- Title: BELGIUM: EU sex workers want rights and an end to discrimination
- Date: 18th October 2005
- Summary: (BN14)BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 17, 2005) (REUTERS) BANNER WITH DRAWINGS READING 'SEX WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE' (English) HELD BY DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING RED UMBRELLAS CALLING FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHTS OF SEX WORKERS SHOUTING 'WHORES! UNITED! WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED' (Spanish) CAMILLE CABRAL, REPRESENTING FRENCH SEX WORKERS, HOLDING BANNER READING 'SEX WORKERS UNIT
- Embargoed: 2nd November 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA27RPD00MO34H4XL4DG3H0HENJ
- Story Text: European sex workers called for their profession to be recognised as work on Monday (October 17), saying they deserved the same social rights as other employees. About 50 sex workers and their supporters held red umbrellas at the foot of Brussels Bourse to show unity with previous demonstrations.
They called for unity and basic workers' rights chanting "Whores! United! Will Never Be Defeated'. In many European states, the sex industry flourishes in the black market where women are trafficked from poor countries to work as prostitutes in Europe.Their passports are often stolen to prevent their escape out of sex slavery. Prostitution is legal in some EU states and tolerated in most European countries, but laws on prostitution and the legal rights of sex workers vary across the EU. The sex workers said regulating the sector would curb exploitation and boost prostitutes' willlingness to pay tax in return for rights and social protection.
One Australian sex worker at the demonstration said prostitutes in Europe were worried about a recent Swedish law which outlaws sex customers saying it was likely to further suppress their rights.
"At the moment there's a lot of changes. It's particularly based on the Swedish model that's been happening obviously in Sweden and they have legalised prostitution but outlawed the client and they seem to be promoting this across Europe. At the moment and we are very scared as sex workers that our rights will be even more crushed by this model because if you outlaw the client there is no business for the girl," said one Australian sex worker based in Europe who did not want to be named. Male and female sex workers from the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) held a press conference in the European Parliament, urging the 25-nation European Union to end discrimination of the sex industry.
British sex worker Camille Cabral said it is wrong that sex workers don't enjoy the same rights as other workers as stated by the international human rights treaty. "I think there is an issue about the denial of sex workers' labour. But I am also going to read you something about the rights, in the international human rights treaty and that's the "right to work, to free choice of employment and to just and favourable conditions of work. We as sex workers do not enjoy that, however if you look at our labour and look at the definition of labour, sex work clearly falls within them. Its a moral judgement on us that denies us those labour rights and those human rights," said Ruth Morgan Thomas.
Camille Cabral, representing French sex workers and wearing pink stickers reading "Sluts Unite" and "Whore Power", said it was time to end the stigma associated with the sex industry. "What we are asking for here are rights and recognition for professional activities by consenting adults. It's the same right which all of us here have who are not sex workers," Cabral said.
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