Prostitutes can have an employment contract for adult job in Belgium

Better laws and benefits for adult jobs in Belgium

In Belgium, thanks to a law passed in May 2024, prostitutes with adult jobs will soon have the same social rights as other workers.

The new rules allow them to have employment contracts with authorized employers. It's an unprecedented effort to regulate the sector, but it hasn't convinced everyone, as Euronews Witness reports.

Previously, hostess bars and erotic massage parlors in Belgium operated in a legal gray zone: sex workers were paid in cash or employed as waitresses. According to supporters of the law, this was an open door to abuse.

It feels good to know what's legally allowed, because it's always been a question of whether we're doing things right or not.

- says Alexandra Moreels, owner of a sex parlor.

Clear rules in the adult job sector

By decriminalizing certain forms of prostitution, the government wants to introduce clear rules for the adult job sector, to create statuses adapted to the specific and unique aspects of sex work, and to ensure access to unemployment benefits, health insurance and maternity leave.

In order to hire legally, employers must have their criminal records checked, obtain an operating license and be based in Belgium. They must also respect the right of their employees to refuse the customer at any time and to stop the sexual act.

We don't have a problem with this at all, so everything is legal here. Everything is as described in the new law. The ladies can choose which client they want to deal with. This is the situation here,

- says Kris, Alexandra's husband and the co-owner of an erotic salon.

"It's clear that some people are forced to accept clients. And that's why it's very important for these people that this law was passed. It should be an adult job that gives us the same rights as anyone else," explains Manon, who has been a sex worker in Belgium since she was 19.

Adult work law not accepted unanimously

However, this reform is not universally welcomed, especially among some feminist associations, which condemn the commodification of women's bodies with legalized prostitution and adult work.

According to them, this is not a suitable solution for the situation of migrant prostitutes and victims of human trafficking.

They cannot be employed without a work permit under the new law.

This favors pimps and traffickers, who already enjoy impunity in Belgium,

- says Mireia Crespo, director of ISALA, an association that supports vulnerable prostituted women.

The most realistic approach to adultworks

However, many experts in the sector consider this reform to be the most realistic approach.

Sex work exists. And if not openly, it exists underground.

- says Karin Van Der Elst, owner of Villa Tinto in Antwerp, where prostitutes can rent display cases.

At this stage, the new law raises many questions. Experts say it will take several years to assess the impact on the living conditions of sex workers, as well as on human trafficking and trafficking.

Source: MSN.