Belgium has made history by granting sex workers the right to sick leave, maternity pay, and pension benefits, marking the first law of its kind globally.
The new legislation, which went into effect on Sunday, provides sex workers with the same employment protections as other employees, aiming to curb exploitation and abuse within the industry.
In May, lawmakers voted to extend employment contracts and legal protections to sex workers, responding to the grey area that emerged in 2022 when sex work was decriminalised in Belgium without offering any associated labour rights, such as unemployment benefits or health insurance.
The law ensures that sex workers are entitled to refuse clients or specific sexual acts and have the right to halt any act at any time without facing dismissal for these refusals.
Additionally, employers in the industry must have a business residence in Belgium and be of “good character,” while also providing safe working conditions, such as panic buttons, clean linen, showers, and condoms.
However, the law does not apply to home-based work, nor does it cover activities such as striptease or pornography.
The Belgian Union of Sex Workers welcomed the law as a significant step forward, calling it a vital measure to end legal discrimination against sex workers.
Nevertheless, they expressed concerns that the legislation could be misused to reduce or even eliminate sex work. They highlighted that some local municipalities are already implementing stringent regulations under the guise of “safety” and “hygiene,” which they argue could make sex work increasingly difficult within their jurisdictions.
“We already see certain municipalities hiding behind the words ‘safety’ and ‘hygiene’ to promulgate very strict local regulations that make sex work almost impossible on their territory,” the Union stated.
