Services4SexWorkers
Health

Since January 2001 the “Law for the Protection of Infectious Diseases” abolished the compulsory requirement of HIV and STD testing for sex workers in Germany.

HIV and STI testing is voluntary, anonymous, and free of charge in public health care services for both German and migrant citizens, including sex workers, regardless of whether or not the person has a health insurance or not.

 

Health Insurance

Most German and migrant sex workers in Germany are self-employed and can obtain private health insurance without risk assessment (no health examination is required beforehand) and without risk loading (no higher costs are demanded because of the job’s risks).

 

Since January 2009 all persons in Germany must have a health insurance.

- The same health insurance which last insured the person must insure the person again.

- EU (European Union), EEA (European Economic Area) and Swiss citizens who are registered in Germany must have a health insurance according to the same laws as German citizens.

- Non-EU-citizens must have a health insurance through their employer or private health insurance depending on their residence permit.

- Undocumented migrants may obtain limited medical care through the Social Welfare Centre. By law they have the right to very restricted care for minor health problems. However, other laws make it extremely difficult for undocumented migrants to make such claims without risking deportation.

 

Access to STI testing and treatment

STI testing is voluntary, anonymous, and free of charge in public health care services for both German and migrant sex workers, regardless of whether the person has a health insurance or not.

Public health care services exist all over Germany. Many of them offer the services of translators during counselling hours. Their main offers are:

- Prevention and advice on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted Infections (STI)

- Examination and treatment of STI

- Psychosocial counselling

- Specific HIV & STI prevention for indoor- and outdoor-based sex workers through regular outreach work

 

Access to HIV/AIDS testing and treatment

HIV testing is voluntary, anonymous, and free of charge in public health care services for both German and migrant sex workers, regardless of whether the person has a health insurance or not. HIV/AIDS tests may only be done with the consent of the person.

Public health care services exist in the major towns in Germany.

Those who do not have a valid health insurance must pay for all costs related to HIV/AIDS treatment. However, in some towns there are informal networks of organizations and medical doctors who offer support. Information is available at local health care services and organisations offering counselling.

Since October 2017 it is possible to buy the so called self-HIV-Tests at pharmacies and drugstores. Those tests can be performed at home or at work. As the quick-tests, they are highly sensitive.

 

Protection from deportation for medical reasons

German authorities vary on whether HIV-positive immigrants with temporary residence permits are allowed to stay in the country despite the lack of life-saving treatment in certain countries. Each German state decides independently regarding the laws on this matter. In many cases, the decision to grant asylum depends on the stage of the illness.

 

Access to harm reduction programmes

Harm reduction programmes for drug-users are available to all persons, regardless of nationality, legal status and whether or not she/he has health insurance. Harm reduction programmes have not been uniform across the country. In general, services are mostly available in the north and in the central regions of Germany. These include national and local drug strategies like the prescription of methadone, distribution of needles and syringes, and supervised injection sites.

 

Abortion

Abortion in Germany is generally forbidden, but under the following conditions it is not penal:

- The woman must have applied for and proven that she has previously been to a specific abortion counselling interview.  Three days need to elapse after the interview before abortion can be proceeded. The abortion must be done by a doctor up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

- The pregnancy was a consequence of rape or similar sexual assault.

- The pregnancy represents a risk to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

 

Pro-familia provides 170 counselling clinics with a full array of professional abortion and counselling services throughout Germany. It also offers online counselling at: www.profamilia.de

Information is also available at local health care services and organisations offering social counselling. Normally, abortions are NOT covered by a health insurance, except in the case of individuals with very low income or the pregnancy endangers the woman’s life. If done with local anaesthesia the procedure costs approximately 450€. It can also be done with general anaesthesia at a higher cost. 

 

 

Further Information

www.bsd-ev.de

www.bufas.net

www.lola-nrw.de

www.prostituiertenschutzgesetz.info  (Information on the new Prostitution Law in seven different languages)