Violett (previously Ghapro) works with male, female and transgender sex workers. Sex workers from all sectors are welcome in Violett.
Our offer and working method is being evaluated permanently through the opinions and reactions of sex workers. We consult sex workers to have their advice on the development of our new projects. A colleague who was also a sex worker retired and unfortunately we did not find someone to replace her.
The first main challenge for most sex workers we meet is coping financially. This is the case especially for migrant sex workers (in Antwerp mostly Romanian, Bulgarian and Spanish), but also Belgian sex workers are often in financial difficulties. This makes makes them extra vunerable to pressure from clients or other parties.
The second main challenge is their social security. Many sex worker have no legal income. Therefore they cannot rely on social security and are not entitled to a legal pension. Often, they do not realise the implications until problems arise, like when they need hospitalisation or when approaching retirement age.
Violett offers medical and social help to sex workers. We are a non-governmental organisation that works only with sex workers. These are the different areas we work in:
- Medical help: STD consultation, vaccinations, contraception, general sexual health.
- Advice on safe sex: individual consultation, group lessons and online information on safe sex and sexual health.
- Social help: social workers help people with their administrational, practical, juridical and emotional problems in all areas of life.
- Political work: we work for an improvement of the situation of sex workers in Belgium.