Time Out at 40

Mariska Majoor | Henk Schiffmacher | Rineke Dijkstra

Mariska Majoor
For almost 15 years, former prostitute Mariska Majoor (39) has been running the Prostitution Information Centre in Amsterdam’s world-famous Red Light District. Over the years, Majoor has evolved from a mere advocate for prostitutes to a passionate champion of the whole neighbourhood.

You’ve been chosen as one of Time Out Amsterdam’s heroes. How do you feel about that?
I am quite honoured, but also a bit uncomfortable; I like to be modest, and there are much more important issues in the world that need our attention.

Why did you start the Prostitution Information Centre?
There were, and still are, many people who are worried about those ‘pitiful girls’ working in window prostitution. But prostitution is not only about misery. I wanted to create a place for anybody who has questions or problems involving prostitution, be it the prostitutes themselves, their clients, their relatives, tourists, students and so on. Over the course of years the PIC has redefined its objectives and now we are promoting the Red Light District as a whole. We want to show that the neighbourhood is a combination of everything life has to offer: sex; religion; shops; a residential area. To achieve that goal we invite people to visit the PIC or the website, or go with me on a tour of the neighbourhood. I also give many lectures on the subject. Feature continues

City Hall is closing down dozens of windows in the Red Light District in an attempt to curb criminal activities and the abuse of women. What will be the implications for the neighbourhood and the city at large?
That’s hard to say. If they really intend to crack down on the criminal element I have nothing against it, but the way the plans are being presented, claiming that 90 per cent of the prostitutes are being forced to work, is unfair because it’s just not true. The politicians have intentionally created this illusion to force through their plans to gentrify the neighbourhood. I already come across tourists who have started to perceive Amsterdam as less easy-going, because the Red Light District has always been a symbol of the city’s tolerance. On the other hand, people who have always had a negative image of prostitution are glad something is being done to curb it.

Who are your Amsterdam heroes (past or present)?
The women who are working the windows, and especially those who do it to create a better future for themselves and their families. Often they come from poor countries and they don’t really have a choice; they become a prostitute for a while because they have to. I find that very brave. You need a lot of inner strength to be able to cope with the pressures of the trade.

What’s your favourite place or thing in Amsterdam?
The Red Light District. I like to be in places where life is fully lived. Apart from that, it’s the oldest neighbourhood of the city, with beautiful buildings.

What’s your personal favourite moment in Amsterdam? Where were you, and what was happening?
The unveiling of Belle on Oudekerksplein in 2007. Belle is a statue of a sex worker, honouring prostitutes all over the world. It was my initiative, because I wanted to establish a permanent token of respect for these women.

What’s the future for your activism in Amsterdam? What are your hopes, and what needs to happen?
I think the Red Light District will become smaller; 80 or 90 of the 420 windows have been closed already, and I expect this trend to continue. It’s an undesirable development, because women will be forced to work illegally, which will make it more difficult for them to fight for their rights. But I do hope that the attitude of politicians and society at large will change for the better. We need to get back to the tolerant society we had a few decades ago.

Amsterdam is…
…one of the most beautiful and most tolerant cities in the world.
Interviewed by Floris Dogterom

Mariska Majoor | Henk Schiffmacher | Rineke Dijkstra