The new law gives the government a possibility to get a hold on the sex industry

Just Wiarda, Ministry of Justice

Brothels, although officially banned, have been allowed to operate under lax conditions.

Now they will be made legal and treated the same way as any other business, with stricter controls and tougher penalties for abuses such as involuntary and under-age prostitution.

Dutch brothels will be treated like any other business

An estimated 30,000 people work as prostitutes in The Netherlands.

Just Wiarda, of the Ministry of Justice, said: "The new law gives the government a possibility to get a hold on the sex industry and to combat the exploitation of prostitution by minors and adults who are forced to prostitute themselves and to reduce prostitution by illegal immigrants."

But Andre Rouvoet, an opposition member of Parliament, said: "I think that's rather naive to think that you can ban crime by legalising it.

Prostitution

Ancient Romans required prostitutes to wear distinctive dress and pay severe taxes Large public brothels were set up in Europe in the Middle Ages At Toulouse, profits were shared between the city and the university In England, brothels were licensed by the bishops of Winchester

"There are lots of ways to combat these abuses, like we have means of fighting trade in women, but you don't need to legalise the prostitution to fight the criminal organisations that bring the women in."

Although brothels will be run professionally from now on, many prostitutes who work in them, are freelance and feel the new law does nothing to improve their situation.

Big taboo

Ellie Teunissen, of the support group, Prostitution Project Foundations, said: "This will not change anything. To be a prostitute is a secret for themselves and for their family.

"The bank don't accept the situation of prostitutes & they can't get a loan for example buying a house, the health insurance system refuse the prostitutes for they are a high risk group.

Most sex workers keep their jobs secret

"We must co-operate with different organisations to regulate the rights of prostitutes - they are not organised at all so they have to demand their rights with different organisations."

The Prostitutes Union, the Red Thread, is expecting a high turnout at its national information day on Sunday.

But so far, most prostitutes still feel part of a big taboo, and most likely, will not attend.

The Dutch move comes days after a British court ordered a 64-year-old woman who admitted running brothels in North London to hand over �2m ($2.93m) of her ill-gotten gains.