Belgium has set a new benchmark in Europe by formally recognizing sex work as a legitimate profession, granting workers the same employment rights as those in other sectors.
This historic legislation, passed in May and enacted on Sunday, allows sex workers to sign formal contracts and access critical benefits such as health insurance, pensions, family allowances, maternity leave, and paid vacations.
The legal shift builds on Belgium’s 2022 decision to decriminalize sex work, which also narrowed the definition of pimping.
This adjustment ensured that sex workers could access essential services, such as banking, insurance, transportation, and accounting, without fear of discrimination or legal repercussions.
The new law goes even further, offering sex workers labor rights and protections on par with other professions, addressing long-standing inequities in the industry.
The legislation guarantees sex workers the fundamental rights to refuse clients, set the terms of any act, and halt an act at any moment.
Employers hiring sex workers are now required to obtain official authorization and meet stringent background checks, including having no prior convictions for sexual assault, human trafficking, or fraud.
The legislation has been hailed as a “revolution” by advocates. Isabelle Jaramillo, coordinator of Espace P, described it as a transformative step that legitimizes the profession in the eyes of the state and improves conditions for both workers and employers.
Mel Meliciousss, a sex worker and member of UTSOPI, celebrated the law’s enactment, saying, “People who are already working in the industry will be much more protect[ed], and also people who are going to work in the industry also know what their rights are.”