"They want to be taxed as a business and not as a private individual. This will entitle them to some tax deductible items, like condoms and other materials," Ten Broeke says.
"It would also make it easier for clients. Some clients pay by credit card or cheque and it would allow them some privacy if a neutral business name was shown on accounts or receipts rather than the woman's name," she adds.
A decision on last week's hearing is expected from the Office of Fair Treatment in a few weeks. The decision is non-binding but could guide banks' policy.
While ING is the target of the prostitutes' complaint, other banks have also presented problems, forcing some sex workers to open business bank accounts under false company names.
Another large Dutch bank, ABN AMRO initially rejected an application for a commercial account made by Ten Broeke when she said she was from the Rode Draad.
But shortly afterward she received a letter saying that a mistake had been made and if she could produce a registration number from the country's commerce authorities, such an account could be opened.
"In general we say every businessman and woman is welcome and, if we see good business prospects, we see no reason to say no even if it is a prostitute," ABN AMRO spokesman Jochem van de Laarschot said.
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