The "BASIS project" in Hamburg supports hustlers. This often involves basic needs such as sleeping, eating and washing clothes. A report by Philip Eicker
Washing machines murmur, a tumble dryer rumbles. This is what it sounds like in the centrepiece of the Hamburg "BASIS project", a windowless room in a former gay disco. The air is sauna-warm and dry, it smells of detergent and tobacco. On the floor are around three dozen travel bags, rucksacks and plastic bags, with a crumpled-up T-shirt and a single trainers in between. All of this belongs to young men who prostitute themselves here in St. Georg. Most of them have no permanent accommodation, let alone a washing machine. The BASIS project aims to fulfil their basic needs: eating, drinking, showering, sleeping for a few hours, washing clothes.
"What most Germans consider basic services is not a matter of course for our clients," says Gerhard Schlagheck. The 45-year-old man with the distinctive blond sideburns is a social worker at BASIS. Since 1986, the Hamburg project has been looking after male prostitutes who work mainly in St. Georg. The trendy railway station district is also the centre of the gay scene. BASIS employees like Gerhard Schlagheck are out and about here at night. They carry a large shoulder bag labelled "Streetworker", hand out information material in several languages - and cruising packs consisting of a condom and a sachet of lubricant. "A good point of contact," says Schlagheck. "If necessary, I can also improvise a counselling session at the counter." Above all, however, he invites the young men to drop by the BASIS project. The majority of the hustlers are between 18 and 22 years old, and only a fifth have German citizenship.
Very few hustlers have a fixed place to stay. Most are faced with the question every evening: Where do I sleep? Some stay with friends, others with their clients. Others spend the night half asleep, in a porn cinema, on a bar stool or on a park bench. This is where BASIS comes to the rescue with its quiet rooms, allowing the prostitutes to take at least a few hours' nap. At first glance, the sleeping area in the drop-in centre does not look inviting: a windowless room with a metal bunk bed and mattresses with black rubber covers. "It's easy to disinfect," explains Gerhard Schlagheck. A reading lamp provides some cosiness. There is a list on the outside of the door on which those needing to sleep have to sign in. A more comfortable place to rest is the project's two flats, each with five beds. Minors in particular can find short-term accommodation this way. "They can sleep in and recover in the flat," says Gerhard Schlagheck, "and look for a better, more permanent form of accommodation."
Once the men have satisfied their basic needs, they receive further support from BASIS. The counselling topics are varied: homelessness, illness, prosecution for fare evasion or a missing ID card. Interpersonal problems are also discussed. An important cooperation partner is CASA BlancaHamburg's central advice centre for sexually transmitted diseases. For people without health insurance, it is often the only way to get rudimentary healthcare. A doctor also holds a consultation at BASIS once a week. Basic care is possible, but there is no money for long-term treatment. The service, called "Dr Georg", is only financed by donations.
The BASIS project alleviates hardship, but it cannot - and does not want to - turn the lives of its clients upside down: "I measure my success by setting achievable goals," emphasises Gerhard Schlagheck. For example, when a hustler at BASIS showers regularly. "If you take care of your body, you're also more willing to take care in a sexual risk situation." HIV prevention was the reason why the city of Hamburg launched the BASIS project 20 years ago. "Health counselling is still our top priority," emphasises Gerhard Schlagheck, "but today we also focus on other sexually transmitted diseases." The target group also includes hustler clients. "The health prevention work of the BASIS project is intended to reach both parties involved in sexual contact," says Gerhard Schlagheck.
When asked about changes, he explains: "Things change gradually on the street, for example when the origin of our clients changes." When Gerhard Schlagheck joined the BASIS project in 1996, most of the prostitutes came from the Czech Republic, later from Romania and now from Bulgaria. "Each of these groups has its own cultural characteristics. We have to adapt to them." And the language, of course. But no matter where the young men who sell their bodies come from, their motives and needs are the same. First of all, they have to sort things out every day: Where am I going to sleep tonight?
To the website of the BASIS project: http://basis-projekt.de.
The project welcomes donations of money and goods, for example in the form of clothing. Further information is available from the "Basis & Woge" organisation at www.basisundwoge.de/spenden
