Contact point in Cheb
Prevention, information, and charitable assistance
In September 1996, KARO opened the first contact and drop-in center for sex workers in the Czech Republic in Cheb with the support of the Czech Ministry of Health and the city of Cheb. This contact and drop-in center was named “Marita P.”. Since 2002, the facility has been offering sex workers counseling, support, medical assistance, prevention, and assistance in leaving the profession. In addition, workshops and educational programs are held regularly to open up opportunities for a self-determined life.
Our goal is to provide early protection, build trust, and open up opportunities beyond violence and exploitation. At the same time, we involve families and offer additional counseling, prevention services, and support for those affected.
In this way, we make an important contribution to empowering children and helping them find paths to a safe, self-determined life.
Our work empowers those affected and opens up prospects for a self-determined, violence-free life.
Special thanks
We would like to express our special thanks for supporting our work with children and young people to: Sternstunden e.V., the KARL BRÖCKER FOUNDATION, roterkeil.net, cents4children, and many other companies and individuals.
At the contact and drop-in center in Cheb, we offer
The “Marita P.” help center offers quick and accessible support for those in need:
- Crisis assistance and protection in urgent situations
- Counseling and support in leaving situations of violence and prostitution
- Assistance with government agencies, doctors, and legal proceedings
- Services for children and adolescents, particularly sex education and creative activities
- Basic necessities such as clothing, hygiene supplies, and food, as well as the opportunity to shower, do laundry, and find peace
Our services are anonymous, free of charge, and voluntary.
For Marita P. | by Franziska Schauer | June 1997
A rainy day in June.
A few days ago, you turned 44.
And now your life is already over.
Why were you so stupid?
Why did you do it?
Was it your past?
Was the future supposed to be better?
What did you hope to gain from it?
Didn't you notice that everything just got much worse?
Why?
You knew.
Once heroin, always heroin.
You also knew that selling your body for money
just to be better than everyone else was pointless.
You weren't better.
But you realized this too late.
No tears, no grief.
We all knew it would come to this.
You destroyed yourself and the others stood by and watched.
In 1983, Marita P. was one of the first women in Germany to become infected with the deadly HI virus. She was a prostitute, became addicted to drugs, and eventually contracted AIDS. In 1995, she published her book “AIDS saved my life - My years between high-class prostitution and the drug scene” with Christof Links Verlag.
Cathrin Schauer was her friend, cared for her in the final stages of her illness, and accompanied her until her death. On June 18, 1997, Marita P. died in her arms in a hospital in northern Germany. In memory and as a sign of friendship between the two women, the contact and drop-in center was given this name.
Contact and drop-in center in Cheb
“Marita P.”
Svobody 19
35001 Cheb
Phone: +42 (0)354 / 43 03 54
Fax: +42 (0)354 / 43 03 54
Mobile: +42 (0)776 / 42 62 92
Mobile: +49 (0)173 / 97 55 37 4
Email: maritap1@karo-ev.de