IN 1977, 827 MAYORS PARTICIPATED IN A SURVEY, AND 4 PERCENT OF THEM CONFIRMED THAT ONE OR MORE COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS EXISTED IN THEIR TOWNS. OPERATIONS COMMERCIALIZING SEX INCLUDED WINDOW AND STREET PROSTITUTION, HIGHWAY PROSTITUTION, PROSTITUTION IN BARS AND IN PRIVATE HOMES, SEXCLUBS, SEXSHOPS, PORNO MOVIE THEATERS, SEXSAUNAS, CALLGIRL AND CALLBOY OPERATIONS, AND CONTACT AGENTS. MOST COMMERCIAL SEX WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE LARGER CITIES, BUT PROSTITUTION IN PRIVATE HOMES, SEXSHOPS, AND SEXTHEATERS WERE ALSO STRONGLY REPRESENTED IN SMALLER CITIES. DURING THE LAST 2 YEARS ONLY A SMALL INCREASE WAS OBSERVED IN COMMERCIAL SEX. OF 72 TOWNSHIPS IN WHICH PROBLEMS HAD ARISEN AS A RESULT OF COMMERCIAL SEX, 13 HAD NOT YET RESOLVED THEIR DIFFICULTIES. THE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED PROBLEMS WERE NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS, SUCH AS UNWANTED CONFRONTATION WITH THESE INSTITUTIONS, NOISE, DECREASE OF THE VALUE OF SURROUNDING HOUSES AND COMPLAINTS BY RESTAURANT AND BAR OWNERS BECAUSE OF DISHONEST COMPETITION (E.G., SEXCLUBS WERE USUALLY SERVING ALCOHOL WITHOUT A LICENSE). ONLY 48 PERCENT OF THESE TOWNS TOOK CRIMINAL ACTION AGAINST THESE OPERATIONS, BUT MORALITY ISSUES WERE NOT ALWAYS A MAJOR CONSIDERATION. MANY LOCAL COUNCILS CONSIDERED THE FACT THAT THESE OPERATIONS DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER LICENSES AND DID NOT COMPLY WITH LOCAL FIRE ORDINANCES OF EQUAL OR GREATER IMPORTANCE. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SHOULD NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN LOCAL ISSUES INVOLVING COMMERCIAL SEX. FURTHER STUDY SHOULD MEASURE HOW FAR THE OPINION OF THE LOCAL COUNCILS REFLECTED THE MOOD OF THE POPULATION. TABLES AND A FEW REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. --IN DUTCH. (WVK)