Months after closing the city’s licenced brothels, Utrecht has so far failed in its efforts to find a new location for legalised prostitution, news agency ANP reports on Tuesday.

The city withdrew licences from a string of floating brothels this summer because of fears their owners were involved in human trafficking.

Since then, a small group of prostitutes have set up a cooperative to run their own brothel, but efforts to take over some of the boats have run into objections from locals.

The women have also been refused ‘start-up capital’ from the council which ‘does not want that sort of role’, ANP said. Nor is the council willing to pay the women compensation for the months they have been unable to work.

Mayor Aleid Wolfsen says he hopes to have a new location before the end of the year.

Utrecht prostitutes call on council to take over boat brothels
Utrecht prostitutes set up cooperative to run floating brothels