Legality

The legality of prostitution and the societal attitudes towards it vary considerably, from
being perfectly legal and seen as a job like any other job, to being considered a form of
exploitation of women, and to being considered an immoral act sometimes punished even
with the death penalty.
In some countries prostitution is illegal; in other jurisdictions prostitution itself (exchanging
sex for money) is legal, but most activities which surround it (operating a brothel, pimping
and soliciting in a public place) are illegal, making it difficult to engage in prostitution
without breaking any law; while in a few jurisdictions prostitution is legal and regulated.
Link to criminality
Searching for the ideal legal system
One of the most serious problem associated with prostitution is the fact that the sex trade
is surrounded by illegal, abusive and dangerous activities. Many insist that such situations
occur because prostitution (or brothels and pimping) are kept illegal and the industry
operates on the black market. Others, however, insist that legalizing and regulating
prostitution would not improve the situation, it would only make it worse and it would
increase criminal activities: women working in licensed brothels would still be controlled by
outside pimps; many brothel owners would be criminals themselves; the creation of a legal
and regulated prostitution industry would only lead to another parallel illegal industry, as
many women would not want to register and work legally (since this would rob them of
their anonymity) and other women would not be hired by legal brothels because of
underlying problems ; legalizing prostitution would make it more socially acceptable to buy
sex, creating a huge demand for prostitutes (both by local men and by foreigners engaging
in sex tourism) and, as a result, human trafficking and underage prostitution would
increase in order to satisfy this demand.
Human trafficking and sexual slavery
The most common destinations for human trafficking are Thailand, Japan, Israel, Belgium,
the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the US, according to a report by the UNODC.
The major sources of trafficked persons include Thailand, China, Nigeria, Albania,
Bulgaria, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Establishments engaged in sexual slavery are the highest priority targets of law
enforcement actions against prostitution. It has been suggested that human trafficking is
the fastest growing form of modern day slavery and is the third largest and fastest growing
criminal industry in the world.
Due to the illegal and underground nature of sex trafficking, the exact extent of women and
children forced into prostitution is unknown.
Children are sold into the global sex trade every year. Often they are kidnapped or
orphaned, and sometimes they are actually sold by their own families. According to the

International Labour Organization, the problem is especially alarming in Thailand, the

Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and India.
Poverty, social exclusion and war are at the heart of human trafficking. Some women are
hoodwinked into believing promises of a better life, sometimes by people who are known
and trusted to them. Traffickers may own legitimate travel agencies, modeling agencies
and employment offices in order to gain women's trust. Others are simply kidnapped. Once
overseas it is common for their passport to be confiscated by the trafficker and to be
warned of the consequences should they attempt to escape, including beatings, rape,
threats of violence against their family and death threats. It is common, particularly in
Eastern Europe, that should they manage to return to their families they will only be
trafficked once again.
Trafficking in people has been facilitated by porous borders and advanced communication
technologies, it has become increasingly transnational in scope and highly lucrative within
its barbarity.
In some countries counseling, accommodation, specialist care exists for trafficked people
to help them escape, whilst in other countries, this support is lacking and individuals are
often treated as illegal immigrants and deported.
Prostitution of children
Regarding the prostitution of children the laws on prostitution as well as those on sex with
a child apply. If prostitution in general is legal there is usually a minimum age requirement
for legal prostitution that is higher than the general age of consent. Although some
countries do not single out patronage of child prostitution as a separate crime, the same
act is punishable as sex with an underage person.
Some adults travel to other countries to have access to sex with children, which is
unavailable in their home country. Cambodia has become a notorious destination for sex
with children. Thailand is also a destination for child sex tourism. Several western
countries have recently enacted laws with extraterritorial reach, punishing citizens who
engage in sex with minors in other countries. As the crime usually goes undiscovered,
these laws are rarely enforced.
In illegal immigration
Prostitution is connected to illegal immigration.
A difficulty facing migrant prostitutes in many developed countries is the illegal residence
status of some of these women. They face potential deportation, and so do not have
recourse to the law. Hence there are brothels that may not adhere to the usual legal
standards intended to safeguard public health and the safety of the workers.
Violence against female prostitutes
Female prostitutes are at risk of violent crime, as well as possibly at higher risk of
occupational mortality than any other group of women ever studied.

However, there are substantial differences in rates of victimization between street

prostitutes and indoor prostitutes who work as escorts, call girls, or in brothels and
massage parlors.
While women who work on the streets are the most likely to be victimized, attacks on
prostitutes have also occurred in licensed brothels.
Feminism
Prostitution is a significant issue in feminist thought and activism. Many feminists are
opposed to prostitution. They argue that, in most cases, prostitution is not a conscious and
calculated choice. Most women who become prostitutes do so because they were forced
or coerced by a pimp or by human trafficking, or, when it is an independent decision, it is
generally the result of extreme poverty and lack of opportunity, or of serious underlying
problems, such as drug addiction, past trauma (especially child sexual abuse) and other
unfortunate circumstances. Most prostitutes are in a very difficult period of their lives and
most want to leave this occupation. Prostitutes have sex with hundreds of strangers during
a short period of time, an experience which will most likely traumatize them and have
negative long term effects on their life. Such feminists see prostitution as a form of male
dominance over women, as the client has sex with a woman who does not enjoy it and
who is making a tremendous psychological effort to mentally dissociate herself from the
client; the act of prostitution is not a mutual and equal sex act, it puts the woman in a
subordinate position, reducing her to a mere instrument of sexual pleasure for the client.
Some feminists believe that many clients use the servicies of the prostitutes because they
enjoy the "power trip" they derive from the act and the fact that they have control over
these women during the sexual activity. Prostitution is seen by these feminists as the result
of a patriarchal societal order, which subordinates women to men, and where the
inequality between genders is present in all aspects of life. These feminists believe that
prostitution is very harmful to society as it reinforces the idea that women are sex objects
which exist for men's enjoyment, which can be "bought" and which can be "used" solely for
men's sexual gratification. Feminists argue that when a society accepts prostitution, it
sends the message that it is irrelevant how the woman feels during sex or what the
consequences of sex will be for her, and that it is acceptable for a man to engage in sexual
activity with a woman who does not enjoy it and who is mentally and emotionally forcing
herself in order to be able to cope; the normalization of such one sided sexual encounters
might negatively affect the way men relate to women in general and might increase sexual
violence against women.
Sweden's 1999 law which makes it illegal to pay for sex (but not to be a prostitute) is a
natural extension of this view. A similar law was passed in Norway (in 2009) and in Iceland
(in 2009)
There are however feminists who argue that the act of selling sex need not inherently be
exploitative; but that attempts to abolish prostitution, and the attitudes that lead to such
attempts, lead to an abusive climate for sex workers that must be changed. In the new
discourse, the redefinition of prostitution as "sex work" saw the development of the sex
worker activism movement, comprising organisations such as the Australian Prostitutes
Collective and COYOTE. Such activists may consider that prostitution "empowers" women.
Sex tourism

Sex tourism is traveling for sexual intercourse with prostitutes or to engage in other sexual
activity. The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations
defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this
sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary purpose of effecting a
commercial sexual relationship by the tourist with residents at the destination".
Often the term "sex tourism" is mistakenly interchanged with the term "child sex tourism".
As opposed to regular sex tourism, a tourist who has sex with a child prostitute possibly
commits a crime against international law, in addition to the host country, and the country
that the tourist is a citizen of. The term "child" is often used as defined by international law
and refers to any person below the age of consent.
Occurrence
According to the paper "Estimating the prevalence and career longevity of prostitute
women" (Potterat et al., 1990), the number of full-time equivalent prostitutes in a typical
area in the United States (Colorado Springs, CO, during 1970-1988) is estimated at 23 per
100,000 population (0.023%), of which fraction some 4% were under 18. The length of
these prostitutes' working careers was estimated at a mean of 5 years. A follow-up paper
entitled "Prostitution and the sex discrepancy in reported number of sexual partners"
(Brewer et al., 2000) goes on to estimate a mean number of 868 male sexual partners per
prostitute per year of active sex work, and offers the conclusion that men's self-reporting of
prostitutes as sexual partners is seriously under-reported.
In 2003 it was estimated that in Amsterdam, one woman in 35 was working as prostitute,
compared to one in 300 in London.
In the United States, a 2004 TNS poll reported 15 percent of all men have paid for sex at
least once in their life.
A number of reports over the last few decades have suggested that prostitution levels have
fallen in sexually liberal countries, most likely because of the increased availability of noncommercial, non-marital sex.
Medical situation
Prostitution is associated with the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as
HIV: "One of the main reasons for the rapid spread of HIV in Asian countries is the
massive transmission among sex workers and clients".
HIV is tied to prostitution in Africa, with one study finding that encounters with prostitutes
produced 84% of new HIV infections in adult males in Accra, Ghana. The spread of HIV
from urban settings to rural areas in Africa has been attributed to the mobility of farmers
who visit sex workers in cities, for example in Ethiopia. Studies in urban settings of
prostitution in developing countries have shown a striking burden of STDs, which acts as a
reservoir of STDs within the general population.
Typical responses to the problem are:

banning prostitution completely.

 educating prostitutes and their clients to encourage the use of barrier contraception and
greater interaction with health care.

introducing a system of registration for prostitutes that mandates health checks and
other public health measures.
Some think that the first two measures are counter-productive. Banning prostitution tends
to drive it underground, making treatment and monitoring more difficult. Registering
prostitutes makes the state complicit in prostitution and does not address the health risks
of unregistered prostitutes. Both of the last two measures can be viewed as harm
reduction policies.
In Australia, where sex-work is largely legal, and registration of sex-work is not practiced,
education campaigns have been extremely successful and the non-intravenous drug user
(non-IDU) sex workers are among the lower HIV-risk communities in the nation. In part,
this is probably due both to the legality of sex-work, and to the heavy general emphasis on
education in regard to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Safer sex is heavily
promoted as the major means of STI reduction in Australia, and sex education generally is
at a high level. Sex-worker organisations regularly visit brothels and home workers,
providing free condoms and lubricant, health information, and other forms of support.
In countries and areas where safer sex precautions are either unavailable or not practiced
for cultural reasons, prostitution is an active disease vector for all STDs, including
HIV/AIDS, but the encouragement of safer sex practices, combined with regular testing for
sexually transmitted diseases, has been very successful when applied consistently. As an
example, Thailand's condom program has been largely responsible for the country's
progress against the HIV epidemic. It has been estimated that successful implementation
of safe sex practices in India "would drive the [HIV] epidemic to extinction" while similar
measures could achieve a 50% reduction in Botswana.
Politics
Attitudes and legal issues
Roughly speaking, the possible attitudes are:
"Prostitution should be made to dissapear":
o prohibitionism (both prostitutes and clients are criminalized and are seen as immoral,
they are considered criminals): the prevailing attitude nearly everywhere in the United
States, with a few exceptions in some rural Nevada counties.
o
abolitionism (prostitution itself is not prohibited, but most associated activities are
illegal, in an attempt to make it more difficult to engage in prostitution, prostitution is
heavily discouraged and seen as a social problem): prostitution (the exchange of sexual
services for money) is legal, but the surrounding activities such as public solicitation,
operating a brothel and other forms of pimping are prohibited, the current situation in the
United Kingdom, France and Canada among others;
o neo-abolitionism ("prostitution is a form of violence against women, it is a violation of
human rights, the clients of the prostitutes exploit the prostitutes"): prostitutes are not
prosecuted, but their clients and pimps are, which is the current situation in Sweden,
Norway and Iceland (in Norway the law is even more strict, forbidding also having sex with
a prostitute abroad).

 "Prostitution should be tolerated by society":

o regulation: prostitution may be considered a legitimate business; prostitution and the
employment of prostitutes are legal, but regulated; the current situation in the Netherlands,
Germany and parts of Nevada. The degree of regulation varies very much, for example in
Netherlands prostitutes are not required to undergo mandatory health checks while in
Nevada the regulations are very strict.
o decriminalization: "prostitution is labor like any other. Sex industry premises should not
be subject to any special regulation or laws", the current situation in New Zealand; the
laws against operating a brothel, pimping and street prostitution are struck down, but
prostitution is not regulated nearly at all. Proponents of this view often cite instances of
government regulation under legalization that they consider intrusive, demeaning, or
violent, but feel that criminalization adversely affects sex workers.
In some countries, there is controversy regarding the laws applicable to sex work. For
instance, the legal stance of punishing pimping while keeping sex work legal but
"underground" and risky is often denounced as hypocritical; opponents suggest either
going the full abolition route and criminalize clients or making sex work a regulated
business.
Many countries have sex worker advocacy groups which lobby against criminalization and
discrimination of prostitutes. These groups generally oppose Nevada-style regulation and
oversight, stating that prostitution should be treated like other professions. In the United
States of America, one such group is COYOTE (an abbreviation for "Call Off Your Old
Tired Ethics") and another is the North American Task Force on Prostitution. In Australia
the lead sex worker rights organization is Scarlet Alliance. International prostitutes' rights
organizations include the International Committee for Prostitutes Rights and the Network
of Sex Work Projects.
Other groups, often with religious backgrounds, focus on offering women a way out of the
world of prostitution while not taking a position on the legal question.
United Nations
In 1949, the UN General Assembly adopted a convention stating that trafficking persons
for the purposes of prostitution is incompatible with human dignity, requiring all signing
parties to punish pimps and brothel owners and operators and to abolish all special
treatment or registration of prostitutes. The convention was up until today (January 2009)
ratified by 95 member nations including France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and not ratified by
another 97 member nations including Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and
the United States.
Prostitution among animals
Behavior that seems to fit the definition to prostitution has been observed in nonhuman
animal species, most notably in Adelie penguins. These animals have been observed to
initiate mating behaviors with the direct benefit of receiving goods, which is most likely to
have evolved as a mechanism to promote genetic diversity, as is seen in many
monogamous species that engage in extra-pair copulations.
Other meanings

In colloquial usage, the word "prostitute" is sometimes generalized to mean the selling of
one's services for a cause thought to be unworthy, in the sense of "prostituting oneself" or
"whoring oneself". In this sense, the services or acts performed are typically not sexual.
For instance, in the book, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield says of his brother
("D.B."): "Now he's out in Hollywood, D.B., being a prostitute. If there's one thing I hate, it's
the movies. Don't even mention them to me." In fact, D.B. is writing screenplays for movies
that do badly at the box office.
Prostitution in Europe

Prostitution legal and regulated

Prostitution (the exchange of sex for money) legal,
but organised activities such as brothels and pimping are illegal, prostitution is not
regulated
Prostitution illegal
No data
The legality of Prostitution in Europe varies by country. Some countries outlaw the act of
engaging in sexual activity in exchange for money, while others allow prostitution itself, but
prohibit most forms of procuring (such as operating brothels, facilitating the prostitution of
another, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, soliciting/loitering etc) in an
attempt to make it more difficult to engage in prostitution.
In 8 European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey,
Hungary and Latvia) prostitution is legal and regulated.
The degree of enforcement of the anti-prostitution laws vary by country, by region and by
city. In many places there is a big discrepancy between the laws which exist on the books
and what happens in practice.

 the act of prostitution (exchanging sex for money): legal in most countries from Western
Europe, tends to be illegal in Eastern Europe. In Sweden, Norway and Iceland it is illegal
to pay for sex (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).

street/public solicitation: most countries which allow prostitution have laws or local
ordinances against this type of behavior. There may be however "tolerance zones" (official
or "unofficial").
procuring/pimping (operating a brothel or obtaining financial gain from the prostitution of
another person): this activity is illegal in most European countries. Although brothels are
illegal in the majority of the European countries, many "massage parlors", "saunas",
"spas", "clubs", "whiskerias" or similar businesses are in fact fronts for prostitution and
operate as brothels.
child prostitution, forced prostitution and similar activities: illegal throughout Europe.
Regulated versus unregulated prostitution: in most countries which allow prostitution, the
activity is not regulated: prostitution is not considered a job, prostitutes don't have to
undergo health checks, they don't have to register etc. In some countries (e.g. Hungary,
Austria) prostitution is regulated. However, the degree of regulation varies by country (for
example in the Netherlands, prostitution is regulated but the prostitutes are not required to
undergo mandatory health checks).
Prostitution in Albania
Prostitution in Albania is illegal, but the country is a major exporter of human trafficking.
Prostitution in Armenia
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but operating brothels is prohibited. Operating a brothel and
engaging in other forms of pimping are punishable by one to 10 years imprisonment.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union poverty has increased and many women and
children are resorting to the sex trade.
Prostitution in Andorra
Prostitution in Andorra is illegal.
Prostitution in Austria
Prostitution in Austria is an example of regulated prostitution. Prostitution is legal but
restricted by several regulations.
History
The last time prostitution was completely forbidden in Austria was under Maria Theresa of
Austria, who shipped prostitutes along with other "asocial" people down the Danube to the
Banat. Since this did little to reduce prostitution, however, Austrian laws changed to
consider prostitution as a necessary evil that had to be tolerated, but regulated by the
state. In 1850, the physician Dr. Nusser of the Vienna police suggested that prostitutes be
required to register with the police, receive medical examinations twice a week, and obtain
special health certificates. In 1873, Anton Ritter von Le Monnier, head of the Vienna police,
reformed Vienna's prostitution law, and health certificates have been obligatory since that

time. Prostitutes who complied with the requirements of registration and examinations
were no longer prosecuted by the police. A newspaper article of October 27, 1874 reported
that 6,424 prostitutes had received health certificates and were under observation by
police and health authorities. According to police estimates, at least 12,000 more women
lived on the proceeds of "free love" without being registered. Most of these were factory
workers who received so little pay that they needed the additional income. Of the
registered prostitutes, 5,312 were unmarried, 902 widows, and 210 married. The youngest
was 15 and the oldest 47 years old.
Homosexual male prostitution ( 210 Strafgesetzbuch) was legalized in 1989. A major
reason for legalization was to reduce the spread of HIV through regular medical
examinations.
Current situation
Austrian cities do not have red-light districts; the sex industry is widely distributed over the
cities and its presence often goes unnoticed.
Nowadays 60 to 90 percent are migrants, mainly from the former east bloc countries,
among them many commuters from the close Slovakia.
The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior considers the illegal prostitution as a problem
because it comes along with crimes like human trafficking, pimping and rape. In addition,
illegal prostitution creates health problems. A quarter of the arrested illegal prostitutes had
multiple infections with sexually transmitted diseases. On the other hand, according to the
health authorities of Vienna, registered prostitutes are the most healthy group of persons.
Because of this the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior wants to transform illegal
prostitution to a legal one. Similar to the ministry, several human rights and migrants
organizations who highlight the bad life and working conditions of prostitutes want a
detabooization of prostitution and improve the working and social conditions of sex works
and to abolish the discrimination in the working rights and in the rights of residence. In
early 2007 this topic was also discovered by politics and it was discussed to end the
unconscionable state of prostitution and to find a legal regulation similar to the German
law.
Counselling centres for prostitutes exist in Vienna and Linz . Additionally the organization
LEF (Counselling, Education and Support for Migrant Women) in Vienna and Maiz in
Linz offer consulting for migrants working in sex industry.
There is an increase of Nigerian prostitutes in Austria, where by it was found out that many
of them are victims of human trafficking and forced prostitution. The NGO Exit documents
stories of these victims to increase public awareness. Furthermore, Exit counsels victims
who seek help in special African dialects.
Prostitution in Azerbaijan
Prostitution in Azerbaijan is illegal. Many women have migrated from Azerbaijan to work in
the sex trade in other countries. Some of these may have been trafficked though the exact
figures are uncertain
Prostitution in Belarus

Prostitution is illegal in Belarus. However prostitution is present in the country, particularly

in regions outside the main cities and in hotels.
Prostitution in Belgium
Prostitution itself is legal in Belgium, but the law prohibits operating brothels and other
forms of pimping or assisting immigration for the purpose of prostitution. However, in
practice enforcement can be lax and "unofficial" brothels are tolerated. Human trafficking
or exploiting individuals for financial gain is punishable for a maximum prison sentence of
15 years. Many sex workers organisations feel that the present grey area in which
prostitution operates leaves sex workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Prostitution in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prostitution is illegal. The law treats procuring as a major crime, but prostitution and
solicitation are misdemeanors punishable by a fine only.
Prostitution in Bulgaria
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or
other forms of procuring) is prohibited. Because of poor socioeconomic conditions, a high
number of Romani women were involved in prostitution.
It originally gained a reputation as a transit for human trafficking, and now it has gained a
reputation for being a destination for the sex trade to take place.
The Bulgarian government is stepping up its efforts to eradicate human trafficking. The sex
trade is a major money maker for Bulgarian criminals. The Bulgarian government did
consider fully legalizing and regulating prostitution.
Prostitution in Cyprus
The law does not prohibit prostitution itself, but operating brothels, organizing prostitution
rings, living off the profits of prostitution, encouraging prostitution or forcing a person to
engage in prostitution are illegal activities. The law regulating the hiring of women at
nightclubs and cabarets provides penalties for women and employers who "partially or
completely earn a living from prostitution.
Cyprus has been criticized by the US State Department for failing to control the follow of
illegal immigrants and legal to be involved in forced prostitution. Cyprus has gained a
reputation for being a major transit point for people smugglers to transport women for the
purposes of prostitution. International observers have criticized the government for its lack
of action to prevent forced prostitution. The law of Cyprus forbids forced (but not voluntary)
prostitution. However, its believed that many immigrants are hired as bar maids and
coerced into prostitution by this method.
Prostitution in Croatia
Prostitution in Croatia is illegal, but like in many other Southeast European countries, the
problem of human trafficking for the purposes of sex is big in Croatia. However, according

the U.S. State Department, Croatia is a tier 1 country, actively working to prevent the sex
trade.
Prostitution in the Czech Republic
Prostitution in the Czech Republic is not illegal, but organized prostitution (brothels,
prostitution rings, pimping etc) is prohibited. The enforcement of these laws, however, can
be lax. Ever since the Czechoslovakian Velvet Revolution (1989) led to the creation of the
two independent states Czech Republic and Slovakia, prostitution has been flourishing,
and has contributed its share to the region's booming tourist economy. It is widespread in
Prague and areas near the Republic's western borders with Germany and Austria. In
Prague, the city's third district is home to much of the city's sex industry.
Current situation
Brothels line the country's roads to Austria and Germany, the source of many customers.
Weekend trips to Prague for some tourists also include visits to erotic clubs. Prague has
the world's first online brothel, Big Sister, where customers get free sex with the sex acts
being broadcast on the internet.
Human trafficking
The Czech Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children
trafficked from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia,
China, and Vietnam into and through the Czech Republic mainly for the purpose of sexual
exploitation. Czech victims and those transiting the country are trafficked to Western
Europe and the United States, sometimes via third countries. Internal trafficking occurs
from low employment areas to Prague and regions bordering Germany and Austria.
Failed legalization attempt
The Czech government has attempted to legalize and regulate prostitution, but these
efforts have failed.
The plan called for prostitutes to buy licenses, undergo monthly health checks, pay taxes
and have health insurance. Annual licenses would have only be issued to Czechs and
other European Union nationals older than 18 who had no criminal record. It would have
been illegal to operate without a license, and those who refused to register would have
been prosecuted and would have faced fines. Soliciting sex would have been banned near
schools, playgrounds, churches and cemeteries.
Opposition to the Czech government's plan to legalize prostitution came from a group of
international human-rights activists representing diverse political and philosophical
positions.
Prostitution in Denmark
In Denmark, prostitution itself is legal, but operating brothels and other forms of pimping
are illegal activities. However, prostitution is not a recognized field of work, and as such is
not protected under the workers protection laws, unemployment benefits etc. Despite this
fact, they have to pay taxes like any other independent worker.

Prostitution in Estonia
Prostitution is not illegal in Estonia, but pimping is prohibited. Forced prostitution and other
abusive activities which surround the sex treade are also outlawed.
Prostitution in Finland
Prostitution itself is legal in Finland (if it doesn't occur in a public place), but organized
prostitution (operating a brothel or a prostitution ring and other forms of pimping) is illegal.
Prostitution in France
In France prostitution (the exchange of sexual servicies for money) is not illegal, but
organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings etc) is prohibited. Soliciting in a public
place is also illegal. All forms of procuring are illegal in France.
Brothels were outlawed in 1946. Paying someone for sexual services (except those under
18) is never illegal in France.
Politics
France is an "abolitionist" country - its public policy is the eradication of prostitution.
However, it considers that making it illegal to offer sexual services in return for goods or
services in the context of one's private life is a violation of individual liberty.
History
In the middle of the 13th century, King Louis IX allowed brothels (then called bordeaux,
from which the modern word derives) outside of city centers. The appearance of syphilis
had stigmatized these houses at the end of the 16th century, but their continued existence
was confirmed by King Henry IV.
In the early 19th century, Napoleon ordered the registration and bi-weekly health
inspection of all prostitutes. Legal brothels (then known as "maisons de tolrance" or
"maisons closes") started to appear in Paris and in other cities and became highly popular
throughout the century. They had to be run by a woman (typically a former prostitute) and
their external appearance had to be discreet. By 1810, Paris alone had 180 officially
approved brothels.
More sordid brothels, offering quick and dirty services, the maisons dabattage, were also
popular amongst the lower-class.
During the World War II German occupation of France, twenty top Paris brothels were
reserved by the Wehrmacht for German officers and collaborating Frenchmen.
After the war, Marthe Richard, a town councillor in Paris who had been a prostitute herself,
campaigned for the closure of all brothels, and the "loi de Marthe Richard" was passed on
April 13th 1946, closing the legal brothels in France.

Paintings and drawings of scenes in these brothels were produced by Henri de ToulouseLautrec, Edgar Degas and Pablo Picasso, among others.
Many former brothel owners soon opened "htels de passe" instead where prostitutes
could keep on working but the visibility of their activities remained somewhat hidden.
Prostitution thus became a free activity: forbidden was only its organization and
exploitation - i.e. pimping - and its visual manifestations.
Prostitution in Georgia
In Georgia, prostitution is illegal, but widespread, particularly in Tbilisi. Many NGO's
attribute this to the harsh economic conditions according to the US State Department.
Many women from Georgia are of Human Trafficking operations to or from countries.
Women who are forced to be prostitutes are in Georgia are often from Asia and
neighboring European countries.
In 2006 the country incorporated into its domestic law the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress,
and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and
Prostitution in Germany
Prostitution in Germany is legal and widespread. In 2002, the government changed the law
in an effort to improve the legal situation of prostitutes. However, the social stigmatization
of prostitutes persists, forcing most prostitutes to lead a double life. Authorities consider
the common exploitation of women from Eastern Europe to be the main problem
associated with the occupation.
Forms (female prostitution)
Street prostitution
Regular street prostitution is often quite well organized and controlled by pimps. Some
prostitutes have a nearby caravan, others use the customer's car, still others use hotel
rooms. With recent economic problems, in some large cities "wild" street prostitution has
started to appear: areas where women work temporarily out of short-term financial need.
Prostitution for the procurement of narcotics
In every major German city there are prostitutes who offer their services to procure drugs.
This often takes place near the main railway stations, while the act usually takes place in
the customer's car or in a nearby rented room. These prostitutes are the most desperate,
often underage, and their services are generally the cheapest. Pimps and brothel owners
try to avoid drug-addicted prostitutes, as they are inclined to spend their earnings solely or
primarily on drugs. Other prostitutes tend to look down on them as well, because they are
considered as lowering the market prices.
Dealers and pimps are not tolerated, the parking places have alarm buttons, and the
women are provided with a cafeteria, showers, clean needles and counseling. The project,
modeled on the Dutch tippelzones, is supervised by an organization of Catholic women.
Bars

In bars, women try to induce men to buy expensive drinks along with the sexual services.
Sex usually takes place in a separate but attached building. Prices are mostly set by the
bar owner, and the money is shared between the owner and the prostitute.
Eros centers
(Bordell, Laufhaus) An eros center is a house or street (Laufstrae) where women can rent
small one-room apartments for some 80-150 euro per day. They then solicit customers
from the open door or from behind a window. Prices are normally set by the prostitutes;
they start at 30-50 euros for short-time sex. The money is not shared with the brothel
owner. Security and meals are provided by the owner. The women may even live in their
rooms, but most do not. Minors, and women not working in the eros center are not allowed
to enter. Eros centers exist in almost all larger German cities. The most famous is the
Herbertstrae near the Reeperbahn in Hamburg. The largest brothel in Europe is the eros
center Pascha in Cologne, a 12 story building with some 120 rooms for rent and several
bars.
Brothels of all kinds advertise for sex workers in the weekly female-orientated magazine
Heim und Welt.
Apartment prostitution
(Wohnungspuffs) There are many of these advertised in the daily newspapers. Sometime
run by a single woman, sometimes by a group of roommates and sometimes as
safehouses for traffickers, with the women being moved around on a weekly basis.
Partytreffs and Pauschalclubs
These are a variation on partner-swapping swing clubs with (sometimes, but not always)
paid prostitutes in attendance, as well as 'amateur' women and couples. Single men pay a
flat-rate entrance charge of about 80 to 120 euros, which includes food, drink and
unlimited sex sessions, with the added twist that these are performed in the open in full
view of all the guests. Women normally pay a low or zero entrance charge.
FKK clubs or Sauna clubs
Typically, these are houses or large buildings, often with swimming pool and sauna, a large
'meet and greet' room with bar and buffet on the ground floor, TV/video screens, and
bedrooms on the upper floor(s). Operating hours are usually from late morning until after
midnight. Women are typically nude or topless, men may wear robes or towels. Men and
women often pay the same entrance fee, from 35 to 70 euros, including use of all facilities,
food and drinks (soft drinks and beer, most FKKs do not allow liquor). Some clubs will
admit couples. The women who work there keep all money they receive from customers.
Prices may not be set by the clubs' owners by German anti-pimping laws, but typically the
women in one club all agree on set fees from 25 to 100 euro for a 20 to 60 minute session.
In some clubs the money is shared between prostitute and owner, which technically is
illegal. -- This form of prostitution, which was mentioned in the rationale of the 2002
prostitution law as providing good working conditions for the women, exists all over
Germany and parts of the Netherlands, but mainly in the Rhein-Ruhrgebiet and in the area
around Frankfurt am Main. Among the largest clubs of this type are: Artemis in Berlin,

opened in the fall of 2005, Samya in Cologne, the new Harem in Bad Lippspringe and the
long established Oase in the countryside near Bad Homburg, as well as hundreds of
others. (Note: Most public saunas and FKK nudist resorts in Germany have nothing to do
with sex work, and customers that mistake them for brothels will have some embarrassing
moments.)
Escort services
(Begleitagenturen) Escort services, where the customer calls to have a woman meet him
at home or at a hotel for sexual services, exist in Germany as well, but are not nearly as
prevalent as in the U.S.
For special target group
Sexual services for the disabled. The agency Sensis in Wiesbaden connects prostitutes
with disabled customers. Nina de Vries somewhat controversially provides sexual services
to severely mentally disabled men and has been repeatedly covered in the media.
Male prostitution
A comparatively small number of males offer sexual services to females, usually in the
form of escort services, meeting in hotels. The vast majority of male prostitutes serve male
clients.
Legal situation
Prostitution is legal in Germany. Prostitutes may work as regular employees with contract,
though the vast majority work independently. Brothels are registered businesses that do
not need a special brothel license; if food and alcoholic drinks are offered, the standard
restaurant license is required.
Prostitutes have to pay income taxes and even have to charge VAT for their services, to be
paid to the tax office. In practice, prostitution is a cash business and taxes are not always
paid, though enforcement has recently been strengthened. The Lnder North RhineWestfalia, Baden Wrttemberg and Berlin have initiated a system where prostitutes have
to pay their taxes in advance, a set amount per day, to be collected and submitted by the
brothel owners. North Rhine-Westfalia charges 25 euros per day per prostitute, while
Berlin charges 30 euros. In May 2007 authorities were considering plans for a uniform
country-wide system charging 25 euros per day.
The first city in Germany to introduce an explicit prostitution tax was Cologne. The tax was
initiated early in 2004 by the city council led by a coalition of the conservative CDU and the
leftist Greens. This tax applies to striptease, peep shows, porn cinemas, sex fairs,
massage parlors, and prostitution. In the case of prostitution, the tax amounts to 150 euros
per month and working prostitute, to be paid by brothel owners or by privately working
prostitutes. (The area Geestemnder Strae mentioned above is exempt.) Containment of
prostitution was one explicitly stated goal of the tax. In 2006 the city took in 828,000 euros
through this tax.
Until 2002, prostitutes and brothels were technically not allowed to advertise but that
prohibition was not enforced. The Bundesgerichtshof ruled in July 2006 that, as a

consequence of the new prostitution law, advertising of sexual services is no longer illegal.
Before the law and still now, many newspapers carry daily ads for brothels and for women
working out of apartments. Many prostitutes and brothels have websites on the Internet. In
addition, sex shops and newsstands sell magazines specializing in advertisements of
prostitutes ("Happy Weekend", "St Pauli Nachrichten", "Sexy" and many more).
Every city has the right to zone off certain areas where prostitution is not allowed
(Sperrbezirk), enforced with fines. The various cities handle this very differently. In Berlin
street prostitution is allowed everywhere, and Hamburg allows street prostitution near the
Reeperbahn during certain times of the day. In Munich and Leipzig, street prostitution is
forbidden almost everywhere, and Leipzig even has a local law that allows police to fine
customers who solicit prostitution in public. In most smaller cities, the Sperrbezirk includes
the immediate city center as well as residential areas.
Foreign women from European Union countries are allowed to work as prostitutes in
Germany. Women from many other countries can obtain three-month tourist visas for
Germany without problems. Many of them then work in prostitution; this is technically
illegal, as the tourist visa does not include a work permit.
Pimping, admitting prostitutes under the age of eighteen to a brothel, and influencing
persons under the age of twenty-one to take up prostitution is illegal. Since 2008 it has
been illegal to buy sex from any person younger than 18. This law also applies to Germans
traveling abroad, to combat child prostitution occurring in the context of sex tourism.
History
1200-1600
Prostitution in the area of today's Germany has been described since the middle ages.
Since the 13th century, several German cities operated brothels known as Frauenhuser
("women's houses"); the practice of prostitution was considered a necessary evil, a
position already held by Saint Augustine. Emperor Sigismund (1368-1437) thanked the city
of Konstanz in writing for providing some 1,500 prostitutes for the Council of Constance
which took place from 1414 to 1418. Prostitutes were more vigorously prosecuted
beginning in the 16th century, with the start of the Reformation and the appearance of
syphilis.
1800-1945
Beginning in the 19th century, prostitutes in many regions had to register with police or
local health authorities and submit to regular health checks to curb venereal diseases.
During the Nazi era, street prostitutes were seen as "asocial" and degenerate and were
often sent to concentration camps, especially to the one in Ravensbrck. The Nazis did not
entirely disapprove of prostitution though and instead attempted to install a centralized
system of city brothels, military brothels and brothels for forced laborers. Between 1942
and 1945, brothels were installed in ten concentration camps, including Auschwitz.
Himmler intended these as an incentive for cooperative and hard-working non-Jewish and
non-Russian inmates, in order to increase productivity. Initially the brothels were staffed
mostly with former prostitutes who volunteered; later women were forced to work there. In
the documentary film, Memory of the Camps, a project supervised by the British Ministry of

Information and the American Office of War Information during the summer of 1945,
camera crews filmed women who they stated were forced into sexual slavery for the use of
guards and favored prisoners. The film makers stated that as the women died they were
replaced by women from the concentration camp Ravensbrck.
None of the women who were forced to work in these concentration camp brothels ever
received compensation, since the German compensation laws do not cover persons
designated as "asocial" by the Nazis.
German Democratic Republic (East Germany) 1945-1990
After World War II, the country was divided into East Germany and West Germany. In East
Germany, as in all countries of the communist Eastern Block, prostitution was illegal and
according to the official position it didn't exist. However there were high-class prostitutes
working in the hotels of East Berlin and the other major cities, mainly targeting Western
visitors; the Stasi employed some of these for spying purposes. Street walkers and female
taxi drivers were available for the pleasure of visiting Westerners, too.
Federal Republic of Germany ('West Germany') 1945-2001
In West Germany, the registration and testing requirements remained in place but were
handled quite differently in the various regions of the country. In Bavaria, in addition to
scheduled STD check-ups regular HIV tests were required since 1987, but this was an
exception. Many prostitutes did not submit to these tests, avoiding the registration. A study
in 1992 found that only 2.5% of the tested prostitutes had a disease, a rate much lower
than the one among comparable non-prostitutes.
In 1967, Europe's largest brothel at the time, the six-floor Eros Center, was opened on the
Reeperbahn in Hamburg. An even larger one, the twelve-floor building now called Pascha
in Cologne was opened in 1972. The AIDS scare of the late 1980s was bad for business,
and the Eros Center as well as several other brothels in Hamburg had to close. The
Pascha continued to flourish however, and now has evolved into a chain with additional
brothels in Munich and Salzburg.
Anything done in the "furtherance of prostitution" (Frderung der Prostitution) remained a
crime until 2001, even after the extensive criminal law reforms of 1973. This put the
operators of brothels in constant legal danger. Most brothels were therefore run as a bar
with an attached but legally separate room rental. However, many municipalities built, ran
and profited from high rise or townhouse-style high-rent Dirnenwohnheime (lit.: "whores'
dormitories"), to keep street prostitution and pimping under control. These are now mostly
privatized and operate as Eros Centers.
The highest courts of Germany repeatedly ruled that prostitution offends good moral order
(verstt gegen die guten Sitten), with several legal consequences. Any contract that is
considered immoral is null and void, so a prostitute could not sue for payment. Prostitutes
working out of their apartment could lose their leases. Prostitutes had difficulties entering
the German system of health care and social security because of their "immoral"
occupation. Finally, bars and inns could be denied a license if prostitution took place on
their premises.

In 1999, Felicitas Weigmann lost the license for her Berlin cafe Psst! which was being
used to initiate contacts between customers and prostitutes and had an attached roomrental also owned by Weigmann. She sued the city, arguing that society's position had
changed and prostitution no longer qualified as offending the moral order. The judge
conducted an extensive investigation and solicited a large number of opinions. Eventually
in December 2000 the court agreed with Weigmanns claim. This ruling is considered as
precedent and important factor in the realization of the Prostitution Law of 1 January 2002.
Only after an appeal process though, filed by the Berlin town district, was Weigmann to
regain her caf license in October 2002.
The compulsory registration and testing of prostitutes was abandoned in 2001. Since then,
anonymous, free and voluntary health testing has been made available to everyone,
including illegal immigrants. Many brothel operators require these tests.
Law of 2002
In 2002 a one page law sponsored by the Green Party was passed by parliament. It
removed the general prohibition on furthering prostitution and allowed prostitutes to obtain
regular work contracts. The law's rationale stated that prostitution should not be
considered as immoral anymore. The law has been criticized as half-hearted and not very
effective. The German government prepared a report on the law's impact in January 2007,
concluding that few prostitutes had taken advantage of regular work contracts and that
work conditions had improved only slightly, if at all.
Miscellaneous events 2002-2006
In 2004, the large FKK-brothel Colosseum opened in Augsburg, and police believed there
to be a connection to a Turkish organized crime gang from Cologne which owned several
similar establishments and was supposedly directed from prison by its convicted leader
Necati Arabaci. After several raids, police determined that the managers of the brothel
dictated the prices that the women had to charge, prohibited them from sitting in groups or
using cell phones during work, set the work hours, searched rooms and handbags, and
made them work completely nude (charging a penalty of 10 euros per infraction). In April
2006, five men were charged with pimping. The court quashed the charges, arguing that
the prostitution law of 2002 created a regular employer-employee relationship and thus
gave the employer certain rights to direct the working conditions. Collosseum remained in
business.
Early in 2005, English media reported that a woman refusing to take a job as a prostitute
might have her unemployment benefits reduced or removed altogether. A similar story
appeared in mid-2003; a woman received a job offer through a private employment
agency. In this case however, the agency apologized for the mistake, stating that a request
for a prostitute would normally have been rejected, but the client mislead them, describing
the position as "a female barkeeper". To date, there have been no reported cases of
women actually losing benefits in such a case, and the employment agencies have stated
that women would not be made to work in prostitution.
Visa affair of 2005
In 2005, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer from the Green Party and his deputies
were accused of having contributed to illegal immigration and forced prostitution from

Eastern Europe (mainly from Ukraine) by issuing decrees that improperly liberalized the
visa issuing practice from 2000 until 2003.
Football World Cup 2006
Officials speculated that up to 40,000 illegal prostitutes, mainly from Eastern European
countries, would enter Germany for the Football (Soccer) World Cup, held in Germany in
the summer of 2006. Women and church groups were planning a "Red card to forced
prostitution" campaign with the aim of alerting World Cup visitors to the existence of forced
prostitution. They asked for support from the national football team and the national
football organization but were initially rebuffed. In March 2006 the president of the German
football federation turned around and agreed to support a campaign named "Final Whistle
-- Stop Forced Prostitution". The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),
the Nordic Council and Amnesty International also expressed concern over an increase in
the trafficking of women and forced prostitution up to and during the World Cup.
In March 2006 the campaign "Responsible John. Prostitution without compulsion and
violence" was started by the government of Berlin. It provides a list of signs of forced
prostitution and urges prostitutes' customers to call a hotline if they spot one of those
signs.
In April 2006, an advertisement for the Pascha brothel in Cologne that featured a several
story image of a half-naked woman with the flags of FIFA World Cup countries sparked
outrage after Muslims were offended by the inclusion of the Saudi Arabian and Iranian
flags. The Pascha brothel's owner, Armin Lobscheid, said a group of Muslims had
threatened violence over the advert, and he blacked out the two flags. However, the
Tunisian flag that features the Muslim crescent remained on the advert.
On June 30, 2006, the New York Times reported that the expected increase in prostitution
activity around the World Cup had not taken place. This was confirmed by the 2006 BKA
report on human trafficking, which reported only 5 cases of human trafficking related to the
World Cup.
Miscellaneous events since 2007
In March 2007 the brothel "Pascha" in Cologne announced that senior citizens above the
age of 66 would receive a discount during afternoons; half of the price of 50 euros for a
"normal session" would be covered by the house. Earlier, in 2004, a 20% discount for longterm unemployed had been announced by a brothel in Dresden.
Also in 2007, authorities in Berlin began to close several apartment brothels that had
existed for years. They cited a 1983 court decision that found that the inevitable
disturbances caused by brothels were incompatible with residential areas. Prostitutes'
organizations and brothel owners fought these efforts. They commissioned a study that
concluded that apartment brothels in general neither promote criminality nor disturb
neighbors.
The economic downturn of 2009 has resulted in changes at some brothels. Reduced
prices and free promotions are now found. Some changes, the result of modern marketing
tools, rebates, gimmicks. Brothels introducing all-inclusive flat-rates, free shuttle buses,
discounts for seniors and taxi drivers. "Day passes." Some brothels reportedly including

loyalty cards, group sex parties, rebates for golf players. Clients have reported reducing
their number of weekly visits.
In 2009, the Bundessozialgericht ruled that the German job agencies are not required to
find prostitutes for open positions in brothels. The court rejected the complaint of a brothel
owner who had argued that the law of 2002 had turned prostitution into a job like any
other; the judges ruled that the law had been passed to protect the employees, not to
further the business.
Dutch attitudes regarding prostitution support legalization and normalization.
The red light district is also a popular tourist attraction, so the revenues that Amsterdam
earns in tourism can be partly linked to brothels and the unusual appeal they bring to city.
There were 142 licensed brothels in Amsterdam, with about 500 window displays.
Seventy-five percent of Amsterdams prostitutes immigrated from Eastern Europe, Africa
and Asia.
When the Dutch government legalized prostitution in 2000, it was to protect the women by
giving them work permits, but some fear that this business cannot be normalized.
Recently, officials have noticed an increase in violence centered around this irregular
industry, and have blamed this increase on the illegal immigration of individuals into
Amsterdam, to participate in the sex industry. Prostitution has remained connected to
criminal activities, which has led the authorities to take several measures, including
detailed plans to help the prostitutes quit the sex trade and find other professions. In
response to the problems asociated with the involvement of organized crime into the sex
trade, the Dutch government has decided to close numerous prostitution businesses.
Reducing the size of the red light district
In the last few years the city government of Amsterdam, under Mayor Job Cohen has
started cracking down on prostitution in the capital, resulting in the closure as well as
buying one third of all prostitution windows at the Wallen and turning them into studios for
artists and fashion designers. Concerned about money laundering and human trafficking,
Amsterdam officials under mayor Job Cohen denied the license renewals of about 30
brothels in the Amsterdam red light district De Wallen .
At the end of 2007 one-third of the Amsterdam brothels were closed.
At the end of 2008, mayor Job Cohen announced plans to close half of the citys 400
prostitution windows because of suspected criminal gang activity. The mayor is also
closing some of the citys 70 marijuana cafes and sex clubs. This comes at the same time
as the Government's decision to ban the sale of magic mushrooms and the closure of all
coffee shops situated near schools.
Human trafficking
The Netherlands is a primary country of destination for victims of human trafficking;
countries that are major sources of trafficked persons include Thailand, China, Nigeria,
Albania, Bulgaria, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Currently, human trafficking in the Netherlands is on the rise.

Within the Netherlands, victims are often trafficked by so called "lover boys" - men who
seduce young women and girls and coerce them into prostitution.
Many victims of human trafficking are led to believe by organized criminals that they are
being offered work in hotels or restaurants or in child care and are forced into prostitution
with the threat or actual use of violence. All sectors of prostitution are well represented in
these investigations, but particularly the window brothels are overrepresented.
Legalization
Reasons for the prohibition of prostitution
Similarly with other countries where prostitution is illegal, the criminalization of the sex
trade is subject to debate and controversy among some people and some organizations,
with some voices saying that the fact that prostitution is illegal increases criminal activities
and negatively affects the prostitutes.
Those who support the prohibition of prostitution insist that keeping prostitution illegal is
the best way to prevent abusive and dangerous activities (child prostitution, human
trafficking etc). They argue that a system which allows legalized and regulated prostitution
has very negative effects and does not improve the situation of the prostitutes; such legal
systems only lead to crime and abuse: many women who work in licensed brothels are still
controlled by outside pimps; many brothel owners are criminals themselves; the creation of
a legal and regulated prostitution industry only leads to another parallel illegal industry, as
many women do not want to register and work legally (since this would rob them of their
anonymity) and other women can not be hired by legal brothels because of underlying
problems (eg. drug abuse); legalizing prostitution makes it more socially acceptable to buy
sex, creating a huge demand for prostitutes (both by local men and by foreigners engaging
in sex tourism) and, as a result, human trafficking and underage prostitution increase in
order to satisfy this demand.
Those who support the criminalization of prostitution point out to Netherlands. There,
brothels were legalized in 2000, and the country has extremely liberal prostitution laws.
The Dutch government decided to legalize and regulate prostitution, in order to improve
the situation of the prostitutes and to prevent criminals from controlling the sex industry.
However, the situation has not improved. Currently, Netherlands has severe problems with
human trafficking, the involvement of the organized crime into the sex trade, and the safety
of the prostitutes.
In 2008, Karina Schaapman, a former prostitute and now a member of the Amsterdam City
Council, produced a report about the sex trade. She offered the police a face book with 80
"violent pimps", of whom only three were Dutch-born. She said that more than 75% of
Amsterdam's 8,000 to 11,000 prostitutes were from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia.
At the end of 2008, six people were convicted in what prosecutors said was the worst case
of human trafficking ever brought to trial in the Netherlands. Experts said the case could
have an impact on the Dutch prostitution policy. Jan van Dijk, an organized crime and
victimology expert at the University of Tilburg, said "The honeymoon of the new prostitution
legislation is over; we are really reconsidering whether we're on the right track".

The Netherlands is a primary country of destination for victims of human trafficking. The
UNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime) produced a report which showed that
Netherlands is one of the top destinations for victims of human trafficking; countries that
are major sources of trafficked persons include Thailand, China, Nigeria, Albania, Bulgaria,
Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
Currently, human trafficking in the Netherlands is on the rise, according to figures obtained
from the National Centre against Human Trafficking. The report shows a substantial
increase in the number of victims from Hungary and China. There were 809 registered
victims of human trafficking in 2008, 763 were women and at least 60 percent of them
were forced to work in the sex industry. All victims from Hungary were female and were
forced into prostitution.
Within the Netherlands, victims are often trafficked by so called "lover boys" - men who
seduce young women and girls and coerce them into prostitution. Women and girls are
trafficked to the Netherlands from Nigeria, Bulgaria, China, Sierra Leone, and Romania, as
well as other countries in Eastern Europe.
Prostitution is much more common in the Netherlands, than in other places of the world. In
2003 it was estimated that in Amsterdam, one woman in 35 was working as prostitute,
compared to one in 300 in London.
In recent years, a significant number of brothels and prostitution "windows" have been
closed because of suspected criminal activity. In 2009 the The Dutch justice ministry
announced plans to close 320 prostitution "windows" from Amsterdam. According to the
mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen: "It is not that we want to get rid of our red-light district.
We want to reduce it. Things have become unbalanced and if we do not act we will never
regain control."
The current situation from Netherlands has led many people to believe that prostitution can
not be controlled, that it will always be in the hands of the criminals, and that the only way
to prevent crime and abuse is to try to suppress the sex trade through prohibition.
Aside from the practical issues surrounding the prostitution laws, prostitution is a very
morally charged subject.
The line between voluntary prostitution and forced prostitution is very thin, and many
people believe that true consent to prostitution is nearly impossible (even in cases when
the women are not forced or coerced by somebody else to sell sex, their decision to
become prostitutes is the result of the unfortunate circumstances from their lives, such as
poverty, lack of opportunity, drug addiction and child sexual abuse). Prostitution is an
occupation which has very negative psychological and physical long term effects. Many
times the emotional trauma of prostitution is very severe and it is very difficult to recover
and lead a normal life after quitting the sex trade. Some people believe that all forms of
prostitution represent a form of exploitation of women, thus all forms of prostitution should
be illegal. Many feminists hold these views and are strongly opposed to prostitution, which
they also see as a form of male dominance over women and as a way of maintaining
patriarchy.
In Sweden, Norway and Iceland it is illegal to pay for sex (the client commits a crime, but
not the prostitute). These countries are known for being very liberal, progressive, and open

minded about sexuality; they are also among the most secular countries of the world.
Prostitution, however, is not tolerated here, the governments of these countries consider
prostitution a form of violence against women.
Social and religious conservatives are also opposed to prostitution, which they believe is
immoral, or a sin, and which they see as undermining family values.
Prostitution in Norway
Paying for sex is illegal (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute). The law
prohibiting the buying of sexual services came into effect on January 1, 2009.
Prostitution in Poland
In Poland prostitution is legal, but operating brothels or other forms of pimping are
prohibited. Prostitution is present in various forms in the country .
Human trafficking is also a problem in Poland. Poland is a destination country for women
trafficked from Bulgaria. It is also a transit country for women from Ukraine, Lithuania and
Belarus.
Prostitution in Portugal
In Portugal prostitution (the exchange of sexual servicies for money) is not illegal, but
organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or other forms of pimping) is prohibited.
Several other prostitution-related activities are also outlawed and widely disapproved of
(human trafficking, the prostitution of children).
Press sources suggest that half of the women engaged in prostitution in Portugal are
foreigners, especially from Brazil and Eastern Europe, but also from Africa and some Asian
countries. Human trafficking, including trafficking of underage persons, has also become a
growing issue for the authorities.
Prostitution in the Republic of Macedonia
Prostitution in the Republic of Macedonia is illegal but flourish in the balk lands as it is a
major transit point for prostitution to the west. The Macedonian government is trying to
clampdown on prostitution. The trafficking of women for sex is worth billions in Macedonia
and is run Albanian gangsters.
Prostitution in Romania
Prostitution is illegal in Romania but the government is considering to legalise and regulate
it, in an attempt to combat human trafficking.
Prostitution in Russia
Prostitution in Russia is illegal, but is not a serious crime. However, organizing prostitution
is punishable by a prison term. Prostitution is an administrative, but not criminal offence in
Russia (like for example drinking beer in a public place or walking nude on the street).

Prostitution has been illegal in Russia since the establishment of the Soviet Union.
However, during the post-Soviet years this industry experienced significant growth.
Moscow city government actions
The Moscow city government has made many noticeable attempts to eliminate prostitution
in Russia and there is serious jail time for prostitution to eliminate these markets, other
than to eliminate some of the more obvious points along Tverskaya, Moscow's main
avenue. Tochkas are controlled by organized criminal gangs that bribe local police
departments in order to remain in business. Instead, the city police randomly check the
documents of women traveling alone after dark. For this reason, prostitutes often carry a
hundred rubles with which to bribe the police.
Child prostitution, forced prostitution, and the trafficking of women
A 2006 report by World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe funded by the Canadian
government and supported by six United Nations agencies and the International
Organization for Migration reported that the sexual exploitation of children, child trafficking
and sexual violence towards minors is increasing and that Russia is becoming a new
destination for child sex tourism. The report adds that some studies claim approximately
20 per cent to 25 per cent of Moscow's sex workers are minors.
Russia is a major source of women trafficked globally for the purpose of sexual
exploitation. Russia is also a significant destination and transit country for persons
trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation from regional and neighboring countries into
Russia, and on to the Persian Gulf states, Europe, Asia, and North America. Annually,
thousands of Russian women end up as prostitutes in China, Japan or South Korea.Bars
in major Chinese cities now offer blond, blue-eyed Russian "hostesses," while in Tokyo,
Russian girls are the latest addition to the menu in fancy "hostess" bars. In Tel Aviv the
number of brothels has skyrocketed in five years from 30 to 150 -- largely because of an
influx of Russians into Israel. In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Russian women make up
most of the prostitutes in the country. Thousands of Russian women (not all of them from
Russia - many come from other, poorer, former Soviet republics) prostitute in Dubai.
The ILO estimates that 20 percent of the five million illegal immigrants in Russia are
victims of forced labor, which is a form of trafficking. There were reports of trafficking of
children and of child sex tourism in Russia. The Government of Russia has made some
effort to combat trafficking but has also been criticized for not complying with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking.
A large case of forced prostitution and mass murder was uncovered in 2007 near the
industrial town of Nizhny Tagil. A gang of pimps had abducted girls and forced them to
work as prostitutes in their brothel, killing the ones who refused. A mass grave with up to
30 victims was found.
Prostitution in Serbia
Prostitution in Serbia is illegal and can incur a prison sentence of between 5 and 10 years.
Prostitution is a major problem in Kosovo. The police are unwillingly to consider legalising
it despite demands from sex workers.

Prostitution in Slovakia
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but operating brothels and other activities related to
prostitution are prohibited.
Prostitution in Slovenia
Prostitution in Slovenia is illegal, but the enforcement can be lax.
Prostitution in Spain
Prostitution in Spain is not illegal, but owning or running brothels has been illegal since
1956. The pimps and owners of brothels are punished. However, there are many
"whiskerias" or "clubs" (where prostitution takes place) and which are tolerated.
Prostitution in Sweden
In Sweden it is illegal to pay for sex (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).
Sweden considers prostitution a form of violence against women, so the crime consists in
the customer paying for sex, not in the prostitute selling sexual services.
This law which makes it illegal to pay for sex, but not to be a prostitute was adopted in
1999, and at that time it was unique; since than a similar law was adopted by Norway (in
2009) and by Iceland (in 2009).
The reasons behind this law are the Swedish government's belief that prostitution is a form
of exploitation of women and male domminance over women (see feminist objections to
prostitution) and the need to prevent human trafficking and crime. The law, however, is
gender neutral. The gender of the seller and the gender of the buyer is not factor in the
law, making it equally forbidden to buy sexual services from male prostitutes as from
female prostitutes and regardless of the gender of the buyer.
The law was put in effect on 1 January 1999 and inserted into the Criminal code on 1 April
2005. The penalty is fine or prison of maximum of six months. So far, the law has led to
about 500 convictions, but nobody has yet been sentenced to prison.
The effects of this law are not clear. Several studies were conducted, but the results were
contradictory, and these studies were accused of being biased and lacking neutrality. The
law enjoys wide public support in Sweden. A recent survey shows that 80% of Swedes
"support the law and the principles behind its development". Opinion polls conducted by
the opinion and social research consultancy, SIFO, in 1999, and again two years later,
showed a rise - from 76% to 81% - in the number of people who favoured this law. The
percentage of respondents who wanted the law to be repealed was 15% in 1999 and 14%
two years later. The rest "didn't know". In another survey, 71% of Swedes said they
supported the ban on paying for sex (they wanted the law to remain on the books).
However, the same survey showed a very interesting thing: despite the fact that most
Swedes approve of the law, few people think that it works in practice (only 20% of
respondents believe the number of people who pay for sex has been reduced).

A 2005 sex survey conducted online by Durex has shown that out of the 34 countries
surveyed, Sweden had the lowest percentage of respondents who had paid for sex (3% of
those who answered the question, however the respondents were both men and women,
which suggests that more than 3% of men have bought sex, since most clients are male).
The highest percentage of people who have paid for sex was in Vietnam, followed by Hong
Kong and Thailand. However, some people have questioned the reliability of this survey.
The law, however, has also received a lot of criticism, with many insisting that, while the
law was successful in reducing visible aspects of prostitution (such as solicitation on the
streets or in public places), the sex trade was moved underground, on the black market
and on the Internet. Furthermore, some sex workers and sex worker organisations have
condemned the Swedish government for refusing to listen to the women who choose to be
involved in the sex trade.
Some commentators have criticized Sweden for having made a diplomatic complaint
against Germany regarding Germany's encouraging of the use of legalized prostitutes
during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. According to them, Germany had expressly taken these
steps (both encouraging legal prostitution during the World Cup and the legalization of
prostitution in general) to counter the abuse of prostitutes. In response, supporters of the
Swedish law pointed out that Germany (as well as Netherlands) is listed by the UNDOC as
a top destination for victims of human trafficking, and that legalizing prostitution in these
countries has not solved the problem of the involvement of the organized crime into the
sex trade.
Prostitution in Switzerland
Prostitution in Switzerland is legal and regulated. It is legal to advertise for "massages" in
Swiss tabloid newspapers, although there are also streetwalkers in red light districts.
Pimping is however illegal. Licensed brothels, typically with a reception and leading to
several studio apartments, are available. However, most prostitutes choose to operate
independently, using newspaper advertisements, mobile phones and secondary rented
apartments. Swiss prostitutes pay VAT (Value added tax) on their services and some
accept credit cards. The majority of prostitutes are foreigners from Latin America, Eastern
Europe or the Far East.
Prostitution in Turkey
Prostitution in Turkey is legal but women need to be registered and acquire an ID card
stating the dates of her health checks. Also it is mandatory for registered prostitutes to
have regular health checks for sexually transmitted diseases. The police are allowed to
check the authenticity of registered prostitutes to determine whether they have been
examined properly and to ensure they see the health authorities if they don't. Men cannot
register under this regulation. Most sex workers, however, are unregistered, as local
governments have made it policy not to issue new registrations. As a result most sex
workers in Turkey are not registered sex workers, working in violation of the law.
in 2008 Activists and sex workers in Turkey announced are working on a project to
establish Turkeys first sex workers union.
On 17 February 2001 Matild Manukyan the queen of Turkish brothels and one of the
countrys wealthiest women in Turkey died. She built a chain of 32 brothels.

Prostitute population
Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) report(2004)
Item
census data
The number of prostitutes 100,000
prostitutes are registered in 56 brothels operating 3,000
prostitutes registered with the police 15,000
women waiting to get licenses 30,000
age of prostitution between 15 and 40
annual turnover $3-4 billion
Prostitution in Ukraine
Prostitution in Ukraine is illegal but widespread and largely ignored by the government.
Sex tourism rose as the country attracted greater numbers of foreign tourists. Laws
criminalizing organized prostitution and penalties for human trafficking have had little effect
because many convicted traffickers often do not end up serving prison time.
Research by the State Institute for Family and Youth Issues indicates that, for many
women, sex work has become the only adequate source of income: more than 50% of
them support their children and parents.
Prostitution in the United Kingdom
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but several activities surrounding it are outlawed (solicitation
in a public place, operating brothels, pimping).
Prostitution in Australia
Prostitution in Australia is governed by state laws, which vary considerably. Street
prostitution is illegal in all states of Australia except NSW where it is prohibited near
churches, schools, hospitals and similar venues. In addition to the summaries provided
below, brothels are often regulated by local council planning laws.
Prostitution (exchanging sex for money) is legal all over Australia. Brothels are legal in
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory. They are illegal in
South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Compared to other countries, Australia has one of the most liberal prostitution policies in
the world: brothels (and other forms of pimping) are illegal in the majority of the European
Union countries; in Sweden, Norway and Iceland it is illegal to pay for sex (the client
commits a crime, but not the prostitute); prostitution is illegal in Russia and in most of the
Eastern European countries; prostitution is also illegal nearly everywhere in the US; in
Canada, prostitution itself is not illegal, but operating a brothel, being found in a brothel or
soliciting in a public place are illegal activities. In Australia, most states have liberalized
their laws in the late twentieth century. However this process has been limited by more
conservative elements in the upper houses of the legislatures, with legislation either being
defeated or extensively amended. Nearly all states and territories have attempted some
form of liberalisation.

A survey conducted in the early 2000s showed that 15.6% of Australian men aged 16-59
have paid for sex at least once in their life and 1.9% had done so in the past year. Men
who had paid for sex were more likely than other men to smoke, to drink more alcohol, to
have had a sexually transmitted infection or been tested for HIV, to have more sexual
partners, to have first had vaginal intercourse before 16, and to have had heterosexual
anal intercourse.
Australian Capital Territory
Brothels are legal. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is one of the many parts of
Australia that has reformed its prostitution laws in the direction of liberalisation, beginning
in 1992 with the . The most recent legislation is the Prostitution Amendment Act 2002 .
New South Wales
Brothels are legal. In New South Wales, under the Summary Offences Act 1988 the only
activities that are illegal are:
living on the earnings of a prostitute, although persons who own or manage a brothel
are exempt
causing or inducing prostitution
using premises, or allowing premises to be used, for prostitution that are held out as
being available for massage, sauna baths, steam baths, facilities for exercise or
photographic studios
advertising that a premises is used for prostitution, or advertising for prostitutes
soliciting for prostitution near or within view of a dwelling, school, church or hospital
advertising that anal penetration will take place
History
New South Wales inherited much of the problems of port cities, penal colonies and the
gender imbalance of colonial life. The 1859 Select Committee into the Condition of the
Working Classes of the Metropolis described widespread prostitution. Nineteenth century
legislation included the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1883 and Police Offences Act 1901.
Attempts to pass contagious diseases legislation were resisted, and unlike other States,
legislative control was minimal till the general attack on 'vice' of the first decade of the
twentieth century which resulted in the Police Offences Amendment Act 1908, and the
Prisoners Detention Act.
Eventually NSW became a model for debates on liberalising prostitution laws starting with
the Prostitution Act 1979, although community pressure led to some subsequent
recriminalisation of street work with the Prostitution (Amendment) Act 1983. s8A stipulates
that;
(1) A person in a public street shall not, near a dwelling, school, church or hospital, solicit
another person for the purpose of prostitution
(2) A person shall not, in a school, church or hospital, solicit another person for the
purpose of prostitution.
Further decriminalisation of premises followed with the putting into place of
recommendations from the Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly Upon

Prostitution (1983-6). The current regulatory framework is based on the Crimes Act 1900,
Disorderly Houses Act 1943 (renamed Restricted Premises Act in 2002), Environmental
Planning and Assessment Act 1979, and Summary Offences Act 1988. Traditionally
prostitution in Sydney was centred around King's Cross.
Northern Territory
Brothels are illegal. In the Northern Territory, under the Prostitution Regulation Act 2004,
the Northern Territory Licensing Commission can license Northern Territory residents for a
licence to operate an escort agency business. Street work is illegal, while sole operators
are legal and un-regulated.
History
Unlike other parts of Australia, the Northern Territory remained largely Aboriginal for much
longer, and Europeans were predominantly male. Inevitably this brought European males
into close proximity with Aboriginal women. There has been much debate as to whether
the hiring of Aboriginal women (Black Velvet) as domestic labour but also as sexual
partners constituted prostitution or not. Certainly these inter-racial liaisons attracted much
criticism. Once the Commonwealth took over the territory from S Australia in 1911, it saw
its role as protecting the indigenous population, and there was considerable debate about
employment standards and the practice of 'consorting'. In 2004 The Suppression of
Brothels Act 1907 (SA) in its application to the Territory was repealed by the Prostitution
Regulation Act.
Queensland
Brothels are legal. They and are licensed by the Prostitution Licensing Authority (PLA)].
There are two types of sex work that are legal in Queensland:
Private sex work: A single sex worker working alone. It is an offence for such a worker
to solicit publicly. Advertising is permitted with restrictions on the wording.
Sex work in a licensed brothel.
All other forms of sex work remain illegal, including more than one worker sharing a
premise, street prostitution, unlicensed brothels or massage parlours used for sex work,
and outcalls from licensed brothels.
History
Much emphasis was placed in colonial Queensland on the role of immigration and the
indigenous population in introducing and sustaining prostitution, while organisations such
as the Social Purity Society described what they interpreted as widespread female
depravity. concerns led to the Act for the Suppression of Contagious Diseases 1868 and
brothels were defined in section 231 of the Queensland Criminal Code in 1897. A further
act relating to venereal disease control was the Health Act Amendment Act 1911.
The Fitzgerald Report (Commission of Inquiry into "Possible Illegal Activities and
Associated Police Misconduct") of 1989 led to widespread concern regarding the operation
of the laws, and consequently a more specific inquiry (Criminal Justice Commission.
Regulating morality? An inquiry into prostitution in Queensland) in 1991. This in turn

resulted in two pieces of legislation, the Prostitution Laws Amendment Act 1992 and the
the Prostitution Act 1999.
South Australia
Brothels are illegal. The legislation is governed by the Criminal Law Consolidation Act
1935 and the Summary Offences Act 1953. A major inquiry was held in 1996 and South
Australia's Police minister introduced a number of Bills in 1999, aiming to revise and
legalise prostitution. The Bills were passed collectively in the House of Assembly as the
Prostitution (Regulation) Bill 2000, but were defeated by the Legislative Council the
following year. The current government will not revisit the debate.
History
Despite the intentions of the founders, prostitution became identified early in the history of
the colony, and various government reports during the nineteenth century refer to
estimates of the number of people working in prostitution. Following the scandal described
by WT Stead in the UK, there was much discussion of the white slave trade in Adelaide,
and similar legislation to the UK Criminal Law Amendment Act, the Criminal Law
Consolidation Amendment Act 1885 was enacted, making it an offence to procure the
defilement of a female by fraud or threat. Opinions were divided as to whether to address
the issue of prostitution by social reform and 'prevention', or by legislation, and many
debates were held concerning the need for licensing and regulation.
Tasmania
Brothels are illegal. The Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 states that a person must not be a
commercial operator of a sexual services business - that is, "someone who is not a selfemployed sex worker and who, whether alone or with another person, operates, owns,
manages or is in day-to-day control of a sexual services business". This law explicitly
outlines that it is illegal to assault a sex worker, to receive commercial sexual services, or
provide or receive sexual services unless a prophylactic is used. In 2008, the Justice
Department conducted a review of the 2005 Act and received a number of submissions, in
accordance with the provisions of the Act.
History
Prostitution has existed in Tasmania since its early days as a penal colony, when large
numbers of convict women started arriving in the 1820s. Some of the women who were
transported there already had criminal records related to prostitution. Prostitution was not
so much a profession as a way of life for some women to make ends meet, particularly in a
society in which the there was a marked imbalance of gender, and convict women had no
other means of income. Certainly brothels were established by the end of the 1820s, and
records show girls as young as 12 were involved. Nevertheless, the concept of 'fallen
women' and division of women into 'good' and 'bad' was well established. The Van
Diemen's Land Asylum for the Protection of Destitute and Unfortunate Females (1848) was
the first establishment for women so designated. Other attempts were the Penitent's
Homes and Magdalen Asylums as rescue missions. In 1879 like other British colonies,
Tasmania passed a Contagious Diseases Act (based on similar UK legislation of the
1860s), and established Lock Hospitals in an attempt to prevent venereal diseases
amongst the armed forces, at the instigation of the Royal Navy. The Act ceased to operate

in 1903 in the face of repeal movements. However there was little attempt to suppress
prostitution itself. What action there was against prostitution was mainly to keep it out of
the public eye, using vagrancy laws. Otrherwise the police ignored or colluded with
prostitution.
More specific legislation dates from the early twentieth century, such as the Criminal Code
Act 1924 (Crimes against Morality), and the Police Offences Act 1935. Efforts to reform
legislation that was clearly ineffective began in the 1990s. Prior to the 2005 Act, soliciting
by a prostitute, living on the earnings of a prostitute, keeping a disorderly house and letting
a house to a tenant to use as a disorderly house were criminal offences. Sole workers
were not illegal in Tasmania, nor was escort work which was the main form of prostitution
in the State. Many workers were seasonal.
Reform was suggested by a government committee in 1999 and legislation was introduced
in 2004 with the Sex Industry Regulation Bill, that was supported by sex workers,
subsequently lost in the upper house, and replaced by the Sex Industry Offences Act 2005.
Essentially, under protests, the Government moved from a position of liberalising to one of
further criminalising.
Victoria
Brothels are legal. The Prostitution Control Act 1994 creates a dual licensing system for six
room brothels, although a number of larger brothels, existing before the Act was passed,
were automatically given licences and continue to operate. Small owner-operated brothels
can operate legally, private escort workers must be registered and escorts from brothels
are permitted.
The Act legalises and regulates the operations of brothels and escort agencies. The
operator of each type of business must hold a license. The difference between the two is
that in the case of a brothel clients come to the place of business, which is subject to local
council planning controls. In the case of an escort agency, clients phone the agency and
arrange for a sex worker to come to their homes or motels.
If only one or two prostitutes are running a brothel or escort agency, which does not
employ other prostitutes, they do not need a licence.
Street prostitution continues to be illegal, though it affects predominantly the Carlisle Street
end of St Kilda.
One of the objectives of the Act was to eliminate the criminal connection to the operations
of illegal brothels. The success of this objective appears to be in question, one of the
results of the laws of this state appears to be that there are now two different industries:
one which is legal and another one which is illegal and abusive.
History
Victoria has a long history of debating prostitution, and was the first State to advocate
regulation rather than suppression of prostitution. Brothels operated as 'Massage Parlours'
in the 1970s, leading to pressure to regulate them. Initial attempts involved planning laws.
Community concerns were loudest in the traditional Melbourne stroll area of St. Kilda. A
Working Party was assembled in 1984. The recommendations of the Group led to the

Planning (Brothel) Act 1984, as a new approach. Part of the political bargaining involved in
passing the act was the promise to set up a wider inquiry, that was chaired by Marcia
Neave, and reported in 1985. The recommendations tried to avoid some of the issues that
arose in NSW in 1979, and the Government attempted to implement them in the
Prostitution Regulation Act 1986. However as in other States, the bill ran into considerable
opposition in the upper house, was extensively amended, and consequently many parts
were not proclaimed. This created an incoherent patchwork approach. Further legislation
appeared, and another report in 2002.
Western Australia
Brothels are illegal.
History
Prostitution in Western Australia has been intimately tied to the history of gold mining. In
these areas a quasi-official arrangement existed between premise owners and the
authorities. This was frequently justified as a harm reduction measure. Like other
Australian colonies, legislation tended to be influence by developments in Britain. The
Police Act 1892 was no different, establishing penalties for soliciting or vagrancy, while the
Criminal Law Amendment Act 1892 dealt with procurement. Brothel keepers were
prosecuted under the Municipal Institutions Act 1895, by which all municipalities had
passed brothel suppression by-laws in 1905. Laws were further strengthened by Police Act
Amendment Act 1902, and Criminal Code 1902. despite this the brothels of Kalgoorlie
were legendary. Prostitution was much debated in the media and parliament, but despite
much lobbying, venereal diseases were not included in the Health Act 1911. The war years
and the large number of military personnel in Perth and Fremantle concentrated attention
on the issue, however during much of Western Australian history, control of prostitution
was largely a police affair rather than a parliamentary one, as a process of 'containment'.
In addition to the above the following laws dealt with prostitution: Criminal Code (1913),
Criminal Law Amendment Act 1988 Pt. 2, Law Reform (Decriminalization Of Sodomy) Act
1989, Acts Amendment (Evidence) Act 1991, Criminal Law Amendment Act (No 2) 1992,
and the Prostitution Control Act 2000. Prostitution Bills were also introduced in 2002 and
2003. The latter was a bill to regulate brothels and prostitution but was defeated in the
upper house. This was followed by the Criminal Law Amendment (Simple Offences) Act
2004. Approaches reflected the ideology of the particular ruling party, as an attempt was
made to end police 'containment' and make control a specific parliamentary responsibility.
Much of the debate in the last two years centred on the Prostitution Amendment Act 2008,
introduced in 2007 by the ALP. Although it passed the upper house narrowly and received
Royal Assent on April 14 2008, it was not proclaimed before the state election, in which the
ALP lost power, and therefore remains inactive. The Act was based partly on the approach
taken in 2003 in New Zealand (and which in turn was based on the approach in NSW). It
would have decriminalized brothels and would have required certification (certification
wouldn't have applied to independent operators).
Therefore the 2000 Act is currently operative. Brothels may be said to exist in a legal grey
area, although 'containment' has officially been disbanded, in Perth in 1958 and more
recently in Kalgoorlie.

Human trafficking in Australia

The number of people trafficked into Australia is unknown. Estimates given to a 2004
parliamentary inquiry into sexual servitude in Australia ranged from 300 to 1000 trafficked
women annually.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Trafficking in persons: global
patterns lists Australia as one of 21 trafficking destination countries in the high destination
category.
Prostitution in New Zealand
Prostitution and brothel keeping are legal in New Zealand. Pimping (deriving financial gain
from the prostitution of another) is also legal. Street prostitution is also permitted.
Prior to 2003, prostitution in New Zealand was governed by the The Massage Parlours Act
1978, which allowed some indoor prostitution under a facade, indoor sex workers were
required to be registered with the police. Advertising the sale of sex ('soliciting'), running a
brothel, and living from the earnings of prostitution were illegal.
These laws were changed by the Prostitution Reform Act, that was passed by the
narrowest margin in June 2003. The decriminalization of brothels, pimping and soliciting
and substitution of a minimal regulatory model created worldwide interest. Although prior to
2003 New Zealand had several laws meant to suppress prostitution, in practice, during the
last decades of the 20th century, there has been a high degree of toleration of the sex
trade.
New Zealand prostitution laws are some of the most liberal in the world. New Zealand is
one of the few countries of the world where brothels are legal. In many jurisdictions the act
of exchanging sex for money is illegal; in most countries it is illegal to operate a brothel
and to derive financial gain from the prostitution of another; in Sweden, Norway and
Iceland it is illegal to pay for sex (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).
Countries which allow brothels include the Netherlands, Germany and some Australian
states.
In 2008, Western Australia attempted to implement a legal system similar to that of New
Zealand. The prostitution law reform in Western Australia was based on the New Zealand
model; although this law passed the Upper House narrowly and received Royal Assent on
April 14 2008, it was not proclaimed before the state election, in which the ALP lost power,
and therefore remains inactive (currently brothels are illegal in Western Australia).
History
As with other colonial developments, the earliest known examples of the exchange of sex
for material gain in New Zealand occurred in the early period of contact between
indigenous Maori and European and American sailors. Along with food, water and timber,
sex was one of the major commodities exchanged for European goods. The Bay of Islands
and in particular the town of Kororareka was notorious for this and brothels proliferated. It
is not clear whether all of these exchanges necessarily constituted prostitution in the usual
sense of the word. In some cases the sex may have been part of a wider partnership
between a tribe and a ship's crew, akin to a temporary marriage alliance. The amount of

choice women had about their participation seems to have varied. Throughout this period
there was a severe gender imbalance in the population and women were in short supply.
In the nineteenth century, prostitution was generally referred to as the 'Social Evil'. As with
other British dependencies, New Zealand inherited both statute and case law from the
United Kingdom, for instance the 1824 UK Vagrancy Act was in force till New Zealand
passed its own Vagrancy Act (1866-1884). These included reference to the common
prostitute. New Zealand was also amongst those dependencies that British authorities
pressured into passing Contagious Diseases Acts, New Zealand's was in force from 18691910. These were oppressive Acts, based on the belief, as found in the 1922 report, that
women represented vectors for the spread of venereal diseases. It was replaced by the
Social Hygiene Act 1917, although these fears reappeared throughout the British Empire in
both World Wars. In the post war period the concern was more with 'promiscuity', although
prostitution was seen as an extreme form of this. The gendered rationale and practice of
venereal disease policy formed a focus for early feminist activism.
Legislative framework
Statute law dealing with prostitution in New Zealand at the time of law reform included the
Crimes Act 1961, Massage Parlours Act 1978 (repealed in 2003) and Summary Offences
Act 1981. Section 26 of the Summary Offences Act prohibited soliciting, S147 of the
Crimes Act prohibited brothel keeping, and S 148 living on the earnings of prostitution, and
S 149 procuring. The Massage Parlours Act effectively allowed indoor commercial sex
under a facade. The sale of sex has never been prohibited. This did little to actually stop
prostitution, the industry usually maintaining a thin pretence of being something else.
Prostitutes advertised their services as 'escorts' and brothels advertised themselves as
'massage parlours'. Indoor workers were required to be registered with the police, however
many police forces also informally registered escorts, and the media required such
registration before accepting advertisements.
In 2000, the Crimes Act was amended to criminalise both clients and operators where
workers were aged under 18 (the age of consent for sexual activity is 16).
Law reform
The social reform Labour Government of 1984-90 tackled a number of moral issues
including decriminalising homosexuality (1986) and forming and funding the New Zealand
Prostitutes' Collective (NZPC) in 1987 as a health promotion initiative, based on the 1986
Ottawa Charter. The NZPC formed primarily for peer-driven health education became
increasingly aware that legislative reform was necessary to achieve their objectives.
Funding was sustained under the Fourth National Government (1990-1999).
In 1997 a number of groups came together to hold a Woman's Forum in Wellington, out of
which a working group developed to draft a bill, including the NZPC, academics, women's
groups (New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women, National Council
of Women, YWCA), and the AIDS Foundation. Other individuals included legal volunteers
and MPs, in particular Maurice Williamson (National, Pakuranga 1987- ), Associate
Minister of Health (1990-6) and Katherine ORegan (National, Waipa 1984-1996, List
1996-9), who championed the bill in parliament.

Labour returned to power (1999-2008) and Tim Barnett (Labour Christchurch Central
1996-2008) assumed responsibility for introducing it as a Private Member's Bill to
decriminalise prostitution. This was based on the harm reduction model of New South
Wales (1996). The bill was introduced on 21 September 2000 and placed in the ballot box,
being drawn as number 3 and debated on November 8 as Bill 66-1 (87:21), passing first
reading 87:21. Party support came from the Greens, notably Sue Bradford (List, 1999-). It
was opposed by New Zealand First who proposed the Swedish approach of criminalising
the purchase of sex.. It then proceeded to select committee (Justice and Electoral), which
received 222 submissions and heard 66 submissions, amending and reporting in favour of
the Bill on 29 November 2002, following the 2002 election, the bill now being referred to as
Bill 66-2. Dissenting minority opinions were recorded by the National, New Zealand First,
ACT New Zealand and United Future members. This was a Private Member's Bill, and
theoretically members were allowed a conscience vote. However the three members of the
1999-2002 coalition ( Labour, Greens, Alliance) all had decriminalisation in their
manifestos. Later, the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, lent her support to the bill.
During the parliamentary debates and committees, support came from some women's
rights groups, some human rights groups and some public health groups. The police were
neutral. Some feminists opposed the decriminalization of brothels and pimping, Christian
groups were divided, and fundamentalist religious groups, including Right to Life were
opposed.
Prostitution Reform Act 2003
The Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) passed third reading on 25 June 2003. This bill passed
narrowly; of 120 MPs, 60 voted for it, 59 against, and one politician, Labour's Ashraf
Choudhary, the country's only Muslim MP, abstained. The result was a surprise as most
commentators had expected the bill to narrowly fail. An impassioned speech to parliament
by Georgina Beyer, a transsexual and former sex worker, was believed by many observers
to have persuaded several wavering MP's, possibly including Mr. Choudhary, to change
their votes at the last minute.
Effect
The Act replaced the previous legislation, largely removing voluntary adult (18) prostitution
from the criminal law and replacing it with civil law at both national and local level. A
distinction was made between voluntary and involuntary prostitution. It remains a crime to
coerce 'someone to provide sexual services'. Sex work is also prohibited for those on
temporary visas, and immigration for and investment in sex work is prohibited. Contracts
between provider and client were recognised, and providers have the right to refuse
services. Contested contracts can be referred to the Disputes Tribunal. Advertising is
banned with the exception of print media which is restricted. The Summary Offences Act
remains in force in relation to offensive soliciting. The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act
2004 also allows sex workers to apply for previous convictions to be removed from the
record. Sex work is recognised (but not promoted) as legitimate work by Work and Income
New Zealand. Now workplace safety and health rules, developed in consultation with the
prostitutes' collective, apply to sex work. Employment disputes can be referred to the
Labour Inspectorate and Mediation Service. There is an obligation on employers and
employees to practise and promote safe sexual practices. The Ministry of Health has the
responsibility for enforcement. Registration of indoor sex workers with the police was
replaced by certification at an administrative law level of brothels employing more than four

workers. Prior records have been destroyed. Refusal of a certificate is permitted for prior
criminal offences (not necessarily related to prostitution). Police activities changed from
registration and prosecution to protection. The Police Manual of Best Practice was
amended to include prostitution.
Local government was empowered to develop by-laws for zoning and advertising, but not
prohibit sex work. A Review Committee, the Prostitution Law Review Committee (PLRC)
was established to provide research on the effect of the law and provide reports, in
collaboration with academic researchers. Sex workers are represented on the committee.
In summary the Act decriminalised soliciting, living off the proceeds of someone else's
prostitution and brothel-keeping.
Aftermath
After the passage of the Prostitution Reform Act, the Maxim Institute and other
conservative Christian organizations tried to gain an appropriate number of signatures for
a citizens initiated referendum under the Citizens Initiated Referendum Act 1993. The
initiative was sponsored by two United Future MPs, Gordon Copeland (List 2002-2008),
the bill's most outspoken critic, and Larry Baldock (List 2002-8). Although it was allowed an
extension, anti-prostitution groups fell well short of gaining the number of authenticated
signatures required.
Gordon Copeland and Larry Baldock left United Future for the Future New Zealand party,
cofounded by Copeland, which then became the Kiwi Party, making repeal of the PRA part
of its platform in the 2008 election. Neither Copeland nor Baldock were re-elected, and the
party failed to win any seats. United Future also lost 2 seats resulting in it becoming a
single seat party. New Zealand First, which also opposed the bill, lost all parliamentary
representation in 2008. Copeland was also an advocate of the the Swedish model.
Local Government
Local Government New Zealand provided model by-laws and procedures. A private Bill,
the Prostitution Law Reform (Manukau City Council) Amendment Bill 2005 led to hearings
before a select committee, but failed to pass its second parliamentary reading on October
11 2006 (46:73). In addition, court challenges have usually failed to uphold restrictive
council by-laws that try to obstruct the purposes of the legislation: decriminalisation, health
and occupational safety for sex workers. By 2006, 17 of 74 local governments had drafted
or implemented by-laws. Zoning by-laws have however thwarted attempts to move street
work to 'safe houses' as better practice.
Evaluation of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003
An extensive report on the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 was produced, with the aim of
studying the effects of the new legal system. This evaluation was included in 2003, within
the Act, in order to help counter criticism, a review on the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 had
to be conducted three to five years after the Act came into force.
Associate Justice Minister Lianne Dalziel welcomed the report. Some organisations and
some politicians also declared that, overall, they were satisfied with the results.

Critics accused the report of bias, stated that the members of the Comitee who worked on
the report were supporters of the sex industry, and thus not neutral, and that in reality the
situation was worse than presented in the report. They declared that the decriminalization
of brothels and pimping had negative efects, increased criminal activities, and wasn't
succesful in achieveing its goals. Critics also insisted that the number of the street
prostitutes has raised (contrary to what the report showed).
In 2005 the PLRC published a survey of the nature and extent of the industry. Independent
review by New Zealand academics working with sex workers was also provided for. These
included the Crime and Justice Research Centre at Victoria University, that included
developing a framework for evaluation, a systematic literature review, stakeholder
interviews, and reviews of international legislation, exiting practices, and the role of local in
relation to central government.
Other research was carried out at Otago University's Christchurch School of Medicine and
Health Sciences on the health and safety practices of sex workers. An initial report in
September 2006 indicated that the number of sex workers on the streets was
approximately the same as before the Act came into force in 2003, and, in some cases,
even slightly reduced, contrary to allegations that it has increased. These preliminary
findings were presented to a parliamentary working group the following month, and a final
submission to the PLRC the following year. The extent of sex work was compared to 1999,
the only notable change being a trend from managed sex work to the private sector. An
examination of entry and exit factors showed that many sex workers desired to continue to
sell sex, as financial return and independence were attractive features. Workers seemed
more empowered, but there was still violence on the streets. Some deficiencies in safe
practices, especially for oral sex, were identified. Perceived stigma remained a problem.
Inconsistencies were noted between local and central government intent, the former being
more restrictive, causing problems for some workers. The overall impression was positive.
The PLRC presented its final report in May 2008. It found no evidence for the claims of
critics at the time of introduction. There was no expansion of the industry, and on the whole
it had achieved its purpose. However employment conditions still left a good deal to be
desired. Stigma remains a major problem, and the traditional distrust of authorities also
remains. They suggested a further review in 2018.
Pressure within Parliament, resulting from a support agreement between Labour and
United Future, a conservative Christian group, led to a second review in 2006, outside of
the requirements of the Act, known as the Prostitution Working Group, consisting of Marian
Hobbs (Chair, Labour), Gordon Copeland and Larry Baldock (United Future), together with
officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Internal Affairs. It reported in
2007.
Criticism of the evaluation and of New Zealand's legal system
Following the release of the evaluation of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, suggestions of
bias were raised, and critics insisted that the authors of the report were supporters of the
sex industry, and thus not neutral.
Many were not convinced by the results of the evaluation and insisted that the
decriminalization of brothels and pimping has not been successful, and in fact it has only
made the situation worse, by increasing criminal activities. Alex Penk, Maxim Institute's

Policy and Research Manager said that: "The report released by the Prostitution Law
Review Committee today clearly shows that the Prostitution Reform Act is not making life
safer for many of New Zealand's most vulnerable men, women and young people,"
In her report "What really happened in New Zealand after prostitution was decriminalized
in 2003?", Melissa Farley states that the decriminalization of prostitution had very negative
effects (eg. an increase in human trafficking and street prostitution) and that the NZ
Prostitution Law Review Committee "was biased and blatantly favored the sex industry".
One particular problem with which New Zealand still appears to struggle is child
prostitution.
The most recent Human Rights Report on New Zealand (released on February 25, 2009)
states that "Illegal commercial sexual exploitation of children remained a problem", and
describes several cases involving the prostitution of minors, which have occured both on
the streets and inside brothels. Several brothel owners have been arrested for hiring
minors.
In November 2008, a New Plymouth brothel owner was charged with several offenses
relating to his employment of a 15-year-old girl as a prostitute during a six-month period in
2005.
In February 2008 a brothel owner from Christchurch accused of "using persons under 18
years of age" (a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl) to provide sexual services in his
brothel in 2005, was sentenced to one year of home detention.
In March 2008 another defendant was sentenced to 27 months in prison for facilitating and
assisting in the hiring of an underage prostitute.
In July 2008 a Christchurch brothel owner was charged with exploiting underage girls in
prostitution. The two girls, ages 16 and 17, worked at the brothel for more than a year. This
was the first occasion that prosecutors applied the law banning sexual slavery, adopted in
2006 in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. At year's end the
case was pending.
In December 2008 the Tauranga District Court sentenced a 19-year-old Bay of Plenty man
to 27 months' imprisonment for assisting and receiving earnings from his 15-year-old
girlfriend, who engaged in prostitution in 2006 and 2007.
At the end of 2008, two other prosecutions from 2007, relating to underage prostitution in
Christchurch, remained pending.
In January 2008, 25 arrests were made in South Auckland, in cases involving underage
prostitution, and children as young as 13 were removed from the streets.
Some community workers had found girls "as young as 10 or 11" selling sex, and one
mentioned students from a West Auckland high school who "turned tricks" at lunchtime.
In Christchurch, Salvation Army officer Major Wendy Barney from Christchurch's Street
Outreach Service (SOS) said underage prostitution was "a big problem - but also a hidden
one".

In 2005, ECPAT New Zealand and the Stop Demand Foundation (two agencies which fight
against the sexual exploitation of children) questioned the effectiveness of New Zealand's
legislation in relation to underage prostitution; the agencies pointed to a police survey of
the New Zealand sex industry which showed that 210 children under the age of 18 years
were identified as selling sex, with three-quarters being concentrated in one Police District.
The Human Rights Reports from 2004-2007 also stated that child prostitution was a
problem in New Zealand. In 2007, the New Zealand Government disputed these claims.
Manukau City Councils portfolio leader for community safety, Councillor Dick Quax, said
that the government review of street prostitution in Manukau was very disappointing. He
said "It ignores the fact that anti-social behaviour such as harassment and intimidation has
become worse since the passing of the legislation decriminalising prostitution." He stated
that street prostitution was a very big problem in Manukau:"There are kids going to school
with condoms lying on the street and prostitutes still standing around. It's dangerous, not
only for the workers themselves but for the rest of the community. We're sick of it (...) The
community has had enough. It's not fun to come out in the morning and be having to clean
up condoms lying in your garden and on the fence. Cleaning up condoms and needles it's just not fair".
Prostitution today
As in other countries, New Zealand prostitutes work in a variety of settings. The most
dangerous of these is 'street walking': walking or loitering in a particular area and waiting
for clients to drive by. Street walkers gather on and around Karangahape Road and
Hunter's Corner in Auckland, Vivian Street in Wellington, and Manchester Street, in
Christchurch, amongst other places.
Many sex workers find employment in brothels or escort agencies. In the brothels, clients
come to the place of business, which may be in a commercial area and fairly obvious,
sometimes attached to a strip club, or more discreetly in a residential area. Escort
agencies take phone calls from clients and arrange for the worker to go to their homes or
motels. Typically the business will charge the worker a fee per shift, and will usually also
take a set percentage of the client's fee. Some also fine workers for lateness,
unprofessional conduct and other misdemenours, and most require their workers to buy
their own clothes and accessories. This means that on a slow night the worker may
actually lose money. However, brothels and escort agencies are generally seen as
preferable to street prostitution, as their environment appears to be relatively safe,
although incidents involving brothel owners who hired minors did occur (including the one
when prosecutors applied for the first time the 2006 law banning sexual slavery). Brothels
vary in size between 3 sex workers on duty to up to approximately 30. Brothels and
agencies advertise through a range of media, including billboards, the internet, and late
night television advertisements, but especially newspaper advertisements, particularly in
New Zealand Truth.
Sex workers who do not wish to be employed often set up one or two person brothels or
agencies, commonly from their homes. Within the definitions of the act these are termed
SOOB's (Small Owner Operated Brothels) They tend to rely on classified newspaper
advertisements, again, particularly New Zealand Truth.

The vast majority of New Zealand sex workers are biologically female, but there are also
male and transgender workers, particularly in Auckland. Both engage in 'sole operator'
businesses as described above, and several male brothels and escort agencies exist. In
addition, transgender street walkers are not uncommon. Male prostitutes aiming at a male
clientele usually advertise in the gay newspaper Express or in New Zealand Truth.
The New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective is an organisation that supports the rights of sex
workers in New Zealand, and also provides health and legal assistance, and general
support. PUMP (Pride and Unity amongst Male Prostitutes) is a subsection of the
collective.
In July 2006 a police officer in Auckland was reprimanded for moonlighting as a prostitute
without permission, but was allowed to keep her job as she had committed no crime.
In 2008 an investigation by the Women's Institute (UK) of prostitution laws in a number of
countries, concluded that New Zealand had the best system for other countries to emulate.
Under-age prostitution in New Zealand
The Prostitution Reform Act 2003 with regard to prostitution under the age of 18 reads as
follows:
Prohibitions on use in prostitution of persons under 18 years
20. No person may cause, assist, facilitate, or encourage a person under 18 years of age
to provide commercial sexual services to any person.
21. No person may receive a payment or other reward that he or she knows, or ought
reasonably to know, is derived, directly or indirectly, from commercial sexual services
provided by a person under 18 years of age.
22. No person may contract for commercial sexual services from, or be client of, person
under 18 years
(1) No person may enter into a contract or other arrangement under which a person under
18 years of age is to provide commercial sexual services to or for that person or another
person.
(2) No person may receive commercial sexual services from a person under 18 years of
age.
23. Every person who contravenes section 20, section 21, or section 22 commits an
offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
7 years.
(2) No person contravenes section 20 merely by providing legal advice, counselling, health
advice, or any medical services to a person under 18 years of age.
(3) No person under 18 years of age may be charged as a party to an offence committed
on or with that person against this section.
Under the PRA it is not illegal for a person under 18 to be a sex worker, but it is illegal for
anyone else to profit from them in this capacity, or cause, assist, facilitate, or encourage
them to provide commercial sexual services to any person. It is also illegal for anyone to
purchase sex from a person aged under 18. The defence of "reasonableness" has been
removed, but sex workers appearing under age may be asked by Police to provide proof of
age.

One of the arguments advanced against liberalising the sex industry was that there would
be an expansion of under-age prostitution. The counter argument was that a transparent
and destigmatised profession would self-regulate responsibly and that it would be much
easier to monitor this, and expansion would not occur.
Currently, New Zealand continues to struggle with the problem of child prostitution, both on
the streets and inside brothels; several brothel owners have been arrested for hiring
underage girls.
The New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective are opposed to child prostitution, and campaign
for stronger independent youth allowances as well as other measures intended to assist
younger people at risk from undertaking child prostitution as an economic necessity.

Legality of prostitution
The legal status of prostitution varies from country to country, from being perfectly legal
and considered a profession to being punishable by death. Some jurisdictions outlaw the
act of prostitution (the exchange of sexual services for money); other countries do not
prohibit prostitution itself, but ban the activities typically associated with it (soliciting in a
public place, operating a brothel, pimping etc), making it difficult to engage in prostitution
without breaking any law; while in a few countries prostitution is legal and regulated.
Prostitution laws
Below there is a presentation of the legal status of prostitution around the world, as
reported by the 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which was released in
2009.

Prostitution around the world

Prostitution legal and regulated
The laws concerning prostitution and the societal attitudes towards it vary greatly around
the world. Moral opposition (and legal prohibition) of prostitution come from two different
sides: conservative and religious values associated with right wing politics and feminist
values associated with left wing politics.
Contrary to what many Americans believe, most European countries have abolitionist
policies towards prostitution (although there are some exceptions, most notably
Netherlands and Germany). The most common legal system in the European Union is that
which allows prostitution itself (the exchange of sex for money) but prohibits the

associated activities (brothels, pimping etc) in an attempt to make it more difficult to

engage in prostitution.

Prostitution in Brazil
In Brazil, prostitution itself (exchanging sex for money) is legal as there are no laws
forbidding adult prostitution, however it is illegal to operate a brothel or to employ
prostitutes in any other way.
In the late 1990s, the International Encyclopedia of Sexuality quoted police estimates
putting the total number of prostitutes in Brazil at about 1 million.
In 2002, pressure by the sex worker organization Davida contributed to the Brazilian
Ministry of Labor adding "sex worker" to an official list of occupations. Prostitution is not
regulated in any way (no mandatory health checks, no licenses are issued etc), but street
prostitutes and call girls can contribute to the official government pension fund and receive
benefits when they retire.
HIV/AIDS
In 2003, it was estimated that about 6% of Brazilian prostitutes were infected with HIV.
Because of information campaigns, condom use among prostitutes is high.
The Brazilian government turned down $40 million in U.S. anti-HIV/AIDS funding in 2005,
because the U.S. government required all recipients to sign an anti-prostitution pledge.
Brazil's AIDS comissioner Pedro Chequer was quoted as saying "Sex workers are part of
implementing our AIDS policy and deciding how to promote it. They are our partners. How
could we ask prostitutes to take a position against themselves?" The Brazilian anti-AIDS
program, which employs prostitutes to hand out information and free condoms, is
considered by the United Nations to be the most successful in the developing world.
Child prostitution
The Brazilian government is increasingly frustrated with the fact that a number of foreign
tourists travel to Brazil for sex tourism, including child prostitution. The government of
Brazil is working stringently to clamp down particularly at child prostitution. Child
prostitution in Brazil is widespread and a serious problem. The phenomenon is closely
related with high levels of poverty and inequality in the country.
Prostitutes abroad
High numbers of Brazilian prostitutes are found in some regions of the United States and
Western Europe, including Portugal, Spain, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Prostitution in Peru

Prostitution in Peru is legal and regulated. Brothels must be licensed. Women must be
over 18 years of age, register with municipal authorities and carry a health certificate.
Child prostitution remains a serious problem. NGOs reported that traffickers lured
increasing numbers of underage girls into prostitution.
Prostitution in Ecuador
Prostitution in Ecuador is legal and regulated, as long as the prostitute is over the age of
18 . The ownership of brothels is also permitted, but Ecuador still struggles with the
problem of child prostitution, as do numerous other countries.
Prostitution in Bolivia
In Bolivia, prostitution is legal and regulated. A person may be a prostitute in Bolivia, but
both men and woman are required to be registered. Also it is mandatory for prostitutes to
have regular health checks for sexually transmitted diseases. The police are allowed to
check the authenticity of registered prostitutes to determine whether they have been
examined properly and to ensure they see the health authorities if they don't.
Prostitution in Colombia
Prostitution in Colombia is legal as long it is done in tolerance zones.
Prostitution in Venezuela
Prostitution in Venezuela is legal and regulated. The punishment for involving minors in
prostitution is 3 to 6 years. The Criminal Code prohibits inducing the prostitution or
corruption of minors. Punishment is imprisonment for 3 to 18 months. The penalty is
doubled if the perpetrator first corrupted the minor (that is, if the victim was a virgin). The
imprisonment increases to 1 to 4 years if the minor is below the age of 12, if the act is
committed by means of fraud or deceit, or if the perpetrator of the act is a person entrusted
with the custody or care of the child.
The code also prohibits promoting, directing, or profiting from the sexual activity of minors
or adolescents.12 These offenses are punishable by imprisonment for 3 to 6 years, which
increases to 4 to 8 years if the offense is committed by a perpetrator who is in a position of
authority over the victim.13 It is also a crime to induce, facilitate, or promote prostitution or
corruption of another person to satisfy the passions of others, which is punishable by 1 to
6 years imprisonment. However, if the victim is a minor, the minimum penalty is increased
to 3 years imprisonment. The code prohibits a husband or other relative from forcing a
wife or female descendent to prostitute herself. The punishment for that act is
imprisonment for 4 to 6 years.

Prostitution in the United States

In the United States, each state has the power to decide whether or not prostitution is legal
in that state or part of that state. In all but two U.S. states (Nevada and Rhode Island), the
buying and selling of sexual services is illegal and usually classified as a misdemeanor.
Punishments for prostitutes and their customers vary widely from state to state, from 15
days imprisonment and/or $100 fine (Vermont), to 1 to 3 years and/or $25,000 fine
(Illinois). Punishments for pimps and brothel owners range from up to 30 days or $200 to
20 years and/or $125,000 fine.
Prostitution is considered by some US governments to be a public order crime, a crime
that disrupts the order of a community It was at one time considered to be a vagrancy
crime. As with other countries, prostitution in the United States can be divided into three
broad categories: street prostitution, brothel prostitution, and escort prostitution.
Types of prostitution
Street prostitution
Street based sex work is illegal throughout the United States. Street prostitution is
considered to be the most dangerous form of prostitution, and many (most) women who
sell sex on the streets do so to feed a drug addiction. The services offered by street
prostitutes are similar to those of escorts, but the locations vary, and in most cases escorts
set higher prices.
Escort/out-call prostitution
In spite of its illegality, escort (OR "out-call") prostititution exists throughout the United
States from both independent prostitutes and those employed through escort agencies.
Both freelancers and agencies may advertise under the term "bodywork" in the back of
alternative newspapers, although some of these bodywork professionals are
straightforward massage professionals.
The amount of money that is made by an escort is different depending on race,
appearance, age, experience (e.g., pornography and magazine work), gender, services
rendered, and location. Generally, male escorts command less on an hourly basis than
women; white women quote higher rates than non-white women; and youth is at a
premium. For one point of reference reflecting trends in the gay community, the gay escort
agency "TOPPS", based in Washington, D.C., charges $150 an hour for male escorts and
$250 an hour for transsexuals. That agency takes $50 an hour from the contractor. In
larger metropolitan areas such as New York City, extremely attractive Caucasian female
escorts can charge $1,000-$2,000 per hour. The agency takes 40%-50%.
Typically, an agency will charge its escorts either a flat fee for each client connection or a
percentage of the prearranged rate. In San Francisco, it is usual for typical heterosexualmarket agencies to negotiate for as little as $100 up to a full 50% of a woman's reported

earnings (not counting any gratuity received). Most transactions occur in cash, and
optional tipping of escorts by clients in most major U.S. cities is customary but not
compulsory. Credit card processing offered by larger scale agencies is often available for a
service charge.
The owner of Fascinations Escort and Entertainment Service in Morgantown WV, was
convicted of conspiring to commit racketeering activity involving prostitution from 2000 until
March 2008. DUELLEY was also convicted on Counts Two through Fourteen of the
Indictment charging her with committing acts of racketeering related to prostitution.
An escort service in Alaska targeted women who were homeless, in low paying jobs, or
runaway. Females would meet the caller at his residence or at a hotel paid for by the caller.
The operators also used the prostitutes to sell cocaine. The women were required to turn
over all of the money they earned. When they returned from a date, they would receive
an issue, which was approximately a gram of cocaine. The women described going on up
to 10 dates per day, every day, with no days off. They would work up to five days in a row
without sleeping. All of the victims indicated that they were addicted to crack cocaine when
they were involved with Websters escort services. The women were kept isolated. They
could not have any visitors to the house, nor talk to anyone outside of the family. They
could not purchase anything without the Defendants knowledge, and had to provide
receipts if they did. They could not talk to men unless they were getting paid and they were
not allowed to get drugs from anyone other than the pimp.
Strip club prostitution
Affidavits associated with a TRO filed by a U.S. Attorney detailed extensive prostitution
activities at strip clubs. They claimed that paid sex acts are obvious to undercover officers,
as well as the owners and managers of the clubs. Customers use an ATM or credit card
machine which dispense tokens used for purchasing services at the club. The affidavits
allege that the club takes a cut of the payment for illegal sex acts, by reducing the amount
of money provided to the dancer when she cashes in the tokens at the end of the night.
Brothel prostitution
With the exception of some rural counties from Nevada, brothels are illegal everywhere in
the US. However, many "massage parlors", "saunas", "spas" and similar establishments
are fronts for prostitution, especially in big cities. Although police raid these places
occasionally and make arrests, in some areas there is a degree of toleration for such
forms of prostitution.
Child prostitution
In 2001, it was estimated that about 293,000 American youth were at risk of becoming
victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Approximately 55% of street girls engage in
formal prostitution. Of the girls engaged in formal prostitution, about 75% worked for a
pimp. Pimp-controlled commercial sexual exploitation of children is linked to escort and
massage services, private dancing, drinking and photographic clubs, major sporting and
recreational events, major cultural events, conventions, and tourist destinations. About
one-fifth of these children become entangled in nationally organized crime networks and
are trafficked nationally. Id. at 8. They are transported around the United States by a
variety of means - cars, buses, vans, trucks or planes, Id., and are often provided

counterfeit identification to use in the event of arrest. The average age at which girls first
become victims of prostitution is 12-14. Estes Report at 92. It is not only the girls on the
streets that are affected-for boys and transgendered youth, the average age of entry into
prostitution is 11-13. The lifestyle of such children revolves around violence, forced drug
use and constant threats.
A convicted defendant initially met the victim, a 15-year old girl, and recruited her to work
as a prostitute for him in the area. The defendant explained to the victim that this was a
business and that she was to respect her pimp (the defendant) and give him all of her
money. While working as a prostitute for the defendant, the victim was required to make
$1,000 a day. When the victim started having second thoughts, the defendant told her, I
know where you live and your family lives. I will kill you and your family if you say anything
to anybody. Youre mine now. Due to concerns for her own safety, the victim continued to
work as a prostitute for the defendant and she continued giving him the money she earned
by turning dates. The prostitution activities were set up either by working on the street
or through advertisements on Craigslist.com.
Operation Cross Country III rescued 48 teenaged prostitutes, ages 13-17, in one weekend.
Immigration and prostitution
DOJ in Brooklyn New York prosecuted a family for sex trafficking. A family-run gang
smuggled women from Mexico to New York and forcing them, sometimes violently, into
prostitution. Her family recruited the women primarily from impoverished communities in
Mexico, smuggled them across the border, brought them to New York and housed them in
simple apartments. Three men compelled the women through physical violence, sexual
assault, threats of harm, deception, false promises and coercion to become prostitutes in
various brothels in New York City and elsewhere". The women were ordered to charge
$25 to $35 for each sex act, and then were forced to surrender their earnings. The
business thrived from 1991 until 2004 when DOJ began prosecution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
the Department of Labor and the Los Angeles Police Department exposed a gang in Los
Angeles. They allegedly had approached young women in Guatemala where they were
told jobs in restaurants and clothing stores awaited them in the United States. After being
smuggled across the United States-Mexico border and driven to Los Angeles, the women
were turned over to the defendants, who informed them that their "job" would be working
as prostitutes. When the women protested, they were told they had no choice. The affidavit
describes how the victims endured frequent threats of violence, as well as physical abuse,
while working seven days a week. In one incident detailed in the affidavit, four of the
defendants repeatedly kicked and hit one of the victims following an unsuccessful escape
attempt. After the first two women fled, one gang member allegedly made repeated calls to
one of the women's cell phones threatening to kill her and her family.

Legal situation
Under Nevada state law, any county with a population under 400,000, as of the last
decennial census, is allowed to license brothels if it so chooses. Incorporated towns and

cities in counties that allow prostitution may regulate the trade further or prohibit it
altogether.
As of 2009, prostitution is illegal under state law in Clark County (which contains Las
Vegas) and under county or municipal law in Washoe County (which contains Reno),
Carson City (an independent city), Douglas County, and Lincoln County. The other 12
Nevada counties permit licensed brothels in certain specified areas or cities, with the
exception of Eureka County, which has no law on the books either permitting or prohibiting
licensed brothels. All 12 of these rural counties have had at least one legal brothel in
operation subsequent to 1971, but many of these brothels were financially unsuccessful or
ran afoul of State health regulations. As of 2009, only 8 of these counties have active
brothels, while the other 4 (Churchill County, Esmeralda County, Eureka County, and
Pershing County) no longer do.
The precise licensing requirements vary by county. License fees for brothels range from an
annual $100,000 in Storey County to an annual $200 in Lander County. Licensed
prostitutes must be at least 21 years old, except in Storey County and Lyon County (where
the minimum age is 18).
Nevada law requires that registered brothel prostitutes be tested weekly (by a cervical
specimen) for gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis, and monthly for HIV and syphilis;
furthermore, condoms are mandatory for all oral sex and sexual intercourse. Brothel
owners may be held liable if customers become infected with HIV after a prostitute has
tested positive for the virus. Women work a legally mandated minimum of nine days for
each work period. Post-op transsexuals and men cannot become prostitutes because of
the cervical specimen requirement.
Nevada has laws against engaging in prostitution outside of licensed brothels, against
encouraging others to become prostitutes, and against living off the proceeds of a
prostitute.
For many years, Nevada brothels were restricted from advertising their services in
counties where brothel prostitution is illegal; however, this state law was overturned in
2007.
In June 2009, Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons signed the most stringent punishments
nationwide for child prostitution and pandering. The Assembly Bill 380, which allows for
fines of $500,000 for those convicted of trafficking prostitutes younger than 14 and
$100,000 for trafficking prostitutes ages 14 to 17. Both the House and the Senate
unanimously approved the bill, that will go into effect October 1, 2009.
Legal brothels
Twenty-eight legal brothels existed in the state as of July 2008, employing about 300
female prostitutes at any given time. In some locales, there exist multi-unit complexes of
several separate brothels run by the same owner. Examples of this include the "The Line"
in Winnemucca, Wild Horse Adult Resort & Spa in Storey County, and the (now defunct
original) Mustang Ranch.
All but the smallest brothels operate as follows: as the customer is buzzed in and sits
down in the parlor, the available women appear in a line-up and introduce themselves. If

the customer chooses a woman, the price negotiations take place in the woman's room,
which are often overheard by management. The house normally gets half of the negotiated
amount. If the customer arrives by cab, the driver will receive some 20% of whatever the
customer spends; this is subtracted from the woman's earnings. Typical prices start at
US$100 and average about $300 for half an hour of intercourse and oral sex. Some may
charge up to $2500 an hour for "parties" with well known or novelty women, or more for
parties with multiple women. The prostitutes almost never kiss on the mouth.
Brothels do not have preset prices, the only known exception being Shady Lady brothel on
Route 95, approximately 30 miles north of Beatty. Generally, the closer a brothel is to Las
Vegas, the higher the prices. Thus Sheri's Ranch and Chicken Ranch, both located in
Pahrump, are on the whole more expensive than other brothels. Sheri's Ranch is the
larger of the two, and may have upwards of 20 prostitutes on its premises at any given
time. It is also the more expensive of the two, and generally the most expensive legal
brothel in Nevada.
Brothel prostitutes work as independent contractors and thus do not receive any
unemployment, retirement or health benefits. They are responsible for paying Federal
income tax and their earnings are reported to the IRS via form 1099-MISC. Nevada does
not have a state income tax. The women typically work for a period of several weeks,
during which time they live in the brothel and hardly ever leave it. They then take some
time off. It has been argued that the tight control that brothels exert over the working
conditions precludes the women from legally being classified as independent contractors.
Since 1986, when mandatory testing began, not a single brothel prostitute has ever tested
positive for HIV. The mandatory condom law was passed in 1988. A study conducted in
1995 in two brothels found that condom use in the brothels was consistent and sexually
transmitted diseases were accordingly absent. The study also found that few of the
prostitutes used condoms in their private lives.
Illegal prostitution
Prostitution outside licensed brothels is a misdemeanor in Nevada. The big casino towns
of Las Vegas and Reno have worked to expand their tourism base by attracting families to
the hotels and casinos. Accordingly, the state legislature has made prostitution illegal in
both Clark and Washoe Counties and law enforcement agencies have tried to eliminate
the once rampant street prostitution. Nevertheless, prostitutes continue to work in casinos,
where they wait in bars and attempt to make contact with potential clients.
Escort services offering sexual services euphemistically as 'entertainment' or
'companionship' are ubiquitous, with about 140 pages of the Las Vegas yellow pages
devoted to "entertainers". Similar ads are present in newspaper boxes all along Las Vegas
Boulevard. From the Strip to downtown Fremont Street at most bus stops and many street
lights, a large collection of free flyers offering escort services with semi-nude pictures are
available. Moreover, smaller hand sized flyers are dispensed to tourists and others along
the Las Vegas Strip, often right in front of the most high end hotels and casinos, by
freelance workers, these flyers also graphically depict female 'personal' entertainers or
escort services. Despite the attempt to make Las Vegas more family-friendly, such
advertising for these services goes on undisturbed by police or hotel security.

Child prostitution is also a problem in Nevada. Las Vegas was identified by the FBI as one
of 14 cities around the country with high rates of child prostitution. Las Vegas Metro Police
say roughly 400 children are picked off the streets from prostitution each year.
The US Justice Department has also named Las Vegas among the 17 most likely
destinations for human trafficking.
Minors working in Nevada brothels
In 1998, some pimps from Oregon managed to place at least four underage girls in
Nevada's legal brothels; they were arrested and convicted.
No Nevada brothel owners have been charged with a crime, as there was no evidence that
brothel owners or managers were collaborating with the Oregon pimps; the girls had used
fake IDs. David Burgess, owner of the Old Bridge Ranch, said these were "isolated cases",
and his managers did everything they could to avoid hiring underage girls; he showed the
reporters several fake identification documents which showed a 16 years old girl's age to
be 23.
Detective Greg Harvey, from Eugene, Oregon, said such cases were in reality, very
common; he said "It's happening right now, it's amazing how many girls are shipped from
here to different brothels in northern and southern Nevada. Many are underage." Another
detective, Sgt. Pete Kerns, supported Harvey's claims: "Never buy the line that nobody
under 18 works in (Nevada brothels)," he said. "It's happening."
Nevada law enforcement officials, however, said there were only a few cases of underage
girls working in legal brothels. "We have had some isolated cases of girls using fake IDs,"
said Sgt. Bill Petty of the Storey County Sheriff's Department. "But I wouldn't call it a
serious problem."
Politics
Occasionally, lawmakers attempt to introduce legislation outlawing all prostitution in
Nevada. These efforts are typically supported by owners of casinos and other large
businesses, claiming that legalized prostitution harms the state's image. The Nevada
Brothel Owners' Association, led by George Flint, a retired Assemblies of God minister
from Reno, lobbies against these laws. Rural lawmakers normally oppose these laws as
well, despite the fact that legal brothel prostitution does not provide a significant amount of
income for counties.
One particularly colorful opponent of legalized prostitution in Nevada was John Reese.
Initially arguing on moral and religious grounds, he switched to health hazard tactics, but
had to back down in the face of a threatened libel suit. In 1994, he tried to get a license for
a gay brothel in a thinly veiled attempt to galvanize opposition against all brothels. Then in
1999 he staged his own kidnapping near the Mustang Ranch. His efforts to collect enough
signatures to repeal the prostitution laws have so far failed.
Organizations and individuals supporting the rights of prostitutes typically favor
deregulation and oppose Nevada-style regulation, mainly because of three reasons:
the licensing requirements create a permanent record which can lead to discrimination
later on;

 the large power difference between brothel owner and prostitute gives prostitutes very
little influence over their working conditions;
while prostitutes undergo legal and health background checks, their customers do not;
the regulations are thus designed to protect customers, not prostitutes.
However, some other organizations support Nevada style regulations. They argue that
under de-regulation, brothels would most likely exist anyway, but these unregulated
brothels would be without oversight and the restrictions placed on Nevada brothels.
Supporters of the regulated brothels claim that the regulations may help reduce pimpinghowever, this claim has been disputed, it has been said that most women from Nevada's
legal brothels are controlled by outside pimps, in fact brothel owners used to require the
women to have outside pimps (because the pimps were thought to make the prostitutes
work harder) according to author Alexa Albert.
Nevada politicians can (and generally do) play both sides of the prostitution dispute by
declaring that they are personally opposed to prostitution but feel it should be up to the
counties to decide. As almost three-quarters of the population of Nevada lives in a single
county (Clark County, where prostitution is illegal), county control over local matters is a
hot-button issue. Legislators from the northern counties will often reflexively oppose what
is seen as "meddling" from the majority in the south, and the legislators from the south
have been too divided on the issue to push through a state-wide ban.
Since 2003, Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman has repeatedly stated that he favors
legalization of prostitution in the city.
The brothel owner's organization, supported by Democratic State Senator Bob Coffin, has
been pushing for taxation of the brothels, to increase the industry's legitimacy. The
proposal, which would have instituted a $5 tax per act of prostitution, with the proceeds
partly being used for a sex worker counseling agency, was voted down in the Taxation
Committee in April 2009.
Current legislative position
The 2009 cycle of legislation advanced further than previous years, being reported out of
the Judiciary Committees in both houses and referred to the other chamber. The most
prominent proponent of criminalisation is Representative Joanne Giannini (D). She
introduced Bill H5044 into the House on January 8 2009 (co-sponsored by Reps. Coderre,
Melo, Gemma and Fellela), and it was referred to committee who considered it April 4 and
substituted the current text (Sub A) on April 30th. The House voted on this with
amendments on May 13th, and the bill passed to the Senate Committee on May 28th
where it remained till the Assembly recessed for the summer. In the Senate, a similar bill
was introduced by Senator Jabour on February 25th (co-sponsored by Senators O'Neill,
Lynch, Cote and Picard). The Judiciary Commitee conducted hearings on June 25th.
Statistics on prostitutes and customers
One 1990 study estimated the annual prevalence of full-time equivalent prostitutes in the
United States to be 23 per 100,000 population based on a capture-recapture study of

prostitutes found in Colorado Springs, CO, police and sexually transmitted diseases clinic
records between 1970 and 1988.
Among voluntary substance abuse program participants, 41.4% of women and 11.2% of
men reported selling prostitution services during the last year (March 2008).
In New Jersey, 57 percent of prostitutes are HIV-positive, and in Atlanta, 12 percent of
prostitutes are HIV-positive.
A 2004 TNS poll reported 15 percent of all men have paid for sex and 30 percent of single
men over age 30 have paid for sex.
Over 200 men answered ads placed in Chicago area sex service classifieds for in depth
interviews. Of these self-admitted "johns", 83% view buying sex as a form of addiction,
57% suspect that the women they paid were abused as children, and 40% said they are
usually intoxicated when they purchase sex.
Famous johns
Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) admitted to paying Steve Gobie for sex in 1989. The
House of Representatives voted to reprimand him.
Ted Arthur Haggard was leader of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). He
resigned or was removed after he admitted soliciting prostitute Mike Jones for homosexual
sex and methamphetamine.
Edward Nottingham was the former chief federal judge of Colorado. In August 2007,
Nottingham was exposed as having spent $3,000 at a strip club in 2005. His ex wife found
the credit card receipt and it, and related purchases, became public knowledge through his
divorce proceedings. In October 2008, Nottingham resigned after a prostitute filed an
affidavit with the 10th Circuit claiming that she asked him to lie to 10th Circuit investigators
about their weekly illegal sex sales from February 2003 through November 2004. Despite
this, he is a lawyer in private practice in good standing in Colorado.
Eliot Spitzer, former governor of New York, is known as a high payer. He reportedly paid
over $4,000 per prostitution encounter.
Randall L. Tobias resigned after confirming that he had been a customer of a Washington
escort service. Tobias, 65, was a director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and administrator of
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), had previously served as the
ambassador for the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief.
Louisiana Senator David Vitter was identified as a client of "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane
Palfrey's prostitution service in Washington, D.C. He is an outspoken conservative.
John Schools
John Schools are programs aimed at the purchasers of prostitution. In the first 12 years of
the still ongoing program, now called the First Offender Prostitution Program, the
recidivism rate amongst offenders was reduced from 8% to less than 5%. Since 1995,
similar programs have been implemented in more than 40 other communities throughout

the US, including Washington, DC, West Palm Beach, FL, Buffalo, NY, Los Angeles, CA,
and Brooklyn, NY.