Vorarlberg records 27 illegal prostitution cases

Vorarlberg recorded 27 reports of illegal prostitution last year, according to data from Austria’s Interior Ministry cited by ORF. The figure was two lower than the previous year, but does not represent a significant decline.

The number of administrative penalties provides only a limited picture of the problem because offences linked to illegal prostitution are believed to have a high unreported rate.

In a comparison over several years, Vorarlberg stands out among Austria’s federal states. It recorded almost twice as many reports as Lower Austria. ORF said stricter controls could be one explanation, while prostitution in Lower Austria may have shifted more strongly abroad or to Vienna.

Vorarlberg also recorded two investigations into human trafficking for sexual exploitation last year.

Commercial prostitution effectively prohibited

Prostitution is not generally prohibited in Vorarlberg. However, commercial prostitution may only take place in brothels, and no brothel is currently approved in the state.

The reason is the Vorarlberg Morality Police Act, which makes brothel approval practically impossible. Not every form of prostitution is covered by the ban. The prohibited category is known as “gewerbliche Unzucht”; prostitution is considered commercial when it provides a person’s livelihood. Occasional prostitution is legal in Vorarlberg.

Vorarlberg is also currently the only Austrian federal state without a single registered prostitute. Around 5,400 prostitutes are registered across Austria.