Official statistics are evaluated based on data that entrepreneurs and workers in this industry are required to report to authorities themselves. Consequently, final figures almost never align with what police and social services observe in the field. Updated data for 2025 once again revealed a discrepancy between the two types of analysis: on one hand, the number of registered sex workers increased, while the number of establishments decreased.
Growth in Registered Workers Amid Declining Number of Venues
By the end of 2025, 4.8 thousand individuals providing sexual services were entered into the Bavarian registry-a 1.4% increase compared to the previous year. Simultaneously, the number of registered specialized businesses declined by nearly 5%, down to 368.
Do not ask for addresses; please look for them yourselves. – Ed.
This trend has persisted for several years. Following the entry into force of the Prostitutes Protection Act in 2017, approximately 2.2 thousand people officially registered-a figure noticeably lower than the actual number employed in the sector.
By the end of 2019, prior to the pandemic, registered sex worker statistics rose to 8.1 thousand before declining. Since then, figures have remained relatively stable:
- 4.0 thousand workers in 2021;
- 4.5 thousand workers in 2022;
- approximately 5 thousand workers in 2023.
The current 4,826 officially registered workers do not mark a record high and fall entirely within normal margins of error. By comparison, across Germany as a whole, approximately 32.5 thousand individuals were listed on the sex worker registry at the end of 2025-meaning Bavaria accounts for roughly one in seven registered sex workers in the country.
Bavarian Cities: Varying Dynamics
When analyzing the Free State by city, sex workers are distributed unevenly. In Würzburg, for instance, 88 people were registered as of December 31, 2025, compared to 78 in Schweinfurt; the previous year, these figures stood at 60 and 61 respectively, representing a near 50% increase. In Bad Kissingen, the number of registered individuals grew from 71 to 90, whereas in Aschaffenburg it dropped from 29 to 14.
In Swabia, Kempten recorded 108 registered individuals at year’s end-a figure comparable to larger cities like Würzburg and Schweinfurt.
Munich and Nuremberg Remain Industry Hubs
The sex industry in Bavaria continues to concentrate in its two largest cities. Munich alone accounts for 1.6 thousand registered individuals-slightly over one-third, or 33.9%, of all sex workers in the state.
A similar pattern applies to businesses.
Of the 368 registered establishments-primarily brothels, as well as prostitution venues and sex clubs-most correspond to the worker statistics ratio by city. Munich accounts for 105 brothels, while Nuremberg accounts for 64. Together, they represent nearly 46% of all such establishments in Bavaria.
The decline in businesses alongside growth in registered workers points not to an industry downturn, but to a shift in business formats. The sex industry is gradually moving away from traditional brothels toward less visible, loosely organized forms of operation.
Demographics: Citizenship and Age
The demographic profile of registered sex workers in Bavaria has remained largely unchanged throughout the years the governing law has been in effect.
As of December 31, 2025:
- Over 86% of registered individuals do not hold German citizenship;
- Romanian citizens constitute the largest national group at approximately 40%;
- Ethnic Germans represent roughly 18%;
- Bulgarians account for about 11%;
- Nearly 6% originate from CIS countries;
- Ukrainians make up 1.7%;
- Other nationalities account for 23.3%;
- Approximately three-quarters are between 21 and 45 years old;
- 109 individuals are aged 18 to 20;
What Statistics Show and What Remains Unrecorded
The reliability of official data is limited by the nature of the law itself. The legislation introduced mandatory registration for sex workers and industry businesses, alongside required regular health authority check-ups. The stated aim of the law is to protect individuals from illegal exploitation, coercion, and human trafficking.
The issue lies in the fact that the registry includes only those who choose or are forced to register officially, comply with the law, and pay taxes and fees. According to estimates by activist groups, the real number of sex workers in Bavaria is roughly three times higher than official figures.
Naturally, to secure another grant, one could claim a 10-to-15-fold discrepancy. However, statistics is an exact science that always factors in margins of error-a pity activists are unaware of this. – Ed.
Excluded from statistics are primarily individuals without legal residence permits and those providing home-based services to a narrow client base without any form of registration. However, according to experts rather than armchair commentators who enjoy laundering grant money, the number of unregistered workers fluctuates around 20% of the official worker count. Furthermore, according to Federal Police data, the vast majority of new unregistered sex workers immediately come to the attention of law enforcement, triggering criminal investigations.
