Sex and the Welfare State

From the desk of Paul Belien on Mon, 2005-11-21 18:19

Jurgen Van Acker is 27 years old and severely handicapped. He cannot walk, talk, sit or eat, but mentally there is nothing wrong with him. With the help of his computer he can communicate. Recently he became a television celebrity in Belgium when he asked that the welfare office pay his prostitutes.

When Jurgen turned 18, his mother Frie Van Acker told him all about sex and asked whether he would like to have sex. Jurgen indicated “No.” One evening three years later, however, he wrote on his computer: “I want sex.” That same evening, Frie contacted a prostitute. Every month for the past six years prostitutes have come to the house for Jurgen. They charge 100 euros for half an hour. Jurgen finds one session a month inadequate. He wants sex at least once a week, but his mother cannot pay that much. Jurgen and his Mum are now demanding that the government subsidize the sex sessions, but the Fund for the Social Integration of the Handicapped only finances masturbation equipment, including vibrators and pumps, for the handicapped in Belgium, but not prostitutes.

The Fund cannot pay prostitutes, its chairman Gui Abrahams explains, because prostitution is illegal in Belgium. The authorities turn a blind eye to prostitution but feel that financing it would take matters too far. Moreover, in order to reimburse a service the fund needs official invoices, which prostitutes cannot provide. “Do not say that we are not trying to help,” the spokesman of the Fund stresses: “We reimburse masturbation equipment but we are not in a legal position to subsidise the use of prostitutes.”

“My son cannot masturbate, but he is entitled to have sex at least once week,” Frie Van Acker says. “Giving him a free masturbation set does not help. He cannot use it. As I am his mother I cannot assist him there. That would almost be incest.” Jurgen and his mother have gained the support of Dr. Bo Coolsaet, a well-known Belgian sexuologist. “The healthcare system provides for inflatable penis prostheses for men with erection problems. These cost up to 10,000 euros.” According to Dr. Coolsaet handicapped people are being discriminated if their sexual needs are not adressed. “In homes for the handicapped either nothing is done at all or, sometimes, nurses help patients. The Fund should call the prostitutes ‘sexual aides’ and finance them as such.”

Last month European prostitutes demonstrated in Brussels. The prostitutes, who prefer to call themselves “sex workers,” want European Union governments to legalize prostitution, end all restrictions on their profession and apply labour laws to their profession. According to the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) “Sex work is work and a profession, sex workers are workers and must be recognized as such.” If prostitution is legalized, the government can start subsidizing it, which opens new opportunities for the welfare states in its care for all our needs, from the cradle to the grave.

I can't imagine a

Submitted by emtjason on Tue, 2008-12-23 16:23.

I can't imagine a handicapped person getting government assistance to get prostitutes were not talking food here thats essential for living or medications or a home with basic heating electricity and water. I am not against it and if a government went to those lengths to make their citizens comfortable i would be all for it. A trip to the topless clubs paid for by a government would be amazing.

I'm quite willing to pay

Submitted by Rob (not verified) on Fri, 2005-12-02 17:32.

I'm quite willing to pay taxes for handicapped people to have sex. At least the money is being put to good use. I'd much rather my tax payments brought these people enjoyment, than provide some 16 year old slapper with a council house and lifelong meal ticket.

Rob

Ridiculous

Submitted by yupie on Wed, 2005-11-23 01:55.

What's next ?

I am not nature's most beautiful gift, I have problems fulfilling my sexual needs, seducing women turns out to be pretty hard for me. Hence, I ask "the government" to pay 50% of my prostitute fees. This will ease my burden.

Oh yeah, and also, I am lazy. Be it by nature or nurture, I consider this laziness to be a fundamental flaw of my character, for which I cannot take personal responsability - it is an unavoidable and fundamental part of my being. Hence, I ask "the government" to pay 50% of the normal wage a non-lazy person would be able to earn, I am even willing to try to work for the rest of the 50%.

I am NOT disgusted beyond

Submitted by VHfc on Tue, 2005-11-22 13:57.

"Jurgen's mother never should have mentioned sex to him; therefore he probably would not have missed it. Maybe it is more for her benefit than his!!!"

Yeah right. She also never should have mentioned food to him. He would never know that that craving feeling in his stomach was in fact "hunger". It's always funny to see the moral-right crusaders creep from under their bigoted stone when somebody mentions "sex". What's wrong with "sex"? If it was that bad, the Good Lord wouldn't have planted the ugly thing in our brain in the first place.

And about "sex workers". Well, why should we deny a proper status and protection to this type of free-lance workers as they in fact represent the oldest profession in the world? We could even tax them! And about sex-for-money, well, I know quite a number of marriages that are just a graceful form of that. So let's not judge, and shout about morals. Morals are rather subjective, as long as they don't infringe upon other peoples lives.

The "disgusting" point about this item is of course that poor Jurgen and his mommy want *the state* to pay for his needs. Jurgen is entitled to sex and we can sympathize, but he can't expect the taxpayer to pay for it. Jurgen can write, "I want sex" on his computer. Well, he can write his memoirs too, or about his miserable life as a handicapped man that can't even masturbate. Publish it, make big bucks doing so, and pay all the sex workers he wants. Or his mommy can take (a second?) job so she can pay for it. Or he can start a paypal account and solicit contributions. Whatever.

Weird things are happening in Belgium lately. Illegal aliens can get expensive in-vitro fertilizations and even cosmetic surgery for free, because it's only "human". Well maybe it is, but not on the tax-payers account.

Jurgen won't probably get it his way. He is a local guy. If he had been a Moroccan immigrant in Belgium, his chances would have been much higher. Denying him his fun then would be considered a case of "racism", and that's the worst crime nowadays a Caucasian can commit in continental Europe.

Jurgen

Submitted by Molly (not verified) on Tue, 2005-11-22 11:56.

Belgium seems to be obsessed with sex (nothing else for them to do I suppose). We did not subscribe to the 'sex channel' on the new digital subscription service, but even on Prime Action +1, we were shocked to discover that there are porn movies shown at night. We will now have to block it during that time period since we are expecting a visit from the States who have children.

Jurgen's mother never should have mentioned sex to him; therefore he probably would not have missed it. Maybe it is more for her benefit than his!!! Knowing the liberal laws here in Belgium, I will not be surprised if they take it to court, he will win. Taxpayers should be outraged at this. This latest stupid demand will find its way around the world and people once again will laugh at Belgium.

I am disgusted beyond

Submitted by just_me on Mon, 2005-11-21 20:49.

I am disgusted beyond description. This shows just how far the moral degradation of this society has gone. It seems we cannot sink any deeper. This is what happens when man plays god, sex and death become basic human rights, and chastity, just as life, become taboo.

In Denmark the government already pays.

Submitted by Chresten Anderson on Mon, 2005-11-21 19:07.

Highly interesting article. In Denmark the local governments decide whether or not handicapped people can get government assistance in regards to paying for a prostitute. Although there has been some debate on the matter.

Personally I favor legalizing the profession, however just like farmers and fishermen should not receive government subsidies neither should sex workers.