Prostitution in Belgium is legal and was decriminalized on 1 June Some cities in Belgium have a red-light district , often with window prostitution. Since 1 December , sex workers or prostitutes within Belgium have had legal access to maternity leave, pensions and unemployment benefits. Belgium is the first country in the world to implement and enact these reforms. Prior to , prostitution was regulated by the municipalities, [ 12 ] with mandatory registration and medical checks.
Prostitution and paying for sexual services were not prohibited in the legislation, but Article added the following offences: [ 12 ]. The Criminal Law Reform Act made some modification to the existing laws: [ 12 ] [ 6 ]. In , the Act was amended to give greater power against human trafficking, including an increase in maximum sentences. On 1 June , sex work was decriminalized in Belgium. Before the decriminalisation of prostitution in , there were a number of draft bills proposing changes to the previous prostitution laws.
Proposals from the pro-prostitution camp included licensing brothels and giving special status within the law to sex-workers. The anti-prostitution lobby proposals included the banning of window prostitution and criminalisation of paying for sexual services as stated in the Nordic Model. A law passed in March by the Federal Parliament decriminalised their work and third parties who make sex work possible for example accountants , banks and " chauffeurs ".
It also allows some advertising by sex-workers. The new law also gives sex workers' rights in terms of status, social protection, and healthcare, like other self-employed workers. The new law included but was not limited to : social security , unemployment , access to health care and parental leave. Belgium enacted a labour law in December granting sex workers the same social rights as other employees, including the ability to sign employment contracts and access social security benefits.
Employers must undergo a criminal background check and obtain a license to hire sex workers legally. While the law aims to decriminalize specific aspects of the industry and provide protections, it has faced criticism for potentially benefiting pimps and traffickers and not adequately supporting migrant sex workers and victims of human trafficking.
