Acquittal for a pair of brothers: prostitution or a voluntary decision?

Acquittal for a pair of brothers: prostitution or a voluntary decision?

In a spectacular trial in Bad Pyrmont on June 27, 2025, two brothers aged 28 and 32 were acquitted of allegations of forced prostitution. The public prosecutor's office had accused them of bringing a 22-year-old woman from the Ruhr area to Paderborn and forcing her into prostitution. The sixth day of negotiations brought new, previously confidential information to light, which significantly influenced the view of the course of events.

While the public prosecutor and the defendant's lawyer were convinced that the defendant was guilty, the defense took a completely different view. For her lawyer Martin Mauntel it was clear: the woman had voluntarily decided to engage in sex work. He supported this, among other things, with the fact that the 22-year-old sent lingerie photos, which from the defense's point of view clearly indicated her intention to enter the business.

The pleas and the contradictions

Witness statements from the young woman's environment suggest that she was dissatisfied with school obligations and wanted to free herself from family requirements. Chats that took place before she was picked up reveal a picture that could support the defense: The woman was apparently willing to work voluntarily in Paderborn. The defense attorney also emphasized that there were no signs of distress or threats from the brothers. The lawyer Georg Schulze said that the 22-year-old would have had the opportunity to leave at any time because she had both money and her cell phone with her. A message the 32-year-old wrote in the chats read: "If you want to go, then go. But let me know."

But the presiding judge, Anne Zacharias, found significant contradictions in the defendant's statements and found the accused woman's statements to be unreliable. The trial not only touched on personal fates, but also shed light on the explosive issue of human trafficking and forced prostitution in Germany. The basis for such crimes is the legal framework of Section 18 of the Criminal Code (StGB), particularly Section 232, which deals with human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The context of human trafficking in Germany

According to current statistics, the indicators for human trafficking will have changed slightly in Germany in 2023. In total, there were 406 identified victims and 420 suspects in human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. In many cases this involves forced prostitution, which, as the social service Mission Freedom confirms, often involves the loverboy method. This method often leads female minors and young women into emotional dependencies under the guise of romantic relationships.

The legal regulations are clear. According to Section 232 of the Criminal Code, human trafficking is considered to be fulfilled when a person is recruited for the purpose of sexual exploitation by exploiting their predicament and helplessness. At a time when reports continue to appear about inhumane conditions and exploitation in various industries, the need to address the issue more intensively is more urgent than ever. Disgraceful working conditions, withheld wages and excessive costs are a reflection of a dark side of society.

The case in Bad Pyrmont is just one example of the complex connections in the area of ​​forced prostitution and human trafficking, which raise not only legal, but also societal and social issues. The discussion of individual fates is unavoidable when we talk about the developments and reality of human trafficking in Germany. At WEITE HINSICHT the question remains: How can we as a society ensure that such tragic stories no longer have to be told?

For detailed information about legal aspects and facts about forced prostitution, you can visit the website Mission Freedom as well as Statista visit.