{"id":132430,"date":"2024-12-02T09:30:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T02:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132430"},"modified":"2024-12-02T09:30:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T02:30:55","slug":"belgium-makes-history-with-robust-labor-protections-for-sex-workers-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132430","title":{"rendered":"Belgium makes history with robust labor protections for sex workers : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-36323\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 5000;&#10;        --source-height: 3333;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Terrace of a beer bar along rue du chene, a cobbled pedestrian street and estaminet covered with bicycles on the facade in downtown Brussels, Belgium on Oct. 20.\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5000x3333+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F5d%2Fef54011847e090de6f8e0480b496%2Fgettyimages-2182234021.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                A street in downtown Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 20.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Antoine Boureau\/Han Lucas vis AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Antoine Boureau\/Han Lucas vis AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Belgium made history on Sunday as the first country in the world to allow sex workers to sign formal employment contracts \u2014 granting them access to sick days, maternity pay and pension.<\/p>\n<p>The new law also guarantees fundamental rights for sex workers, including the ability to refuse clients, set the conditions of an act, and stop an act at any moment.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers passed the law in May but it officially took effect on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I am a very proud Belgium sex worker right now,&#8221; Mel Meliciousss, who is part of the Belgian union of sex workers, UTSOPI, said on her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DDCJ1-mtYUq\/\">Instagram<\/a>. &#8220;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.&#8221; <\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5212435-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImage705354179\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2019\/03\/22\/705354179\/should-sex-work-be-decriminalized-some-activists-say-its-time\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/22\\\/705354179\\\/should-sex-work-be-decriminalized-some-activists-say-its-time&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s=100&amp;c=15&amp;f=jpeg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s=100&amp;c=15&amp;f=jpeg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2019\/03\/20\/gettyimages-1127606116_sq-853af9662bab1a77e9b8d35dce7cd9c11f1ebde9.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Should Sex Work Be Decriminalized? Some Activists Say It's Time\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5212435-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Offering or paying for sexual services was already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/RegData\/etudes\/STUD\/2021\/695394\/IPOL_STU(2021)695394_EN.pdf\">not illegal<\/a> in Belgium. Instead, laws targeted brothels and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utsopi.be\/our-work\/decriminalisation\">third parties<\/a> supporting sex work \u2014 such landlords, bankers, drivers \u2014 often accusing them of &#8220;pimping.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>In 2022, Belgian lawmakers voted to decriminalize sex work and narrow the definition of pimping to ensure that sex workers do not have trouble finding a banker, insurer, driver or accountant, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utsopi.be\/our-work\/decriminalisation\/cadre-du-travail\">UTSOPI<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>The new law goes farther, and gives sex workers labor rights and protections on par with those in other professions. That includes access to pensions, unemployment, health insurance, family benefits, annual vacation and maternity leave.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5212435-101\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImage1249325097\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/goatsandsoda\/2024\/05\/07\/1249325097\/children-sex-workers-premature-deaths-health-issues\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/sections\\\/goatsandsoda\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/07\\\/1249325097\\\/children-sex-workers-premature-deaths-health-issues&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s=100&amp;c=15&amp;f=jpeg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s=100&amp;c=15&amp;f=jpeg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s=100&amp;c=100&amp;f=jpeg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2024\/05\/07\/npr-health-sex-workers-children-final-franziska_sq-1fb7974e3e5a2b8d4411172b8d4962467e68e8ba.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"The invisible lives \u2014 and deaths \u2014 of the children of sex workers\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5212435-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Employers are now required to obtain authorization and meet background requirements, such as having no prior convictions for sexual assault, human trafficking or fraud. They are also required to ensure their premises are clean, sanitary and equipped with a panic button, and are prohibited from dismissing an employee who refuses a client or a specific act. <\/p>\n<p>These changes were years in the making in Belgium. The sex worker union, which has been leading the effort, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utsopi.be\/our-work\/decriminalisation\">said<\/a> that before sex workers had access to these benefits, workers felt they had to keep working several months into their pregnancy or past retirement age. <\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>&#8220;This law is a huge step forward, ending legal discrimination against sex workers by allowing a full-fledged contract,&#8221; the group said back in May.<\/p>\n<p>These protections are only granted to sex workers who sign an employment contract, and not those who are self employed. Those who perform pornography or striptease are also not covered by the law. <\/p>\n<p>Prostitution has only been decriminalized in a handful of places around the world, including New Zealand, the Netherlands, and some parts of Australia \u2014 but Belgium is alone in offering the new level of comprehensive labor protections.<\/p>\n<p>In the U.S., Nevada is the only state where brothels are allowed, but prostitution outside of brothels remains <a href=\"https:\/\/thenevadaindependent.com\/article\/misconceptions-debates-about-legalization-surround-sex-work-in-nevada\">illegal<\/a>. In recent years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/04\/21\/989588072\/a-relic-and-burden-manhattan-district-attorney-to-stop-prosecuting-prostitution\">New York<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcrw.com\/news\/shows\/greater-la\/unhoused-prostitution-oc\/decriminalize-loitering-sb-357\">California<\/a> moved to decriminalize loitering with the intent to engage in sex work. Last year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2023\/06\/30\/maine-sex-work-decrimilization\/\">Maine removed penalties<\/a> for those selling sexual services but kept in place laws against those buying sexual services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/12\/01\/nx-s1-5212435\/belgium-sex-workers-labor-protections-rights-first\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A street in downtown Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 20. Antoine Boureau\/Han Lucas vis AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Antoine Boureau\/Han Lucas vis AFP via Getty Images Belgium &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=132430\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=132430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132430\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=132430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=132430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=132430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}