Starting Sunday, Belgium will make history by officially recognizing sex work as a legitimate profession, granting workers full employment rights and access to protections similar to those enjoyed by workers in other industries. This groundbreaking legal shift, hailed by many as a “revolution,” offers a much-needed framework that brings sex work into the realm of formal labor rights.
Under the new law, sex workers will now be able to sign formal employment contracts, enabling them to access crucial benefits such as health insurance, paid leave, unemployment support, and pensions. In a significant departure from past policies, the new legislation also guarantees sex workers the right to refuse clients, choose their practices, and stop an act at any time—ensuring their autonomy and safety.
This legislative overhaul follows Belgium’s 2022 decriminalization of sex work, marking a major step towards integrating the profession into the formal economy. Employers seeking to hire sex workers will now be required to apply for state authorization. They must comply with strict safety measures and provide essential support, including clean linens, condoms, and hygiene products. Employers will also need to ensure that their workplaces are equipped with emergency buttons for added protection.
“This is an incredible step forward,” said Isabelle Jaramillo, coordinator of Espace P, a prominent advocacy group that played a key role in drafting the legislation. “It’s a recognition of sex work as a legitimate profession by the Belgian state, and it’s an affirmation of the rights of sex workers.”
Jaramillo emphasized that, from the perspective of employers, the new law represents a monumental shift. “In the past, hiring someone for sex work automatically labeled you a pimp, even if the arrangement was consensual,” she explained. “Now, employers will have to apply for state authorization to hire employees, and they’ll need to comply with rigorous safety and background checks.”
The new legislation sets clear guidelines for working hours, pay, and safety measures, addressing long-standing gaps in legal protections for those in the industry. Employers must adhere to strict protocols, including background checks to ensure no prior convictions for sexual assault or human trafficking. The law mandates that all workplaces provide essential safety measures such as emergency buttons and enforce hygienic conditions to safeguard workers’ health.
However, while independent sex work remains permitted, the law bans unregulated third-party hiring or violations of the new legal framework. Offenders will face legal repercussions.
Despite the significant progress made, critics argue that the law does not fully address the challenges sex workers continue to face, particularly the stigma and risks faced by undocumented workers. Jaramillo acknowledged the need for further improvements, particularly in police and judicial training to ensure the protection of marginalized workers.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Jaramillo said, stressing the importance of ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable members of the sex work community.
While countries such as Germany and the Netherlands have legalized sex work, none have implemented labor protections as comprehensive as Belgium’s, making this legislation a model for future reforms across Europe and beyond.
Belgium’s new legislation signals a bold commitment to improving the rights and safety of sex workers. As the first country in Europe to implement such sweeping reforms, Belgium is setting a precedent for the rest of the world to follow. For the first time, sex workers will have access to comprehensive labor rights, a move that reflects the changing landscape of sex work and labor rights in the modern world.
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