Belgium has recently passed a new law that provides legal protections for pimps in the sex trade industry. Under this legislation, pimps have the right to appeal to the government if their prostitutes refuse to have sex with a customer more than 10 times in a six-month period. In exchange, prostitutes receive benefits such as health insurance, pensions, and maternity leave, similar to regular employees.
Despite claims that “sex work is real work,” the reality is that prostitution is exploitative and sordid. The new law highlights the power dynamics at play, where women have little control over their bodies and lives and must comply with the demands of their pimps. This legislation ultimately perpetuates a cycle of exploitation and reinforces the dehumanizing nature of the sex trade industry.
It is crucial to recognize that prostitution, along with other forms of “sex work,” inherently involves exploitation and human trafficking. Rather than legitimizing the industry with employment benefits, the focus should be on abolishing it entirely to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
By enacting this law, Belgium is regressing in terms of protecting women from exploitation. It creates opportunities for pimps to further exploit vulnerable women for financial gain, disregarding their well-being and perpetuating a cycle of abuse and enslavement.
