Belgium’s Landmark Law Grants Sex Workers Maternity Pay, Pensions, and Employment Rights

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Belgium has made history with the introduction of a groundbreaking law that grants sex workers employment benefits such as maternity pay, pensions, and health insurance. The legislation, which went into effect on Sunday, marks a significant step toward recognizing sex work as a legitimate profession, offering long-overdue protections and rights to those in the industry.  

 

The law, passed in May, is part of a broader effort to combat sexual abuse and exploitation. It empowers sex workers to refuse clients, withhold specific sexual acts, and terminate services at any point without jeopardizing their employment. These provisions ensure greater autonomy and safety for workers, addressing longstanding vulnerabilities.  

 

The significance of the change is deeply personal for individuals like Sophie, a sex worker in Belgium. Speaking to the BBC, she shared the struggles she endured under the previous system: “I had to work while I was nine months pregnant. I was having sex with clients one week before giving birth. I couldn’t afford to stop because I needed the money.” With the new legislation, Sophie and others in the profession can now access employment contracts, paid leave, maternity benefits, unemployment support, pensions, and health insurance—rights previously unavailable to them.  

 

The law also introduces regulations for working conditions, mandating safety and hygiene standards in brothels. Employers are required to provide clean condoms, linens, hygiene products, and install emergency buttons to protect workers. Moreover, brothel operators with convictions for sexual assault or human trafficking are barred from operating.  

 

Advocates hail the legislation as a transformative moment. Isabelle Jaramillo, coordinator of the advocacy group Espace P, which played a key role in drafting the law, described its impact as revolutionary. “This is an incredible step forward. It means their profession can finally be recognized as legitimate by the Belgian state,” Jaramillo told the Associated Press.  

 

The law also resolves a paradox in previous regulations, where hiring someone for sex work—even consensually—automatically classified the employer as a pimp. Under the new framework, brothel operators must apply for state authorization to hire employees, ensuring transparency and accountability.  

 

Belgium’s initiative sets a global precedent. While countries such as Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Turkey have legalized sex work, none have implemented comprehensive labor protections for workers. With this legislation, Belgium has become the first to extend employment benefits and safeguards to sex workers, recognizing them as professionals deserving of rights and dignity.  

 

“This is an opportunity for us to exist as people,” Sophie emphasized. Her words reflect the broader hope that this law will provide sex workers not only with security and fairness but also with the societal recognition they have long fought to achieve.

 

Based on a report by the Standard 2024-12-03