A spokesperson for the group, Daan Bauwens, told The Telegraph:
“Belgium is really demonstrating that it aims to protect sex workers, regardless of any moral judgments about the profession people may have. The bill also only covers physical sexual contact. Porn, striptease, and webcam are therefore not covered by this law.”
Andrea Heinz advocates against prostitution. She criticized the law, posting on X:
“There is little chance this will (actually) favor women. Under legalization/full decriminalized, pimps become ‘managers’ with the backing of the state to further entrench and maintain their power. Pimps see women they sell as products, not people deserving of full dignity & respect.”
You have to step back and really think about what is happening here. Has society really descended to the level where we are discussing this type of degradation as being respectful? Belgium has passed a labor law for employment contracts for prostitutes/sex workers. “Under the law, if a [woman] refuses a [buyer] more than ten times over six months, a pimp can trigger an intervention by a government mediator but cannot sack the employee.”
So, if a prostitute doesn’t fulfill her sexual obligations, her pimp can call the government to help straighten her out. Hmm, this doesn’t sound like respect to me.
Congratulations, Belgium. You have just become the first country not only to condone but also enable the loss of self-respect and moral decency. You are not only propagating prostitution; you are empowering and, in some sense, glorifying pimps.
Well done, Belgium, for striving to become a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah.