Prostitution in Riga City

From 1710 to 1795 the area of present-day Latvia gradually passed into the Russian Empire as its Baltic Provinces (Provinces of Livland and Courland) and as a part of the Province of Vitebsk (Latgallia). Russia legalized prostitution in the nineteenth century and introduced an administrative system to regulate it, with the aim of restricting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Riga had already become part of the Russian Empire in 1710 during the Great Northern War (1700–1721), fought between Russia and Sweden. In 1843 an instruction was issued establishing a Medical Police Committee in Riga. Prostitutes in brothels and those working alone were registered by the police, were issued “tickets” instead of a passport and were required to undergo a police medical check-up once a week. In 1847 there were five brothels in Riga; by the early 1880s there were nine, and by 1891 there were 35. In the 1890s the number of brothels in Riga decreased: there were 23 in 1899, only one of which was in the city centre. At the close of the nineteenth century brothels were officially recognized as institutions necessary to the residents of Riga and serving their welfare.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Gender Equality

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions