution, they check whether the women are registered or allowed to work in Germany. Most come from other European Union countries, which allows them to stay, but not to engage in illegal sex work.
If officers find cash that appears to come from prostitution, it is confiscated as illegal income. The police did not release exact figures on how much money has been seized.
Clients are also questioned by the authorities. In most cases, they are treated as witnesses. Paying for sex is not a crime in Germany, but it becomes illegal if it happens in a restricted area like Bad Wörishofen. Those caught can face fines.
Difficult to Control
Police say it is hard to monitor this kind of activity because many women use hotels or apartments without reception desks.
These places allow them to stay unnoticed and leave quickly. Many cases only come to light after reports from residents or hotel staff.
According to the police, illegal prostitution in small towns across the region continues to increase.
They describe it as a challenge that requires ongoing attention and regular inspections.
Different countries around the world handle paid sex in different ways. The Swedish, also known as the Nordic Model, punishes the customers. We wrote an article explaining why this model is bad for sex workers: Top 10 reasons why the Nordic Prostitution Model is bad for men