Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany. In an effort to support women in need of assistance, The Justice Project began reaching out on the streets and in the brothels of the local red-light district in 2011, offering practical support and connecting those who had no resources to professional service providers such as doctors, language teachers and so on. As the number of clients seeking help increased, the counseling center “Mariposa” (spanish for butterfly) was founded. In Mariposa, women working in prostitution are offered a safe and supportive atmosphere to share their needs and receive care.

Poverty-driven prostitution continues to be a major source of the sex industry in Germany. In many cases, women in prostitution come from eastern Europe and exist in a marginalized place in society. Often unable to speak the language and entirely dependent on those in and around the milieu, those working in this system experience exploitation on a regular basis. When such women seek a way out of the industry, they face overwhelming challenges. Along with a relationship based, harm-reduction approach to supporting the needs of those currently in the industry, our team provides consultations and support for women seeking help to step out. When cases of Human Trafficking are present, we provide relocation assistance to safe housing and ongoing care.

What we do

The work of Mariposa is divided into three primary aspects. Our outreach work takes place on a weekly basis where we proactively make contact with those working on the streets, in the city’s concentrated red-light district, as well as in decentralized brothels. Outreach not only provides the opportunity to invite those to our location-based services but also plays a vital role in the psychosocial support we offer women in prostitution. Our drop-in café offers a safe space during the week where our clients can come to enjoy a coffee and cake, or any of the other things we offer in a welcoming atmosphere. Oftentimes, those coming to our drop-in café also come with a practical need and our team provides the relevant assistance. Further support related to the social welfare needs of our clients as well as themes including exit strategies, support in job integration outside of prostitution, and other low-threshold integration services is offered in our counseling center.