One year of “Data instead of dogma” – debates with conviction and openness

April 2026.  For exactly one year, Harriet Langanke has been hosting a special series of discussions. At the GSSG – Charitable Foundation for Sexuality and Health – she welcomes guests to the monthly  debate series " Data Instead of Dogma" on Thursdays, who address the topic of paid sex and health. The online format has quickly established itself as a forum for factual, controversial, and respectful discussions about sex work. It was developed and conceived by Harriet Langanke herself, with the support of an initiative group. "Data Instead of Dogma" arose from the desire to facilitate a debate that is fact-based while simultaneously taking diverse experiences seriously.

The idea is as simple as it is ambitious: one topic, one hour, a clearly structured discussion, diverse perspectives – and a conscious avoidance of moralistic simplifications. Instead, empirical data, practical experience, and political frameworks are to be made visible. This succeeds because "Data Instead of Dogmas" is not designed as a classic panel discussion, but as a dialogic online format that is open to questions and participation (www.stiftung-gssg.org/daten-statt-dogmen/). 

Participants from very diverse backgrounds regularly register: public health officials, sex work practitioners, counseling center professionals, academics, and politically engaged individuals. This mix shapes the debates – it creates friction, but also leads to new insights. 

Over the past twelve months, numerous topics have been discussed that highlight the tension between practice, politics, and research. Examples include debates  on the role of municipal authorities, balancing control and support ;  the reliability of common statistics and assumptions about sex work ; and  the experiences of sex workers with counseling and  exit programs . Time and again, it became clear that reality is multifaceted, contradictory, and difficult to grasp with simple moral narratives. 

The spectrum of guests who engage in conversation at "Data Instead of Dogma" is correspondingly broad. Invited are academics from a wide range of disciplines, practitioners from counseling and healthcare, representatives from government agencies, political leaders, as well as people with their own experience in sex work. This heterogeneity is not merely incidental, but programmatic: it ensures that positions are not simply juxtaposed, but rather challenged by concrete data, empirical evidence, and practical questions. 

Harriet Langanke deliberately avoids acting as an authority on the subject matter, instead acting as a  moderating host who structures the debate, establishes rules of discussion, and ensures that different voices are heard. She guides the online session, contextualizes arguments, and simultaneously monitors the chat. This active chat moderation allows listeners to easily participate and ask questions that would otherwise often go unheard. 

Langanke is supported in the debates by  Norbert Holtz , an education consultant and member of the initiative group. He contributes additional perspectives, acts as a sparring partner for the guests, and helps to connect insights from practice, education, and consulting. 

After a year, one thing is clear: "Data instead of dogma" is more than just another online format . It is a space for nuanced thinking, for disagreement without polemics – and for a culture of debate that is urgently needed, especially when dealing with controversial topics.