A year after Eunice, a young Nigerian prostitute, was murdered in Brussels, her colleagues gathered to commemorate her and ask the municipality for better working conditions.
A few dozen sex workers gathered on Wednesday in Rue Linné, where Eunice was murdered. "Remembering her also means fighting for her and our rights," said Marie of the sex workers association Utsopi, to Bruzz. "By talking about her, we remember her and make sure that her death was not in vain. She lives on in our anger and sorrow," she added.
Sex workers seized the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with the policy in the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Node. They denounced the lack of consultation, as well as the lack of solid prostitution regulations that the police can rely on during inspections.
"The situation is getting worse," the sex workers said. Last week, windows were said to have been broken and there was a fight in the street between rival gangs, according to Marie. "It is becoming increasingly unsafe. The Northern quarter needs strong measures. Is there another drama needed for mayor Emir Kir to respond?" she asked.
Sylvia, also a Nigerian prostitute working in Saint-Josse-ten-Node, said that she regularly feels unsafe because she sees customers who carry guns or other weapons. "Sometimes we call the police, but it often takes a long time before they arrive," she said.
Mayor Emir Kir (PS) said that he does not think it is right to hold the municipality responsible for the murder, which took place on the territory of Schaerbeek, he added. There also is a police security plan in the works, that will be evaluated within a few weeks.
The suspect of Eunice's murder is a young man, who at the time of the murder was known to the juvenile court and the police. The public prosecutor is still investigating the case.
