How we work
How we work
Belle is there for (ex-)sex workers and victims of human trafficking, despite gender, work form or status. And for people who don’t recognise themselves in the term sex worker, but do have questions. For us, it doesn’t matter where you work or in which form you work. You can come to us without waiting list, for free information, advice and help.
Our help is broad. Maybe you have questions about finances or you are looking for another home. Maybe you would rather do different work. It can also be that you want help for trauma processing or you want to get rid of your addiction. We can support you with finding the right help. We don’t offer treatments, but we refer you to other organizations.
Permanent contact person
When after our initial interview, you would like to come more often, you will get a permanent contact person. With this person you make agreements about how often you will meet. Our help to you is voluntary. We feel it’s important to work together with you on your goals.
If you want, your contact person can come to meetings with organizations. Sometimes we work together with organizations. You don’t speak Dutch or English? Then we use a telephone interpreter.
“I can talk to my contact person about sex and my sexual needs. For example, she doesn’t judge me for having clients.”
Quote sex worker
Confidants
At Belle we work with confidants. Sex workers can tell their story anonymously. They can for example talk about a bad experience or if they feel mistreated by an organization. Also when you are not a sex worker, but you are worried about someone, you can come to us. For example because of a possible unsafe situation or bad working conditions.
Outreach work
Belle engages in outreach work – both in person and online.
In-Person outreach
We conduct in-person outreach every week in the city of Utrecht and are also regularly active in the surrounding region. We collaborate with various partner organizations that do outreach work as well. Our goal is to expand our reach and help ensure that street-based sex work is as safe as possible. Sometimes, we also visit licensed workplaces or accompany municipal staff — for instance, when there are concerns about a sex worker operating from home. We value meeting sex workers in person so that we can inform them about our services and offer advice and support.
Online Outreach
To reach sex workers who operate in other locations, we respond to online sex work advertisements in the province of Utrecht and in the Gooi and Vechtstreek region. One of our trusted contacts also chats weekly on an online platform — this is what we call online outreach. Through this platform, we explain what Belle does and, when questions arise, we provide practical tips and support. If needed, sex workers are of course always welcome to visit our walk-in hours or schedule an appointment with a counselor or trusted contact.
Are you in doubt whether we can help?
Ask us, we would love to meet you. If it turns out you can better be helped elsewhere, we know the way and arrange it for you.