"Sex workers need top notch protection and should be able to work in safe conditions”

In Genk (Limburg) the new rules were introduced in the summer of 2022.  The idea is to stop exploitation, people-trafficking but also any nuisance such establishments may cause for local residents.  When the new regulations were introduced, Genk boasted no fewer than twelve premises where sexual services were offered for a fee: brothels, but also hotels where people could take a room for only a couple of hours.

Today only one brothel still remains in Genk. It recently got a poor evaluation, which means closure is on the cards.  Three other bordellos closed or moved to a neighbouring municipality because they couldn’t meet the new rules. The fear is that the new rules will soon have banished the oldest profession from the town.

Make it legal and safe

“We wanted to legalise sex work, but also ensure that sex workers enjoy better protection and can work in a safe environment and in good conditions” explains Genk Mayor Wim Dries (Christian democrat). “Two assignation hotels, where you can book a room by the hour, got the necessary official recognition.  The procedure is underway for one of the brothels.  In this way we can keep checks on what is happening and ensure everything is fine and dandy. Make sure there is no exploitation and everything is hygienic and safe”

From the move or closure of three brothels on his patch Mayor Dries believes that sex work has gone to ground and is now being conducted at private premises:  “Sex workers are seeing clients in hotels or at home, but we haven’t received any complaints.  Under the new rules we can intervene if there are complaints. Sex workers need top notch protection and should be able to work in safe conditions”.

Wider protection needed

Limburg prosecutors now want all municipalities in our most easterly province to adopt this approach.  “Municipal regulations support our way of dealing with pimps and human-trafficking.  We want to combat the exploitation of people in vulnerable situations.  We want to do that by using the law, but local regulations can ensure houses of prostitution are places where people can’t be exploited and where they can work in humane conditions” says prosecutor Bruno Coppin.

Prosecutors realise the bylaws in Genk are strict.  “It won’t be easy to meet the stringent quality norms. It means some premises will close and sex workers will ply their trade in a twilight zone or a different municipality” says Coppin.

Meeting up in B&Bs or at home

The suspicion is that brothels that cannot comply with Genk's regulations are moving to neighbouring municipalities, but it is also possible that entire houses or flats are rented out as brothels, something that is not only happening in Genk. In the Hasselt borough of Runkst, there are already at least two premises where private or tourist accommodation like B&B accommodation is being used by call girls to meet up with men. Clients find their way via advertisements that are easy accessed online.  Sometimes the choice of sex worker is even made on location.

Neighbouring municipalities like Lanaken and Hasselt, close to Genk, haven’t really noticed any influx of establishments from Genk due to the stricter rules. Hasselt has taxed private clubs and premises used for assignations for years. The tax on an assignation room is 1,000 euros a year, for a private club the tax rises to 2,500 euros a year.

"The policy is seemingly working” says Mayor Steven Vandeput (nationalist).  “Sex work is not a big issue. We were among the first with tax regulations on houses of prostitution. I assume there was some movement to surrounding municipalities at the time. If Genk now also takes measures, I don’t suspect that sex workers will now suddenly all come back to Hasselt, but rather look for places without rules."

Complaints from local residents

The town of Lanaken feels the presence of neighbouring Maastricht (The Netherlands) more greatly than that of Genk, but according to Mayor Marino Keulen (Flemish liberal/Open VLD), regulations such as those in force in Genk and Sint-Truiden are not the ideal solution. "On houses of prostitution that are run legally, such regulations have little impact. But that is a small minority," notes the mayor. "I think the vast majority in that world do it illegally, e.g. a housewife who earns a penny extra by receiving men. You also have pimps, who offer the services of women illegally, in flats and studios. You are not going to convince them to comply with regulations. You have to take action against them if there are complaints from the neighbours."