In the past year, sex workers have been warned more than 15,000 times about violent clients. This was announced by interest group SOA Aids Nederland on Wednesday based on an inventory of a platform that sends warnings. That system was introduced a year ago, with the aim of offering sex workers more protection. In addition to warnings, they can also check on the platform whether certain customers are known to be violent.
The customers are described with external characteristics or part of their contact details. According to the interest group, it happens “several times” a week that reports are received on the platform ‘Ugly Mugs’, to which 277 sex workers are affiliated. Based on that, sex workers receive warnings. Half of the reports concern swearing and intimidation. In addition, threats, financial and emotional blackmail and theft also occur.
One in three cases involve situations involving sexual or physical violence. “We already see that 31 percent of the dangerous clients are blackmailing sex workers with their sex work identity,” says a spokesperson for the interest group. The platform also helps in providing care or reporting to the police. In 2022, the willingness to report was low: only 2 percent of sex workers said they wanted or dared to report a violent incident.