Community building

Every month we organize apero's, exclusively for sex workers, in the cities of Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, under the name "Listen To You". These safer spaces are an opportunity to get to know each other, learn from each other and talk freely about your work. These moments are as old as our organizations: it was monthly apero's between sex workers that led to the birth of our organization.

For some sex workers getting to know other sex worker at group events remains difficult. For some there is shame, for some there is a lack of trust and still others cannot afford free moments, they simply do not have free time.

We see these barriers most often among migrant sex workers, a large group of whom work behind windows. Their opinions are as important to us as those of all other sex workers. Therefore, at least once a week, we organize a tour where UTSOPI staff goes into the window district, to make contacts with the sex workers behind the windows. Their needs too are translated into political demands. For now, these tours are only organized in the Brussels North Quarter.

UTSOPI played a key role in the decriminalization of sex work. We are currently being consulted in the development of a new law that will regulate working conditions in the workplace. In both cases, our organization organized task forces for sex workers, where any sex worker (member or non-member) was welcome to read the legislative texts in group and provide feedback, which we took to the political level.

For any new legislative initiative or political development in the future, a specialized task force will be organized, for any sex worker wishing to play an active part in developments concerning sex work in Belgium.

At different times of the year we organize workshops with a variety of themes. A singing choir was for instance created in this way within UTSOPI. Prior to manifestations, we organize moments to make banners and placards. For sex workers struggling with the digital world, they can join our digital workshops.

We also organize art and writing sessions, making room for poetry, prose and collage art. During a series of workshops we extend an ongoing and imperfect manifesto.