On October 15, 2025, the Sejm Petitions Committee considered my petition on the comprehensive regulation of the provision and organization of sexual services in Poland. To my certain surprise, the Committee referred this document for further work to the Sejm Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Additionally, I received a response to the petition from the Department of Criminal Law of the Ministry of Justice. I completely disagree with its content, but I greatly appreciate the fact that the ministry official, the author of this response, found time for a substantive polemic.
Is the provision of sexual services in Poland legal?
The statement often repeated in this discussion that “sexual services are legal in Poland” is simply untrue. This type of activity is not legal in Poland, but merely “tolerated” by the state, which graciously refrains from punishing such behavior while continuing to stigmatize it, considering it “indecent” and contrary to prevailing social norms.
To explain the difference clearly:
- “Legal” are hairdressing services, legal services, furniture production, or running a bakery. Each of these professions can (and must) register a business to operate. They are obligated to pay taxes and are covered by social, retirement, and health insurance.
- A person who would like to provide sexual services in Poland has no such possibility. They cannot register a business. They cannot be covered by retirement or health insurance. They cannot deduct costs or pay taxes. They are not protected by the state.
This situation leads to severe consequences: exploitation, lack of protection for vulnerable persons, and a thriving gray economy. The Swedish model and the German model offer very different approaches, both preferable to the current Polish “pretend it doesn’t exist” approach.
The petition argues for a comprehensive, evidence-based regulatory framework that prioritizes the safety and dignity of all persons involved, following international best practices.
Paweł Osiński
Attorney