Hydra e. Since , Hydra has partially been funded with public funds, so that a permanent counselling centre in Berlin could be established.
Among other things, it informs about health issues, in particular AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. In addition to the counselling centre, Hydra participates in lobbying and public relations to improve the legal and social situation of prostitutes. The purposes of the association are:. Some of Hydra's employees have their own experience as prostitution. Club membership is restricted to women, while supporting membership is also open to men.
The foundation of the association goes back to the counselling centre for venereal diseases of the Berlin-Charlottenburg health department, which had existed since , [5] [6] from which, in , the idea for an autonomous prostitute organisation was born. As prostitutes, among others, came to the counselling centre, at the end of social workers , female teachers, lawyers, doctors, and female psychologists working there formed the Association for the Promotion of Vocational and Cultural Education of Female Prostitutes e.
In the autumn , two more social worker interns were added, so that in addition to regular opening hours, a large number of working groups were offered. The rent was taken over by a foundation for two years and funded for 6 months by a "Self-Help Initiative Network"; otherwise, the project was funded by donations. In the spring of it was decided to occupy to a house to provide more room. During the winter of , several of the involved women retired for professional reasons, so the future of the project was in doubt.
The impetus for the further development was given by one of the Hydra initiators with plans for their own newspaper and a Christmas party. In February the work was resumed. In addition to a monthly donation of DM came at an event in August raised DM, with which running costs and other activities could be financed.
