Julia Wege in an interview about her work for the crime film series "Polizeiruf 110"

Julia Wege has been a professor at the Faculty of Social Work, Health and Nursing at RWU since 2021. In 2024, she took on the task of providing expert advice on the red-light district during the production of an episode of the crime film series "Polizeiruf 110".

Alec Weber: How did you come to be involved in the production of an episode of "Polizeiruf 110" and what exactly did you do there?

Professor Dr. Julia Wege: Florian Oeller, who writes scripts for Tatort and Polizeiruf 110, among others, contacted me because he was researching the topic of prostitution and came across my doctoral thesis. I had conducted interviews with women in prostitution for my thesis. He asked me if we could talk on the phone, which turned into a two-hour call. Afterwards, he sent me the rough draft of his script. I was then able to give him tips and corrections on how things work in the red-light district.

How does that work in practice?

I commented on individual passages in the script and backed up all comments with sources, studies and figures. This allowed me to support the author, because a lot of things are not believed when it comes to the background of the red-light district. Florian Oeller then suggested to NDR whether I could take over the specialist consultancy on the subject of red light. I was then officially commissioned to act as a contact person for the director, the producer and also for the actors. My main task was to write an expert opinion on the script. I had to evaluate all the scenes in terms of idioms and content details. Is it coherent? Is it too exaggerated? Is it realistic? How are the statements among the women? I've been supporting the production for almost two years since 2022. The end was the shoot in Hamburg.

What kind of technical details were involved in your work as a consultant, for example?

It was about checking whether, for example, the content of the dialog or the connections in relation to the plot structure seemed realistic. I also often consulted with the CID or the LKA. For example, many of the women are branded by their pimp. That means they have a tattoo and you can tell which pimp the women belong to. It works like a label that turns people into commodities. I then had to consult the LKA again to see if there was some kind of tattoo register, for example.

What was your highlight on set or during filming?

The highlight on set was talking to the two actresses Anneke Kim Sarnau and Lina Beckmann, who play the detectives Katrin König and Melly Böwe. They talked about how they prepared for the topic. They found it moving and dramatic to approach this taboo subject. And they were also really angry because political actors and society should take a much stronger stance on the subject. I am pleased and proud that I was asked to contribute my professional expertise to the episode.

So can you imagine working on film and TV productions in this or a similar capacity in the future?

In my opinion, it is important to speak out on social issues in the media and take a stand. In recent years, I have had many media inquiries, over 350 in total, including from international media: the HBO channel came to Mannheim from New York, for example, where I had founded the Amalie advice center for women in prostitution. But the topic is sensitive, the women's living situations are very precarious and I didn't want to be accompanied by camera crews every day during my work at the time. It's about protecting the women. Nevertheless, I took the time to work on documentaries, for example for ARTE or ZDF. However, I always check the requests very carefully to see who is producing the whole thing and what the aim is. There are big differences, I don't want to be involved in dubious formats.

How is the topic dealt with politically and socially?

There is a political camp that sees prostitution as work. In my experience and the findings of police authorities, the number of women who actually work in this field voluntarily and of their own free will is relatively low. The proportion of women who are forced and are victims of various crimes is relatively high. However, they are hardly seen and are not the focus of public attention. Some of these women are in urgent need of help and the counseling landscape is very inadequate. The state has an ambivalent attitude here, as taxes in the prostitution industry are very high.

What specific political steps would you like to see?

I am shocked at how little knowledge many politicians have about this area. Generally speaking, I still feel that women's rights are not given enough attention. You can see this, for example, when you look at the funding of women's shelters. Sexual offenses against women have risen by around 28% since 2019, according to the BKA situation report. It's about domestic violence, harassment and rape. I would like to see a political rethink to improve the situation for women in general and for prostitution to be treated legally in line with the Nordic model. The "Nordic model" means that the purchase of sexual services is prohibited, but women are allowed to offer them. This means that the women are not criminalized, but the clients are. Sweden introduced it back in 1999, since then Ireland, Norway, Israel and France have also done so, and the countries have had positive experiences with it so far. The most important aspect is that there is a social rethink and it is an absolute taboo for men to buy a woman's body for sexual gratification. In Germany, this is part of the lifestyle of many men. We must not forget that there is a big lobby: brothel operators who have the necessary financial resources. It is unbelievable how much money is circulating in prostitution in general. Prostitution is also closely linked to other areas of crime: Drug trafficking, organ trafficking and also arms trafficking. It all takes place in the red light and is often interlinked.

How is prostitution currently dealt with legally in Germany?

We have had the Prostitutes Protection Act since 2017. This means that people in prostitution must be protected. A key component of the new law is also to actively combat human trafficking. The penalties for offenders are relatively low and therefore have no deterrent effect. In this respect, it remains a criminal activity that is socially tolerated under the guise of "normal" work. Many women come from poorer backgrounds, have a migration background and are not even aware of their rights, for example because they do not speak the language. This helplessness is often exploited by criminal groups.

To what extent is it currently possible to work legally as a prostitute in Germany?

In order to work legally in prostitution, you need to register with the authorities, undergo a health consultation and attend a registration and information interview. You will then receive a corresponding certificate. These certificates must be updated every 6 or 12 months. However, a woman with a legal ID can also be a victim of human trafficking. In Germany, around 30,000 people work legally in prostitution. It is assumed that the illegal sector is much larger.

Are there also regional differences in Germany with regard to prostitution?

Yes, there are indeed major differences. In the choice of words alone: In the Nordic region, people tend to talk about sex work. The term prostitution is not actually used there and is treated more liberally. It is also seen as work. In southern Germany, it is more rare to hear people talk about sex work. You also have to consider the geographical location; Mannheim, for example, has always been a hotspot for human trafficking. It's close to the airport and it's a metropolitan region with a lot of industry. The city used to be an American base. They had their headquarters there, where many soldiers were stationed. Research has shown that where there is war, rape increases and prostitution is also more widespread.

What does it look like outside the big cities?

Rural areas are also exciting. I was surprised at how high the figures are here in Upper Swabia and in the Lake Constance district. Many people think it's not an issue here because it's not so present in the public eye. Nevertheless, it is there. The proximity to Switzerland and Austria, especially this area close to the border, plays a major role. Friedrichshafen is also a trade fair city. There are criminal structures that work together with the brothels to drive the women from A to B. There are routes and ways to smuggle the women through Germany and Europe. We also know, for example in Lörrach and Villingen-Schwenningen, that many clients drive over from Switzerland because it's much cheaper. The Black Forest is heavily affected by illegal prostitution. This is because prostitution is only permitted for a population of 35,000 or more. As the women there are often not allowed to engage in prostitution legally, they rent a room in a hotel, guesthouse or vacation apartment. In addition, a lot has shifted to the internet. Today's customers no longer go to brothels because there is a great risk that this will somehow get out. It's now even more anonymous and people contact women directly via certain platforms. This development was also encouraged by corona, because the brothels were closed in the meantime. This meant that the women and clients were forced to find alternative ways.

Finally, and with regard to your work on Polizeiruf 110, I would like to know how you view the media's treatment of prostitution?

There are sometimes big differences in how the media tackle the subject of prostitution, so it has to be viewed in a differentiated way. I would like production companies to place more emphasis on quality and also invest time in extensive research. Most of the time, however, they don't have the time and the topic is presented superficially and one-sidedly. There are some good programs, but my overall impression is that they have not yet fully succeeded in bringing the topic to the attention of society. That's why I think Polizeiruf 110 under the title "They have names" is really successful. Florian Oeller has done extensive research. I think this crime thriller will make big waves. Because the red-light district is portrayed relentlessly and realistically.

Text: Alec Weber