• There are 286 windows in the Red Light District.
• The women come from over thirty different countries (but mainly from Eastern-European countries).
• The minimum age for working in prostitution is 18 years.
• The costs for a window vary from 100 to 150 Euros per shift.
• A considerable amount of the women need help.

Who are we?

• Three times a week we visit the windows in teams of two to make contact with the women who work there to let them know what Scharlaken Koord can do for them.
• The teams consist of employees and volunteers, trained by the street work coordinator.

What do we do?

• We listen to the women and try to offer practical help. For instance, Hungarian women get English lessons.
• Many women have a religious background and like it when we talk to them about it.
• The women get leaflets with stories of women who used to work in prostitution. This is often very recognizable for them and makes them think about their own situation.
• We try to build up relationships and offer them our help. Over a third come into contact with Scharlaken Koord through the street work.
• Through the street work we gather information, create trust and stay informed about what happens in the world of prostitution.

Where?

• In Amsterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem and Deventer.
• Scharlaken Koord has also instigated an international network to ensure that women who return to their country of birth can be sheltered there.