Bondage studios and erotic massage parlors in Berlin, Germany were shuttered when a city-wide ban of brothels was put in place to help control the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Now they have been given the green light to reopen.
The owners of a parlor offering intimate massages and a BDSM studio recently campaigned for an injunction to reverse the ban on sex work.
A court ruled on Friday that these specific businesses could welcome back customers – if everyone inside wore masks and followed government guidance.
There is no ‘especially close contact’ between workers and clients, the Berlin court determined.
A spokesperson said: ‘The service is strictly limited to contact by hand, ensuring greater distancing as a rule.’
Brothels will still not be able to open in the capital city, as sex involves a ‘dramatically elevated breathing rate’ – something that increases the risk of spreading coronavirus.
