Brazil's Most Notorious Prostitution House Becomes a Museum

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Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:55 +0100

help is still opened lol - Tony Starks

Help is still opened

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:48:33 +0100

I was in Rio late September thru October 7, 2009 and Help is still open. It was practically empty Monday - Wednesday (literally 10 people including the DJ), but it picked up a little on Thursday, then Friday and Saturday were good nights. Sunday night was decent. I actually went to Help on Monday, Friday and Sunday nights. I got feedback about the other nights from other tourists and garotas. At best Friday night was comparable to a Monday night from a few years ago. Just wasn't the same. It appears that Help has seen its best days. Also they've raised their cover to 40 Real after midnight. Also, Meia Pataca was dead every day of the week, no matter the time of day. Perhaps it was just the time of the year...Spring. Summertime is always better in Copa anyway. Either way, we still had a great time this past trip. So whether Help is open or not wont stop my gringo ass from flying 10 hours to Brazil. Can you say.. TERMAS!!! TERMAS!!! TERMAS!!! - Juan

Club Help closing date

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:04:10 +0100

The word is out that the world famous Club Help is officialy closing on September 30, 2009. This is sad news for many. As a frequent traveler to Copacabana I will miss this place very much. I am an american and I have many American and European friends who spend large amounts of money at Help and other local businesses in Copacabana. Will there be a replacement for Club Help? Will an exsisting night club take over for Help? Where will the Club Help girls hang out now? It all remains to be seen. You can call them prostitutes or whatever but I have met girls who attend colleges in S. America who spend their summers in Rio to make some money. The local Brazilians against prostitution should realize it will go on no matter if you close Help. The local girls need the money and our tourist dollars are helping your economy. Maybe the author of this article should focus on the real issues there like poverty and coruption. To single out the young woman who are doing what they have to do to survive is lame. If anyone hears about a new replacement for Club Help then please post it. - Nick

The latest word

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:04:02 +0100

It seems like the keep trying to close it, but it hasn;t happened yet. http://thegringotimes.com/news/rio-business/fate-of-club-help-sealed/ - FletchNY

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Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:04:50 +0100

help is still open this mounth! but do you know it will be open on august or september??? - oliver

Mixed Feelings

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:33:16 +0100

Yes is still open but just temporarily because they finally got the order this month that the owners must vacate the premises within 60 days. Baring some small miracle HELP will be closed in May of 2009. I'm quite sure the owners will have another spot lined up. I have mixed feelings about Help. The women that work there, the majority are not bad women just they are placed in a bad situation. I love Brazil and I do consider moving there some day but there are some serious social problems. Which force these women to sell their bodies to survive and put them at risk every night. Some of these women have loving siblings and parents but just do not have any means to survive. Some of these women have kind hearts and hate the fact that they have to do what they do. Alot of them do not enjoy it at all. But when they see their children starving and their government won't help them or their husband or boyfriend is not helping what do you do. I do not judge anyone because it is not my place and I am not GOD. Secondly you have many Brazilians that graduate from a University can not find or job or if they do find a job the job pays about $900 to $1,000 a month. And that amount folks are considered to middle class material. The average brazilian income is about $400 US a month seriously I am from New York that would barely cover my grocery bill each month. I know Brazilians have some ill will towards foreigners and blame them for their situation but until the Brazilian government clean up the GREED, CORRUPTION, AND SCANDAL within the Government, Police Force and their Justice System, Brazil will never reach the potential to be one of the top 5 countries in the world. I have many Brazilian friends and I have a Brazilian girlfriend and I just want to say to Morgana and other Brazilians that think the way she does you should always look to better yourself and never blame someone else for your problems. - Brooklyn Born

Help is stil open

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:45:25 +0100

and i'm going back tonight... - night3232

help

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:26:34 +0100

I be in Help 3/12 2008 is open. ;D - henrik glenstrup

CLUB HELP

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:11:49 +0100

Is clube help close now oct29, I will be the dec24---27 - mike

What's wrong with normality?

Sun, 25 May 2008 14:04:08 +0100

Steve, I'm as much in favor of normality as the next guy, but making prostitution illegal actually creates or intensifies most of the problems anti-prostitution advocates say they want to prevent. In the case of Help, the anti-prostitution drive is closing the one big venue where women are NOT controlled by pimps or threatned with violence. In short, a safe, hygenic and responsible venue is being closed in the name of "protecting women" while the really bad venues aren't even touched. When "normality" is a synonym for "blind prejudice" and said prejudice ends up hurting or killing people, then it is indeed time to turn the "normal upside down". - Thaddeus Blanchette

What is wrong with prostitution?

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:08:59 +0100

Everything normal is being turned upside down. - Steve1

Help

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:29:59 +0100

Help was a hell of a nightclub. It catered to all foriegners, men a women, from all over the world not simply america. As a matter of fact Americans are always out numbered by fun loving Euro's. Who cares what square conservatives think. They tend to hate life because theirs is so boring. Same with ugly chicks who tend to dislike anything involving sexy women. - Derek

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Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:26:57 +0100

I used to go to Rio, before there was a Help Disco. Didn't go inside of Help, until '99; Why? I always said why pay to get something, I can get on the street for free. The ONLY way, you are going to stop prostitution, is when all men dissapear from earth. But I got news for you. The women left, will be buying each other. Sez is natural, as drinking water, and when are we going to admit ie? If we stopped being ashamed of sex,? - Rich

War against prostitution

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:42:21 +0100

Its nice and wonderfully comforting to know that with the closing of Help there will no longer be a prostitution presence in Copacabana-ha ha Isn't it though? What burns me is that you can do whatever you want to prostitutes and no one gives a flying fuck. I mean, if there were even an OUTSIDE chance of this improving these women's lives or significantly reducing prostitution, then one could at least make the moralist argument that it's a blow in the war against prostitution. I, personally, wouldn't make that argument, but at least it could be made. But this... This is going to close what's currently the safest, most women-controlled sex work venue in Rio and replace it with... what, exactly? It's not going to produce jobs for these women, so they'll have to continue to do what they're doing elsewhere. In fact, it'll eliminate 180 waitress, cook and cleaning jobs and we can presume that at least a portion of those people will look for work in the sex trade, if only temporarily. Will it get rid of prostitution? No. Prostitution will continue in Copa because it's legal and because people - both Brazilian and foreign - are willing to pay for the service. Will is "clean up" Copa? No. Right now, the pros in Help are inside. When Help goes, many of them will take to the streets. More will disperse to the other bars and restraunts along the orla. The current measure will, in fact, disperse what's now a highly concentrated scene and make it MORE intrusive on peoples' families. So what the purpose of this act is other than political grandstanding is beyond me. Worse, we're paying for it with our taxes and paying big time. - Thaddeus Blanchette

prostitution ended

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:55:58 +0100

Its nice and wonderfully comforting to know that with the closing of Help there will no longer be a prostitution presence in Copacabana-ha ha - Joao Monger

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Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:19:14 +0100

If anything they want to clean up, they should start with the Favela and prostituion in VILA MIMOSA if they want to crack down on prostitution. - Jonathan

Where will Help II re-open?

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:51:16 +0100

Lot's of interesting comments..... Esspecially for those who know what's going on there. My suggestions for Help II: 1) Install smaller chairs and tables for the Italien corner that they can sit more relaxed. 2) Serve better Caipirinha that I don't sound anymore like Amanda Lear next day. 3) Make sure that you also have a balcony outside as it is like about 2 years. 4) Install condom slot machines. 5) Go back to more rock/pop music and stop playing just noisy bum bum bum..... Bum bum we do in our rooms whole night.... 6) Keep the strict age control at the entrance! No one older than 80 shall get through... 7) Keep it open as it is. No "dark corners" or private rooms.... 8) Keep the Webcams out. I had huge problems with my wife..... 9) No TV or video screens!!! 10) By successful... All the best!!! - grandealemao

When will it close

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:42:14 +0100

Shit man! This is one place iv always wanted to visit. This is what Rio is famous for - the help disco - people in backstreet pubs in the UK have heard about it. How long have I got, to get my ass there before its gone ??? - SirMarjAlot

Finally....

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:47:39 +0100

Calling Help a "whorehouse" on a public forum like this, published under your name as a news piece, is a clear cut case of slander under Brazilian law. I will be in contact with Brazzil.com's host regarding it and the next time I see any of the owner's, I'll let them know, too. I suggest you retract your rather unfortunate choice of words, Elma. - Thaddeus Blanchette

By the way...

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:44:29 +0100

Wanna see why this will not hurt prostitution in the slightest? Look to your right: see that Rosetta Stone "Date Brazilian women" add? That's the new face of prostitution and sexual tourism in Brazil, friend. All Help's closing will do, potentially, is hurt the women who are currently using it as a safe place to meet potential johns. - Thaddeus Blanchette