I am one person with an opinion. These are organisations with researchers, doctors, social workers and sex workers behind them. If you want information about sexual health, safety or your rights that does not come from someone who is also selling you something, start here.
The public information site run by Sensoa, written deliberately in plain language. If you only open one link on this page, make it this one.
What you can find there
- Clear explanations of STIs, contraception, fertility and the body.
- Information on relationships, sexuality and sexually transgressive behaviour.
- Content based on scientific sources, reviewed by experts and updated regularly.
Written to be read by anyone, without prior knowledge. The site is in Dutch. Sensoa also runs zanzu.be, which covers similar ground in fourteen languages.
Violett provides information, advice and support for sex workers across Flanders, from offices in Antwerp, Ghent and Hasselt. It is the current name for the work previously done by Ghapro and Pasop.
What you can find there
- A section written for clients: what is and is not legal, what you may reasonably ask for, what things generally cost, and where to get tested.
- Detailed information on STIs, testing, treatment, PrEP and PEP.
- How sex work is regulated in Belgium, including the difference between working independently and working under contract.
- Signs of human trafficking, and where to report a concern.
- A contact point for anyone worried about a friend, a partner, a parent or a child involved in sex work.
The site is available in Dutch, English and Spanish.
UTSOPI is the Belgian union of sex workers, based in Brussels. It campaigns for decriminalisation, better working conditions and an end to stigma, and does direct support work alongside that.
What you can find there
- A plain explanation of the Belgian legal framework, including the labour law for sex workers.
- A free guide for the self-employed sex worker.
- A guide on what to do in cases of sexual violence.
- Red Flags of Exploitation, a campaign about recognising when a working situation has turned exploitative.
- Open house sessions and a community, for people who would rather talk to someone who has been there.
The site is in English, Dutch and French. Staff are bound by professional secrecy and can be contacted anonymously. The site runs no marketing cookies.
Sensoa is the Flemish expertise centre for sexual health, recognised since 2001 as the Flemish government's partner organisation on the subject.
What you can find there
- Research and figures on sexual health in Flanders and Belgium.
- Frameworks and training for professionals, including the Flag System for assessing sexual behaviour.
- Positions on sexual health and sexual rights.
- Material on STIs and HIV, contraception, and preventing sexually transgressive behaviour.
Mainly aimed at professionals and organisations, and written in Dutch. For personal questions, allesoverseks.be above is the better starting point.
None of these organisations endorses me, works with me, or receives or pays money. I link to them because the information is good, independent and free.
%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Components'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%2028.4%2028.4'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%2028.4%2028.4;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23E8E8E8;}%20.st1{fill:%23ED1C25;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%20id='_x32_d34f5c8-68bc-4b0a-b25a-657b27be096a_x40_1'%3e%3cpolygon%20class='st0'%20points='14.2,28.4%2024.3,24.3%2028.4,14.2%2024.3,4.2%2014.2,0%204.2,4.2%200,14.2%204.2,24.3%20'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st1'%20d='M15.6,16.4h-0.4c-0.4,0-0.6,0.2-0.6,0.6v2.6c0,0.3,0.3,0.6,0.6,0.6h0.4c1.3,0,2.1-0.7,2.1-1.8%20C17.8,17.1,16.9,16.4,15.6,16.4z'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st1'%20d='M24.3,24.1l4-9.8H0.1l4,9.7l0.5-0.5l0.2,0.2l-0.5,0.5l9.8,4.1v-3.2h0.3v3.1l9.7-4l-1.7-1.7v1.4h-1.7V15h1.7%20v7.3L24.3,24.1z%20M11.6,20.9c0,2-1.4,3.3-3.6,3.3c-2.1,0-3.6-1.3-3.6-3.3v-2.8c0-2,1.4-3.3,3.6-3.3c2.1,0,3.6,1.3,3.6,3.3V20.9z%20M19.9,20.1l-0.6-0.6c-0.5,1.3-1.7,2.1-3.4,2.1h-0.6c-0.4,0-0.7,0.3-0.7,0.7v1.8h-1.7V15h3c2.1,0,3.6,1.2,3.6,3.4%20c0,0.3,0,0.6-0.1,0.9l0.7,0.7L19.9,20.1z'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st1'%20d='M8.1,16.3c-1.1,0-1.9,0.8-1.9,2v2.6c0,0.4,0.1,0.7,0.2,1l2.4-2.4L9,19.6l-2.4,2.4c0.3,0.5,0.9,0.7,1.5,0.7%20c1.1,0,1.9-0.8,1.9-2v-2.6C10,17.1,9.2,16.3,8.1,16.3z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st1'%20d='M4.5,11V5h1.7v6c0,1.1,0.7,1.8,1.6,1.8c1,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.8V5h1.7V11c0,1.5-0.8,2.6-2,3.1h4.9V7.2%20c0-0.4-0.3-0.8-0.8-0.8h-1.6V5h6.4v1.4h-1.6c-0.4,0-0.7,0.3-0.7,0.7v6.9h4.7c-1.4-0.4-2.2-1.4-2.2-3v-0.4h1.7V11%20c0,1.1,0.6,1.7,1.7,1.7c1,0,1.6-0.5,1.6-1.3c0-0.8-0.5-1.2-1.4-1.2l-0.6,0c-1.8,0-2.8-1-2.8-2.6c0-1.6,1.3-2.7,3.2-2.7%20c2.1,0,3.3,1.1,3.3,2.9v0.4h-1.7V7.7c0-0.9-0.6-1.4-1.6-1.4c-0.9,0-1.5,0.5-1.5,1.2c0,0.7,0.5,1.1,1.4,1.1l0.6,0%20c1.8,0,2.9,1,2.9,2.7c0,1.5-0.8,2.4-2.1,2.8h5.6l-4.1-9.9l-9.9-4.1v3.9h-0.3V0.1L4.2,4.2l-4.1,9.9h6.4C5.2,13.6,4.5,12.5,4.5,11z'%20/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
