News item | 10-11-2023 | 2:45 PM
Sex workers are too often not treated like other workers due to prejudices about the work. That is why the social and legal position of sex workers is improved. This is stated in the approach that State Secretary Van der Maat of Justice and Security, also on behalf of Minister Van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment, has sent to the House of Representatives. This approach has been developed in close collaboration with the sex industry.
Bank accounts and insurance
Sex workers who want to apply for a business bank account are now often turned away due to the risk of money laundering. Taking out insurance is also not self-evident for sex workers. The approach brings sex workers, banks and insurers together to make agreements about opening business bank accounts and insurance for sex workers.
Prejudices
Prejudices play a major role in the daily lives of sex workers. For example, doctors sometimes encourage sex workers to stop working without any reason, or medical complaints are wrongly linked to work. These prejudices should be removed with the online course ‘help and care for sex workers’ that is offered to healthcare providers.
Sex workers do not always feel taken seriously by the police due to prejudices. Partly because of this, only one in five sex workers reports violence at work. That is why the police are developing a teaching module for police officers in training that should provide more knowledge about sex workers, so that prejudices disappear. In addition, sex workers are better informed about their rights and obligations when reporting crimes. We are also committed to increasing knowledge about sex workers among municipal officials in order to remove prejudices. Together we must ensure that prejudices about sex work disappear.