DPTS2026 research projectDroit(s) et Politique(s) du Travail Sexuel 2026

Research project ANR led by the CERCRID (UMR 5137)

 
VERSION FRANÇAISE ICI

The 'Droit(s) et Politique(s) du Travail Sexuel 2026' (DPTS2026) project is a participatory action research initiative funded by the French National Research Agency. It brings together researchers (law, social sciences), sex workers' associations (Fédération Parapluie Rouge) and allied organisations (Médecins du Monde) for a multidisciplinary participatory action research project on sex work. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the law of 13 April 2016 criminalising the purchase of sexual acts, the project aims to contribute to a debate that is still very much alive by producing a legal analysis of public policies that will feed into training activities through research, all of which will complement a community consultation that will culminate in the drafting of a reform bill on sex work.

Scientific coordination: 
Benoît SCHMALTZ
Associate professor in Public law, CERCRID, UMR 5137, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne

International transdisciplinary workshop « Dignity by Design for Sex Workers » October 6-10, 2025

See the call for abstracts 

Participation form :
https://forms.office.com/r/wELYY697a4 

Contact : benoit.schmaltz@univ-st-etienne.fr  (benoit.schmaltz @ univ-st-etienne.fr)

To contribute to the work of the DPTS2026 project, the workshop will bring together researchers and sex workers, as well as other stakeholders and interested parties. Organized in partnership with the CRID&P of UCLouvain, it will also be a preparatory step towards another event in Belgium in the fall of 2026.

Comparative perspectives on sex work

• Comparative public policies 
• Belgian reform (partnership with UCLouvain)
• The European framework (EU, ECHR)

Methodology and research

• Quantitative versus qualitative methods 
• Participatory methodsl
• Risk-based approach 
• Epistemology and position

Multidisciplinary approaches

• SW Related Concepts (Definitions & Categories)
• Comparative Analysis and Policy Design
• Limits to SWR: penalized behavior
• Working conditions and social security
• SW as an independent activity (service contracts, entrepreneurship)
• Taxation and SW
• SW & local governance (administrative law, urban planning)
• Digital dimension of SW
• SW & Migration

Context and Presentation of Project DPTS2026

Sex work encompasses any professional activity for profit involving a sexual act or relationship performed in exchange for payment, in any form. Prostitution, in particular, faces significant social stigma reflected in legal treatment that often shows contempt for the individuals involved, disregarding their fundamental rights and worsening their living and working conditions. Globally, more or less organized criminal activities benefit from the sexual exploitation of many individuals, often made more vulnerable by the equally problematic treatment of migration. The confusion between sex work and human trafficking for sexual exploitation reduces the ability of states to combat crime while ensuring the rights of vulnerable individuals.

In France, the law of April 13, 2016, inspired by the Swedish "model", criminalizes the purchase of sexual acts and proposes an exit program in the hope of a "society without prostitution." Ten years after its implementation, the negative consequences for the actual situation of the individuals involved invite critical analysis and the formulation of possible evolutions, with no real impact on reducing exploitation situations.

In contrast, in Belgium, following the example of New South Wales in 1995 and New Zealand since 2003 (except for migrant individuals), sex work activities have been decriminalized, excluding exploitation, minors, and students, by the law of March 21, 2022. This reform, unique in Europe, raises implementation challenges, such as the issue of the salaried sex work contract, with emerging legislation including a first law in 2024.

Touching on the intimate nature of human beings, the phenomenon of sex work sparks research and controversies worldwide. The marginalization associated with stigma not only affects the individuals involved but sometimes also members of the academic community. This creates a need to institutionalize a field that is all the more legitimate as it concerns significant trends in our societies marked by illiberalism, polarization, and loss of ethical benchmarks.

In response to these various questions, "Droit(s) et Politique(s) du Travail Sexuel 2026" is a transdisciplinary research-action project bringing together a consortium of researchers (lawyers and other social and human sciences) and sex workers' associations (Fédération Parapluie Rouge) or allies (Médecins du Monde). It was funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (French National Research Agency) in response to the call Sciences Avec et Pour la Société (ANR-SAPS-RP2-2025) because of its participatory approach. The aim of the project is to contribute to the legal and scientific robustness of the draft law to be presented by the associations, while at the same time contributing to legal and social science research on sex work. The bill will be accompanied by an academic report in addition to the traditional outputs (symposium, articles, book). A community consultation is at the heart of the preparatory work for this proposal, which will be open to criticism and public discussion in March 2026.