As Gazeta.Ru reports, the most liberal attitude towards prostitution exists in Germany. Thus, according to experts, there are about 400 thousand people engaged in prostitution in this country, most of whom are women. Prostitutes work in brothels, erotic centers, clubs, on the streets, and in private apartments. Due to this, the annual turnover amounts to about 2 billion euros. The state taxes prostitutes' incomes. In 2002, Germany adopted a special law on prostitution, which aims to improve the social position of persons involved in this business.
In France, prostitution as such is not prohibited. However, since 1946, brothels and pimping, street solicitation of potential clients, and prostitution among minors have been banned. A prostitute who speaks to men on the street faces a fine of up to $1,500, and a pimp faces up to two years in prison.
In December 2002, Italian authorities passed a law allowing prostitution in private homes. Street sex workers, on the other hand, face fines and arrest.
Prostitution is also legal in South Africa, Canada, most of Mexico, Brazil, Australia and Israel, as well as in Southeast Asian countries (except the Philippines and China). For some time, prostitution was even allowed in Iran, where the question of its legalization is again being discussed, since Shiites are allowed to have 'temporary' wives.
In most of the listed countries, it is forbidden to maintain brothels and use hired labor in prostitution. In many cases, prostitutes are subject to certain restrictions, such as a ban on working in central parts of the city, near religious shrines, or there are regulations regarding permitted working hours.
Prostitution is not allowed in the former Soviet republics (except the Baltic states, where corresponding laws have been or are being adopted), in the USA (except a few counties in the state of Nevada) and some South American countries where the Catholic Church has a strong position.
In Arab countries, prostitution and pimping are punishable by death.