The business of sex has for decades been conducted openly along these few blocks near the U. But in recent days, the mere mention of its name has become a touchy political subject.
Near the U. On any given night, scores of U. The man declined to give his name but said he is divorced, has no children, and works as a government clerk and has been coming down for 17 years. Prostitution is prohibited in most of the United States, permitted only in a handful of counties in Nevada.
But, as in other parts of the world, it is a tolerated activity in Mexico β neither formally endorsed nor expressly forbidden. Still, the city adopted new rules in requiring sex workers to register, carry an electronic card and submit to regular checkups, including testing for HIV. City officials did not reply to requests for the number of registered card-carriers, but Clark, the human rights activist, said there are approximately 1, signed up with municipal health authorities β a fraction of the 5, to 6, sex workers that business owners have told him operate in La Cohuila and other parts of the city.
As the city has grown, he said, a few smaller tolerance zones have sprung up. In some cities, like Tijuana, they grew on the margins of traditional tourist areas. The years after saw the emergence of enclosed compounds such as Boystown in Nuevo Laredo on the Texas border, he said. Doron now owns one of the oldest shops on the street, Hand Art, which sells embroidered dresses and blouses. He heads a merchants group called Ceturmex. Real Estate. About Us. Community papers.
Subscription Services. Privacy and Terms. North County. Julian fire station once manned by volunteers now belongs to county. Dismissal of lawsuit clears way for professional force to provide emergency services in tourist town. South County. Gay marriage in Baja: reforms aim to address discrimination. A state representative in Baja California introduces a series of reforms meant to remove discrimination from the same-sex marriage process in the state.
