19:
1115:
283:") in 1880/1881 brought prostitution in Brussels into the spotlight. Over 40 minors, mainly English girls, were found to be working in brothels after being lured to Brussels with promises of work in bars and nightclubs. As well as those involved being prosecuted, the Mayor and Head of Police in Brussels were forced to resign.
225:
Belgium has enacted legislation 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
168:
Before the decriminalisation of prostitution in 2022, 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
95:
Prior to 1946, prostitution was regulated by the municipalities, with mandatory registration and medical checks. In 1946 Federal legislation replaced local control of prostitution, however the municipalities could still regulate in their local area for the sake of public order or morality.
226:
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.
360:-run shelters and when they leave the shelters, they are given protection, residence and employment permits and access to legal services. In 2017 there were 176 sex traffickers prosecuted and 59 victims assisted.
86:
840 million from forms of prostitution in 2015. The most important segments of the market seem to be escort and private prostitution, rather than the more visible forms of window or street prostitution.
234:
Municipalities can impose local regulation on public order or morality grounds. Generally, these powers were little used until the 2000s, most preferring an "unregulated tolerance" approach.
153:
In 2005, the 1995 Act was amended to give greater power against human trafficking, including an increase in maximum sentences. The 1995 Act also brought the
Belgian law in line with the
777:
276:
brought about independence in 1830, the regulations set up by the French continued. In 1844 identity cards were issued to prostitutes and twice weekly medical check-ups were required.
367:
803:
1067:
143:
Legislation in connection with procuring was relaxed, providing abnormally high gains are not made (although "abnormally high gains" is not defined);
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486:
316:
433:
1278:
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In 2016, 184 people were prosecuted for sex trafficking and 144 victims of trafficking were assisted. The victims are given help in specialised
1208:
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1092:
1037:
861:
170:
407:
596:
201:
in terms of status, social protection, and healthcare, like other self-employed workers. The new law included (but was not limited to):
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Prostitution and paying for sexual services were not prohibited in the 1946 legislation, but
Article 380 added the following offences:
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728:
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1481:
1253:
1018:
986:
364:
347:
640:
Adriaenssens, Stef; Hendrickx, Jef; Machiels, Thomas; Heylen, Wim (2015). "A direct measure of output in prostitution in
Belgium".
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1300:
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357:
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During the French regime (1794–1814) prostitutes were required to have mandatory health checks in hospitals. After the
1400:
269:(1384–1482) but often ignored. In Brussels, the public executioner was tasked with controlling the trade in the city.
197:"). It also allows some advertising by sex-workers. This law came into effect on 1 June 2022. The new law also gives
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182:
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245:, banned window prostitution or moved it out of its traditional locations in the city centres. Others, such as
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proposals included the banning of windows and criminalisation of paying for sexual services (as stated in the
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amongst their troops, the trade was strictly regulated and girls forced to undergo regular health checks.
266:
677:
1390:
1315:
1285:
1136:
912:
778:"Wet decriminalisering sekswerk vanaf 1 juni in voege: "Dit is een overwinning voor de mensenrechten""
1100:
1045:
755:
64:
290:, the occupying Germans took over control of prostitution. In an attempt to prevent the spread of
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67:. In 2015, it was estimated that there were 26,000 prostitutes in Belgium, many of them are from
60:
26:
887:
1014:
982:
724:
45:
22:
459:
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The regulatory regime was regarded as discriminatory towards women in the 1940s, leading to
641:
41:
1007:
Trafficking in Women (1924-1926) The Paul Kinsie
Reports for the League of Nations - Vol. 1
975:
Trafficking in Women (1924-1926) The Paul Kinsie
Reports for the League of Nations - Vol. 1
720:
848:"Sex workers getting the same rights as workers in other industries - Sex work in Vienna"
522:
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978:
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In the 2000s the municipalities took different approaches to regulation. Some, such as
214:
1521:
1119:
350:
616:
185:
decriminalised their work and third parties who make sex work possible (for example
206:
123:
79:
49:
1070:. United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe. 26 February 2015
678:"Prostitution in Belgium: federal legislation and regulation at the local level"
262:
210:
129:
645:
336:
186:
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and international instruments that had been introduced in the previous years.
136:
The 1995 Criminal Law Reform Act made some modification to the existing laws:
1068:"UN Special Rapporteur praises Belgium's approach to tackling modern slavery"
346:
The efforts by the
Belgian authorities to eradicate trafficking was cited by
140:
Prohibition of soliciting was extended to include all forms of communication;
340:
332:
324:
320:
319:
as a destination for victims of human trafficking, the victims being mainly
194:
18:
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is planning to build a new 'Eros Centre' to replace the existing windows.
1128:
238:
120:(violence, threats, deception or exploitation of a vulnerable situation);
68:
30:
250:
246:
202:
117:
110:
56:
249:
totally restructured its red-light district and heavily regulated it.
617:"A new measure of the economic importance of prostitution in Belgium"
149:
Powers given to the courts to close premises and confiscate property.
242:
17:
1118:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
261:
Prostitution was known to exist in what is now
Belgium since the
190:
83:
1132:
804:"'Historic': Belgium first in Europe to decriminalise sex work"
487:"'Historic': Belgium first in Europe to decriminalise sex work"
287:
862:"Prostitution à Liège: elles tapinent pour payer leur loyer"
113:, providing premises for prostitution etc.) for unjust gain;
598:
Sex trafficking and money laundering: the case of
Bulgaria
892:
Amsterdam Red Light
District Maps, Photos, Hotels, Videos
160:
On 1 June 2022, sex work was decriminalized in
Belgium.
52:
is punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 30 years.
683:. Observatory for Sociopolitical Developments in Europe
109:
Procuring through the provision of premises (running a
265:. Regulation of prostitutes was introduced during the
830:"Belgien führt Arbeitsverträge für Prostituierte ein"
1467:
1429:
1166:
368:
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
301:'s proposals being passed as federal law in 1946.
748:"Belgium - 2. Institutional and Legal Framework"
1144:
8:
1093:"Belgium 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report"
752:Together Against Trafficking in Human Beings
710:
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
146:Increase in penalties for human trafficking;
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1137:
1129:
1087:
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1000:
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401:
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353:as "an example of good practice" in 2015.
221:Belgium grants equal rights to sex workers
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1042:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
542:
540:
406:Stroobants, Jean-Pierre (2 June 2022).
395:
44:and was decriminalized on 1 June 2022.
742:
740:
48:or exploiting individuals involved in
571:"Prostitution on the rise in Belgium"
509:
507:
7:
1038:"2017 Trafficking in Persons Report"
515:"Trafficking in Persons Report 2010"
181:A law passed in March 2022 by the
14:
717:Historical Dictionary of Brussels
408:"Belgium decriminalizes sex work"
365:United States Department of State
348:United Nations special rapporteur
132:for the purposes of prostitution.
1113:
569:Johansson, Sarah (15 May 2015).
715:State, Paul F. (27 July 2004).
676:Reinschmidt, Lena (June 2016).
460:"Decriminalisering prostitutie"
888:"Antwerp's Red Light District"
521:. 14 June 2010. Archived from
384:Red-light districts in Belgium
1:
74:A report commissioned by the
311:Human trafficking in Belgium
281:affaire des petite Anglaises
279:The "White Slave Scandal" ("
78:, revealed estimations of a
604:. Risk Monitor. p. 16.
1544:
868:(in French). 19 March 2015
615:National Bank of Belgium.
548:"The Situation in Belgium"
308:
646:10.13140/rg.2.1.4868.6807
595:Petrunov, Georgi (2009).
438:www.ejustice.just.fgov.be
315:Belgium is listed by the
1097:U.S. Department of State
519:U.S. Department of State
76:National Bank of Belgium
1528:Prostitution in Belgium
1160:Prostitution in Europe
458:Redactieteam-elfri.be.
38:Prostitution in Belgium
1209:Bosnia and Herzegovina
913:"Seraing prostitution"
34:
1005:Kinsie, Paul (2017).
973:Kinsie, Paul (2017).
808:www.brusselstimes.com
491:www.brusselstimes.com
485:Times, The Brussels.
21:
370:ranks Belgium as a '
1430:States with limited
756:European Commission
550:. Exeter University
65:window prostitution
33:(pictured in 2008).
27:red-light districts
1013:. pp. 13–18.
981:. pp. 33–36.
945:. 17 February 2015
274:Belgian Revolution
199:sex workers rights
183:Federal Parliament
155:European Union law
61:red-light district
35:
1515:
1514:
782:DeWereldMorgen.be
267:Burgundian regime
46:Human trafficking
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1468:Dependencies and
1167:Sovereign states
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1099:. Archived from
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1044:. Archived from
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164:Proposed reforms
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1449:Northern Cyprus
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1341:North Macedonia
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1103:on 26 July 2018
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919:. 18 March 2011
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850:. 23 June 2024.
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836:. 21 June 2024.
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810:. 18 March 2022
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721:Scarecrow Press
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525:on 17 June 2010
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305:Sex trafficking
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203:social security
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177:Reforms in 2022
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91:Legal framework
55:Some cities in
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1416:United Kingdom
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1048:on 3 July 2017
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979:United Nations
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917:RTE Tele Liège
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730:978-0810850750
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23:Rue d'Aerschot
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1120:public domain
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988:9789210601559
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939:"Eros Center"
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784:. 2 June 2022
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758:. 7 July 2014
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25:, one of the
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1459:Transnistria
1421:Vatican City
1203:
1105:. Retrieved
1101:the original
1096:
1072:. Retrieved
1062:
1050:. Retrieved
1046:the original
1006:
974:
947:. Retrieved
942:
933:
921:. Retrieved
916:
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895:. Retrieved
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870:. Retrieved
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812:. Retrieved
807:
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786:. Retrieved
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760:. Retrieved
751:
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685:. Retrieved
635:
623:. Retrieved
610:
597:
590:
578:. Retrieved
574:
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552:. Retrieved
527:. Retrieved
523:the original
494:. Retrieved
490:
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468:. Retrieved
464:www.elfri.be
463:
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416:. Retrieved
411:
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209:, access to
207:unemployment
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171:Nordic Model
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124:Solicitation
98:
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80:turnover tax
73:
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50:prostitution
37:
36:
15:
1497:Isle of Man
1432:recognition
1401:Switzerland
1336:Netherlands
1074:12 November
1052:12 November
762:12 November
687:11 November
580:11 November
554:11 November
529:11 November
434:"LOI - WET"
374:' country.
343:nationals.
263:Middle Ages
211:health care
187:accountants
130:Advertising
116:Aggravated
1371:San Marino
1331:Montenegro
1311:Luxembourg
1291:Kazakhstan
1194:Azerbaijan
949:29 October
923:29 October
897:29 October
872:29 October
625:3 December
466:(in Dutch)
414:. Brussels
390:References
309:See also:
195:chauffeurs
1487:Gibraltar
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