The Dutch government is trying to pass extremely repressive legislation against sex workers: the WRS (Wet Regulering Sekswerk) and the WGTS (Wet Gemeentelijk Toezicht Seksbedrijven).
For both of these laws the government is currently running online citizen consultations. Please take a bit of time to support sex workers by letting the government know that imposing intrusive and unjust regulations on them is a bad idea.
https://redinsight.org/articles/wrs-nee-damn-honey
In short:
The WRS would force all sex workers to request a license with their municipality and be registered in a central sex worker database.
Sex workers are already often discriminated against, being registered as a sex worker by the government only increases this risk, as well as creating the risk of data leaks.
Municipalities will be able to give or refuse licenses as they see fit, including the possibility of refusing to give out any at all, essentially criminalizing sex work.
This will not keep sex workers safe or stop people from doing sex work; it will just make sex workers more vulnerable, increase the risk of blackmail and exploitation, as well as lead to fines, evictions and deportations when working without a license.
Respond to the consultation about the WRS here, before 17/3: https://www.internetconsultatie.nl/wijzigingreguleringsekswerk/b1
OR follow the protocol at https://redinsight.org/articles/wrs-nee-damn-honey
We are open for queer people ever friday at our secret temporary location, feel free to join and get help if you also wanna sign the letter! there will be a laptop and explanation.
If you want to learn more about sex workers’ struggle for liberation, we recommend Revolting Prostitutes, which you can borrow from the Opstand library (next occasion: Friday 10/3, 6-9pm)