Belgium has become the first country in the world to legally grant labor rights to sex workers, including leave, benefits, and pensions.
The law, which came into effect yesterday, aims to address the “gray area” created in 2022 when sex work was decriminalized but left sex workers without legal protections or rights.
Under the new law, sex workers have the right to refuse specific partners or acts and may stop an act at any time. They are also protected from dismissal for exercising these rights.
With this law, the government aims to combat abuse, but feminist organizations describe it as “devastating” for young girls and trafficking victims.
The protections do not apply to home-based work or activities such as stripping and pornography.
The Belgian Sex Workers’ Union described the law as “a significant step forward, ending legal discrimination against sex workers.”
However, it expressed concerns that the regulations could be “used as a tool” to reduce or eliminate sex work.
The union noted, “Some municipalities are already invoking terms like ‘safety’ and ‘hygiene’ to introduce overly strict local regulations, effectively making sex work nearly impossible in their areas.”
