In an effort to clean up the streets and protect both sex workers and customers, the city of Zurich in Switzerland has officially opened its first sex drive-in. Since the legalisation of prostitution in the country, the government has set aside a million euro to build "sex boxes" and drive-ins to accommodate sex trade.

Men seeking prostitutes in Zurich can safely get it on with their paid women in these designated places. The drive-in "sex boxes" will open on Aug 26 to make street prostitution safer. The wooden sheds to be used by sex trade customers will have 40 prostitutes as staff and will be open for business during certain hours between night and early morning, according to The Telegraph.

The sex boxes have government-issued posters plastered on the walls to remind customer and sex workers of proper condom use and promote AIDS awareness. The designated boxes also have alarms to be activated for emergencies.

The sex drive-ins look like bare garages at first sight. Only those with cars are allowed to stay inside, while customers on motorcycles or on foot are not allowed.

While prostitution is legal in Switzerland, men in Zurich will not be allowed to solicit prostitutes outside the "sex boxes" and other government-approved zones.

The entire project cost the government 1.4 million euro in an attempt to organise the growing sex trade in Switzerland. The Swiss government can protect sex workers while also preventing them from going near neighbourhoods and city centres. A Swiss welfare department official, Michael Herzig, said it is time to regulate prostitution in the country since it has become "the law of the jungle".

The city of Zurich will strictly impose the use of sex drive-ins. They will be only open between 7 pm to 5 am but only to drivers. Drivers must be alone in their cars to go past the check-in gate. The customer will then choose from among the 40 prostitutes stationed and negotiate a rate. Once done, the prostitute will get inside the car and the customer will drive them to one of the sex boxes to do the deed.

In March 2012, the sex-box project gained the approval of voters in Zurich.

RELATED STORIES