Prof. Dr. Julia Wege

BIOGRAPHY

Julia Wege earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Heidelberg University of Applied Sciences from 2005 to 2010. While still a student, she launched a cultural project with homeless people and was awarded a prize for moral courage for her work. From 2008 to 2012, she worked in homeless services.

In her master’s thesis in 2009, Julia Wege examined the living conditions of women in prostitution. In 2012, she founded the AMALIE counseling center for women in prostitution in Mannheim, which she directed until 2021. The work of the Diakonisches Werk’s counseling center garnered widespread professional and media attention both nationally and internationally. In 2014, she was awarded the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region Marketing Prize for AMALIE’s innovative communication strategy.

In 2017, Julia Wege served as an advisor in the gender equality division of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, and Integration and worked as a research assistant on various projects focusing on community work, poverty, and social inequality. In her dissertation, she examined the life stories of women in prostitution.

Since 2021, Julia Wege has been a professor of social work at RWU Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences. Her teaching and research focus on community work, methods and theories of social work, professionalization and counseling, as well as sexualized violence and prostitution. As an expert, she contributes her academic and practical expertise to political bodies at the state and federal levels. In addition, she regularly appears as an expert in national media and has participated in various TV programs. As a scientific consultant, Julia Wege contributed ^tothe production of the NDR crime drama “Polizeiruf 110: Sie haben Namen.” Her responsibilities included reviewing and editing the script, as well as providing advice on the realistic and nuanced portrayal of prostitution and the associated living environments.

Together with the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums in Mannheim, Julia Wege conceived the traveling exhibition “Gesichtslos – Frauen in der Prostitution” (“Faceless—Women in Prostitution”), which was presented nationwide. In addition, together with the artist Nessi Nezilla and renowned partners, including the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office, the Fraunhofer IPA, and the World Childhood Foundation, she initiated the exhibition “Art Against Abuse.” This interdisciplinary exhibition project combines art and science with prevention efforts and creates new avenues for societal engagement with sexualized violence and abuse.

BOOK CONTRIBUTIONS

Wege, Julia (2026): Prostitution. In: Kreft/Mielenz – Dictionary of Social Work, 10th edition. Beltz Juventa Verlag.

Nezilla; Wege, Julia (2025): Art Against Abuse. Oppenheim am Rhein: Nünnerich-Asmus.

Schneider, Urs/Wege, Julia/Michel, Kristina (2025): Research Project on the Prevention of Rape Using Technical Aids. In: Nezilla/Wege, Julia (Eds.): Art Against Abuse. Oppenheim am Rhein: Nünnerich-Asmus. pp. 169–176.

Wege, Julia (2023): Social Work with Women in Prostitution. Interview with Prof. Dr. Julia Wege. In: Borstel, Dierk/Luzar, Claudia (eds.): Engaging with Special Populations—How to Succeed in Social Work Practice. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz Juventa, pp. 83–97.

Wege, Julia (2023): Biographical Work with Women in Prostitution. In: Schreiner, Timo/Wagner-Diehl, Dominik (Eds.): Social Inequality, Education, and Biographical Research. Opladen, Berlin & Toronto: Barbara Budrich, pp. 121–130.

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (2022): Social Work and Prostitution—Professional Approaches in Theory and Practice. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien.

Wege, Julia (2021): Biographical Trajectories of Women in Prostitution—A Biographical and Ethnographic Study. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.

Wege, Julia (2021): Prostitution. In: Kreft/Mielenz – Dictionary of Social Work, 9th ed. Beltz Juventa Verlag.

Wege, Julia (2018): Sexual Violence and Prostitution. In: Retkowski, Alexandra/Treibel, Angelika/Tuider, Elisabeth (eds.): Handbook on Sexual Violence and Educational Contexts. Weinheim: Beltz, pp. 360–368.

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (eds.) (2015): Social Work and Prostitution—Professional Approaches in Theory and Practice. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.

Wege, Julia (2015): Social Work in the Context of Prostitution—Professional Approaches Amid the Tensions Between Different Systems and Actors. In: Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (Eds.): Social Work and Prostitution – Professional Approaches in Theory and Practice. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, pp. 73–97.

JOURNALS

Wege, Julia (2026): Media Use Among Adolescents—Challenges and Opportunities in Educational Counseling, DAJEB 16/2026, pp. 7–14.

Wege, Julia (2026): Love for Sale, Bodies, and Capital. Social Work in the Context of Prostitution, FORUM sozial 2/2026, pp. 22–25.

Wege, Julia (2026): Traveling Exhibition: “Art Against Abuse.” An Artistic and Academic Exploration of Sexual Violence Against Children and Adolescents, Forum sozial 2/2026, pp. 62–63.

Wege, Julia (2026): The Significance of Fake News for the Lives of Adolescents. In Nezilla/Rosendhal, W. (Eds.): Invasion. Fake News—Topics, Times, People. Oppenheim am Rhein: Nünnerich-Asmus. pp. 166–179.

Wege, Julia (2024): The Field of Prostitution in the Context of Professional Social Work, Theory and Practice of Social Work, 2/2024, pp. 128–135.

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (2024): The Economization of Social Work—Economic Dynamics in a Complex Professional Field, Journal of Offender-Victim Mediation, 1/2024, pp. 33–37.

Wege, Julia (2024): The Field of Prostitution in the Context of Professional Social Work, Theory and Practice of Social Work, 2/2024, pp. 128–135.

Wege, Julia (2022): Life Stories of Women in Prostitution, *Trauma*, Vol. 20, No. 2/2022, pp. 26–35.

Wege, Julia (2018): The (In)visible Field of Prostitution: Community Work and Street Work as Methodological Approaches, Social Work, 3/2018, pp. 100–106.

Wege, Julia (2016): Between Economic Exchange and the Difficult Transition Out—Social Work with Women in Prostitution, Sozialmagazin, 9/10, pp. 88–97.

Wege, Julia (2015): Prostitution and Social Work: Between Exit Counseling, Individual Case Assistance, and Sociopolitical Work, Social Work, 11/2015, pp. 410–419.

Wege, Julia/Albert, Martin (2012): Successful Neighborhoods—Empowering Interviews as a Method in Socially Deprived Areas, Social Work, 1/2012, pp. 17–24.

Wege, Julia (2012): Homelessness as a Consequence of Multiple Problem Situations—New Target Groups and Gaps in Service Provision within the Support System, Social Work, 11/2012, pp. 408–414.

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (2011): Social Work and Prostitution—Need for Action and Opportunities for Development in a Tabooed Professional Field, Social Work, 1/2011, pp. 8–18.

PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH PROJECTS

“Concept Development for Neighborhood Work” for Untere Breite Weingarten (2022).

Evaluation of “Kinderchancen Singen e.V.” (2019). Heidelberg Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberg.

Action Plan for the “Exit from Prostitution” Housing Project of the Amalie Counseling Center (2016). Heidelberg Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberg.

Social Space Analysis of Children’s Playgrounds in Neckarstadt-West, Mannheim (2015). Heidelberg Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberg.

Needs Assessment and Concept Development for a Counseling Center Addressing Prostitution in the City of Mannheim (2011). Heidelberg Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberg.

Evaluation and Presentation of the Results of the “Activating Survey” in the Heidelberg-Emmertsgrund Neighborhood (2010). Heidelberg Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, SRH University of Applied Sciences, Heidelberg

REVIEWS

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (2018): Book review in Socialnet: Heinz Messmer (ed.): Case Knowledge. The Use of Knowledge in Practical Contexts of Social Work. Barbara Budrich Publishing. Available at https://www.socialnet.de/rezensionen/23079.php

Wege, Julia/Albert, Martin (2014): Book review in Socialnet: Michaela Köttig et al. (eds.): Social Realities in Social Work. Theory, Research, and Practice in Social Work, Vol. 9. Available at https://www.socialnet.de/rezensionen/16451.php

Albert, Martin/Wege, Julia (2011): Book review in Socialnet: Frank Dölker, Stefan Gillich (eds.): Streetwork in Conflict: Acting in the Tension Between Criminalization and Prevention. Available at https://www.socialnet.de/rezensionen/8772.php

MEDIA COVERAGE (SELECTION)

06/2023: DER SPIEGEL “We Will Be Ashamed”

06/2023: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung “Red-Light District”

10/2022: Stern TV Talk “Prostitution” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaB6vdYiHJ8)

07/2022: Stern TV report on prostitution in the #Why series with Sophia Maier, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lCxKzAHbyA)

01/2022: Evangelical Regional Church of Baden “Exhibition: Faceless—Women in Prostitution” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNf-GSp9LU)

01/2021: ARTE RE “Sex Out of Poverty” / Also published in Deutsche Welle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc1c0CU7ETY)

04/2021: SWR1 “Encounters”: “The Red-Light District and Dignity” (https://www.kirche-im-swr.de/beitraege/?id=33444)

May 2021: ZDF “The Church at the Bottom”

11/2021: Deutschlandfunkkultur “20 Euros for One Sexual Encounter” (https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/prostitutions-ausstellung-gesichtslos-20-euro-fuer-einmal-100.html)

07/2020: ZDF 37 Grad “Two Square Kilometers of Stress—Help for a Neighborhood” (https://jescodenzel.com/video/zwei-quadratkilometer-stress#)

06/2020: Film segment and studio guest on “Stern TV” and a report on Amalie, RTL Cologne (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFlF8Jtpybc&t=71s)

July 2017: Deutschlandfunk “New Prostitute Protection Act”

May 2016: DER SPIEGEL: “The Eyewitness – What Is Neckar?”, interview with Julia Wege

01/2016: RTL Nachtjournal, “Counseling Center for Women in Prostitution”

11/2014: Studio guest on “Stern TV” and report on Amalie, RTL Cologne

10/2014: ARD report “Sold Women – The Booming Business of Prostitution”