Prostitution in Belgium is legal and was decriminalized on 1 June Some cities in Belgium have a red-light district , often with window prostitution. Prior to , prostitution was regulated by the municipalities, [11] with mandatory registration and medical checks. Prostitution and paying for sexual services were not prohibited in the legislation, but Article added the following offences: [11].
The Criminal Law Reform Act made some modification to the existing laws: [11] [6]. In , the Act was amended to give greater power against human trafficking, including an increase in maximum sentences.
On 1 June , sex work was decriminalized in Belgium. There have been a number of draft bills proposing changes to the existing prostitution laws. Proposals from the pro-prostitution camp have included licensing brothels and giving special status within the law to sex-workers. The anti-prostitution lobby proposals have included the banning of windows and criminalisation of paying for sexual services as stated in the Nordic Model.
A law passed in March by the Federal Parliament decriminalised their work and third parties who make sex work possible for example accountants , banks and " chauffeurs ". It also allows some advertising by sex-workers.
The new law also gives sex workers rights in terms of status, social protection, and healthcare, like other self-employed workers. The new law included but was not limited to : social security , unemployment , access to health care and parental leave.
