A young woman from Vienna has made one of the most unexpected career pivots in recent memory, trading her police uniform for a management role at one of Austria’s largest adult establishments. Sarah Omari, just 22 years old and of Polish heritage, spent two years on the force before deciding the job simply wasn’t what she had envisioned. She has now stepped into a leadership position at the Saraya Club, a sauna club in the Liesing district of Vienna. Her father, Fahim Omari, remains the director of the venue and was already involved in running it before Sarah made her move.
The Saraya Club operates across roughly 75,000 square feet and is considered one of the biggest brothels in all of Austria. According to the club’s management, the venue attracts a large number of visitors every day, and during peak periods, as many as 50 sex workers from various countries are employed there at one time. The club has been running in its current form since 2008, and management emphasizes that guests particularly value the exclusive atmosphere and the level of discretion the venue maintains. The transition of leadership to Sarah marks a notable new chapter for the establishment.
Speaking to the Austrian newspaper Heute, Sarah made clear she is embracing her new role with enthusiasm. “I’m really looking forward to the new challenge,” she told the publication. Her path to the police began just before she turned 18 when she applied to join the force, subsequently completing a two-year training program. “After that, I worked as a patrol inspector,” she explained, describing her time on active duty. While she was still on the force, her father was already moving in a different professional direction. “When I was working in the police, my father was in the hospitality business,” Sarah noted, adding that he took over management of the Saraya Club before she handed in her own resignation.
Sarah is candid about why she ultimately walked away from law enforcement. “Honestly, I imagined police work to be a bit nicer. The endless overtime hours often made that job quite exhausting,” she said. She does acknowledge, however, that switching industries comes with real practical benefits. “For example, I no longer have to work overtime, and if I want to take a vacation, it’s now faster and easier,” she explained with a smile. Despite the significant shift, she insists the transition did not feel difficult or take long to process. “I’ve always been interested in this industry and the change wasn’t difficult for me,” she stated plainly.
Her background in law enforcement is something Sarah views as an asset rather than an awkward footnote. “Because of my police background, it’s extremely important to me that there is no crime in this industry,” she emphasized, signaling that she intends to bring a certain standard of oversight to her new role. Part of her responsibilities will include handling staffing and administrative matters for the club’s sex workers. “Everything goes through me — applications from candidates and their registration, that’s what I deal with,” she said. She reflected that she gave the decision serious consideration before committing. “I thought long and hard about this decision and now I’m looking forward to the new role,” she said, adding: “And I’ve never regretted that decision.”
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Austria, which places the country among a number of European nations where the sex industry operates within a defined legal framework. In Vienna specifically, sex work is permitted in licensed establishments and subject to health and registration requirements enforced by local authorities. Workers are required to register with the city and undergo regular health screenings, a system designed to provide both safety and a degree of institutional oversight. The legal framework around brothels in Austria means that venues like the Saraya Club are legitimate businesses subject to tax obligations, labor regulations, and municipal licensing rules. Austria’s approach is often contrasted with more prohibitionist models elsewhere in Europe, and the country has long maintained one of the more permissive regulatory environments for the industry on the continent.
The story of Sarah Omari has drawn considerable public attention, partly because of the stark contrast between her two career choices, and partly because of how openly she has spoken about her motivations. Whether readers see her path as a bold personal choice or a surprising headline, it raises broader questions about career satisfaction, the realities of law enforcement work, and personal autonomy. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
