Following psychiatric recommendations, a German prison has sent several inmates to a brothel so they could gain experience and learn how to have non-violent sex with women, German weekly Der Spiegel reports. The clinic that issues the referrals says the practice is useful and will be continued.

Three convicted sex offenders currently serving their sentence have been referred to a brothel by a psychiatric institute in western Germany. The clinical psychiatrists have sent the well-behaved inmates of the Lippstadt-Eickelborn prison to a nearby brothel so they could „gain experience” and learn how to have non-violent sex with women. Responding to a question by German weekly Der Spiegel, the clinic has confirmed that there were three similar cases in the past two years.

The identity of the convicts was not revealed, allowing them to have anonymous sex with the prostitutes. The Lippstadt Regional Council in West Rhine-Westphalia has described the corrective measure as „effective,” adding that they are mulling the implementation of similar steps. Der Spiegel points out that – considering the history of German penitentiaries – the case is not unique. East Germany s Osnabrück prison has been receiving prostitutes since 2001, tasked with practicing non-violent sexual intercourse with well-behaved inmates.