“l thought it would mostly be bureaucratic stuff, not a banana and a condom”

This article reports on an original interview study with 12 professional interpreters who provide interpreting for sex workers at public service institutions, mostly remotely. These consultation appointments focus on health issues and registration requirements and are mandatory under the German Prostitute Protection Act. Our study investigates the challenges interpreters perceive when interpreting in a setting in which private and taboo topics become official subjects of conversation. Our results suggest that, despite the taboo context, interpreters do not find working in such consultations particularly problematic. The challenges mentioned relate to terminology and technical jargon, besides the specifics of remote interpreting, such as the lack of visual information in the case of audio interpreting. The study participants also stressed the need for cultural sensitivity, accompanied sometimes by a shift towards utilitarian decision-making, particularly in those languages in which sex work is perceived as a more noticeable social taboo. Some situations, such as perceived intersectional vulnerabilities or suspicions of forced prostitution, trigger stronger emotional discomfort among interpreters, raising the question whether interpreters have adequate coping strategies at their disposal.