Meet Amsterdam’s oldest prostitutes

Between them, the twins have a century's worth of experience in the prostitution business ..Amsterdam's oldest prostitutes have been thrust into the spotlight with the release of their memoirs and a documentary film about their lives. The film, Meet the Fokkens, follows 70-year-old identical twins Louise and Martine Fokken as they share secrets of selling sex in the city's famous red light district.

The twins say their memoirs have changed attitudes; they used to get abuse, now they get respect

"Oh laughter, definitely laughter. You have to laugh even if you are sad because it is your life and you can't change it, but it is always better if you are smiling." The sisters nod in unison.

But their expertly applied scarlet smiles do not detract from the shimmer of sadness in their eyes.

"Of course when we were 14 or 15 we never thought we would be working as hookers one day. We were creative and we had dreams," Martine says.

Louise adds: "I always say that my husband beat me into it. He was violent and said he would leave me if I didn't sell sex to make us more money.

"He was the love of my life…" she says.

Louise's children were taken into foster care. She holds one of the photographs, showing their small smiling faces, that sits on the shelves of an antique bookshelf. Speaking from experience  ,Martine still sells sex. She says the Dutch state pension alone is not enough to live on. Louise quit because of arthritis.

Martine says she would like to retire but cannot afford to. The documentary shows her at work – perched on a stool in stockings, suspenders and patent leather stilettos.

The twins' memoirs topped the Dutch bestsellers list, and now an English translation is being printed and is due to be released later this year.

The twins say that Meet the Fokkens has helped to change attitudes; some of the abuse has been replaced by respect.

And as Martine tucks into the remains of Louise's cream cake, sharing a forkful with one of their three Chihuahuas, balancing on her shoulder, she swears they would not have done it any other way.

"This is what we know. If we didn't do hooking then what would we do? This is our life.

"And," she glances again at her sister, "we are still having fun".

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19727455

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