Tourists from around the world come to Amsterdam to do things outlawed or severely restricted back home. Prostitution not only is allowed, it's such a significant tourist attraction that the local police hand out glossy brochures outlining the do's and don'ts of Amsterdam's notorious Red Light District. Theaters in the Red Light District offer food, drinks and a variety of stage performances featuring couples and individuals engaging in any of a number of acts. Controversy has raged for years over the Dutch approach to vice. Both sides of the drug legalization debate in the United States often point to the Netherlands as an example of everything that's good and bad in a government drug policy.
Passions also run deep when it comes to the Dutch handling of the world's oldest profession.
The Netherlands allows prostitution to thrive under certain conditions in its big cities, where it is subject to government regulation and taxes. But I like this job. There's a lot of freedom. Critics, however, consider the Netherlands's vice policies tolerance run amok. The Dutch stance not only is irresponsible, they charge, it is jeopardizing public safety in other countries by fostering the growth of illegal markets.