Position of sex workers to be improved.
Sex workers are too often not treated like other workers due to prejudice about their work. That is why the social and legal position of sex workers will be improved. This is stated in the approach that State Secretary Van der Maat of Justice and Security has sent to the House of Representatives, also on behalf of Minister Van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment. The approach was developed in close cooperation with the sex industry.
Bank accounts and insurance
Sex workers who want to apply for a business bank account are now often refused due to the risk of money laundering. Taking out insurance is also not a matter of course for sex workers. The approach has brought sex workers, banks and insurers together to make agreements on opening business bank accounts and insurance for sex workers.
Prejudices
Prejudices play a major role in the daily lives of sex workers. For instance, doctors sometimes without any reason encourage sex workers to quit their work, or medical complaints are wrongly linked to their work. With the online course 'help and care for sex workers' offered to healthcare providers, these prejudices should be eliminated.
Sex workers also do not always feel taken seriously by the police due to prejudice. Partly because of this, only one in five sex workers report violence while working. That is why the police are developing a teaching module for officers in training that should increase knowledge about sex workers, so that prejudices are eliminated. In addition, sex workers are better informed about their rights and obligations when reporting violence. We also focus on increasing knowledge about sex workers among municipal officials to eliminate prejudice. Together we must ensure prejudices about sex work disappear.