City council and police take action against illegal prostitution

A strong signal for legal operators The intensive measures taken by the Vienna police send a clear message: Illegal prostitution in private homes will not be tolerated. This is a relief for official brothel operators, as illegal competition, which has deprived them of considerable income, will now be more strongly curbed. The consistent enforcement of the Vienna Prostitution Act not only protects the legal system, but also strengthens the legal sector.

In Vienna, the fight against illegal prostitution in private homes is a top priority in 2025. As the Vienna Provincial Police Directorate (LPD) announced in a press release on October 4, 2025, 68 priority actions have already been carried out this year to combat illegal prostitution in private homes. These measures aim to uncover and consistently punish violations of the Vienna Prostitution Act.

Extensive controls and high penalties

As part of the targeted operations, 200 apartments in Vienna were inspected. The officers discovered numerous violations, which led to a total of 570 charges for violations of the Vienna Prostitution Act. On site, police lawyers acting as summary judges imposed fines amounting to 190,000 euros.

Particularly drastic measures were taken in 39 cases: These apartments were closed and sealed by the police in order to stop the illegal use immediately. The respective landlords or owners of the apartments were reported to the police as they had knowingly made their premises available for illegal prostitution.

Focus on short-term apartments

The majority of the apartments inspected were so-called short-term apartments, which were often only rented for short periods of time in order to conceal illegal activities. This form of prostitution poses a particular challenge as it is difficult to trace and often goes hand in hand with other violations such as illegal residence. In the course of the checks, 10 women were provisionally arrested for illegal residence in Germany.

Cooperation with the magistrate

The Vienna Police Department works closely with the Municipal Department of the City of Vienna to take targeted action against illegal residential prostitution, particularly in short-term apartments. This cooperation is intended to ensure that violations can be detected more quickly and sanctioned more effectively. The aim is to hold both the operators of illegal prostitution and the landlords who tolerate such activities accountable.

A strong signal against illegal prostitution

The priority actions of the Vienna police send a clear signal: illegal prostitution in private homes will not be tolerated. Consistent enforcement of the Vienna Prostitution Act and close cooperation with the municipal authorities should help to curb this form of crime and increase safety in the city.

For further questions and reactions, please contact the Vienna Provincial Police Headquarters.

Press release of the LPD Vienna from 04.10.2025, 12:02 pm