iso2,country,topic,topic_label,core,status,status_label,penalty,max_penalty,summary,provisions,confidence,verified,note,source_ids,source_urls,profile_url
AF,Afghanistan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging,"Selling sex is sex outside marriage and so falls under zina, which the de facto courts punish with public flogging and imprisonment. UNAMA reports that all women and girls flogged between August 2021 and November 2022 had reportedly been convicted of zina, adultery or ""running away from home"".",,low,2026-10-30,"No statute or decree of the de facto authorities on prostitution could be opened, and UNAMA notes that the legal status of Republic-era laws is unknown. This entry relies on UNAMA's reporting of court practice.",af-unama-2023,https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/hr_brief_on_cpdp_03052023-_english_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/afghanistan/
AF,Afghanistan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging,The client commits zina in the same way as the seller. UNAMA has documented men and women flogged together after zina convictions by de facto courts.,,low,2026-10-30,Based on UNAMA's reporting of punishments for zina; no buyer-specific provision was found.,af-unama-2023,https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/hr_brief_on_cpdp_03052023-_english_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/afghanistan/
AF,Afghanistan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,No published rule specific to brothels under the de facto authorities was found. Any premises for commercial sex would involve zina and fall under the moral policing of the de facto Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.,,low,2026-10-30,No official text could be checked; this is an inference from the general zina prohibition and moral-oversight practice described by UNAMA.,af-unama-2023 | af-unama-2024,https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/hr_brief_on_cpdp_03052023-_english_0.pdf | https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/moral_oversight_report_english_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/afghanistan/
AF,Afghanistan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No published provision of the de facto authorities on procuring was found. Facilitating sex outside marriage is treated as an ""immoral act""; UNAMA reports that officials outside the courts, including vice-and-virtue officers and police, also lashed people, most commonly for zina and ""immoral acts"".",,low,2026-10-30,No official text could be checked.,af-unama-2023,https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/hr_brief_on_cpdp_03052023-_english_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/afghanistan/
AF,Afghanistan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,Offering sex for payment would be an offer to commit zina. The de facto Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice also imposes restrictions on media content. No rule specific to sexual-services advertising was found.,,low,2026-10-30,"The Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, reportedly approved by the Taliban leader in early 2024, had not been published when UNAMA's July 2024 report was written, and its text was not checked here.",af-unama-2024,https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/moral_oversight_report_english_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/afghanistan/
AL,Albania,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Engaging in prostitution (""ushtrimi i prostitucionit"") is a criminal offence punishable by a fine or up to three years' imprisonment.",neni 113 par. 1 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,al-kp,https://qbz.gov.al/preview/a2b117e6-69b2-4355-aa49-78967c31bf4d,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/albania/
AL,Albania,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Giving remuneration for prostitution for personal benefit is punishable by a fine or up to three years' imprisonment, the same as selling. The paragraph was added by Law No. 23/2012.",neni 113 par. 2 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,al-kp,https://qbz.gov.al/preview/a2b117e6-69b2-4355-aa49-78967c31bf4d,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/albania/
AL,Albania,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, operating, financing or renting out premises for prostitution is punishable by a fine or up to ten years' imprisonment.",neni 115 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,al-kp,https://qbz.gov.al/preview/a2b117e6-69b2-4355-aa49-78967c31bf4d,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/albania/
AL,Albania,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing, mediating or receiving remuneration for prostitution is punishable by two to five years; seven to fifteen years where committed against several people, by relatives or guardians, by abuse of office, jointly, repeatedly or by public officials. Exploiting the prostitution of minors is a separate offence since 2026.",neni 114 Kodi Penal | neni 114/a/1 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,al-kp,https://qbz.gov.al/preview/a2b117e6-69b2-4355-aa49-78967c31bf4d,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/albania/
AL,Albania,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the Criminal Code. Advertising on behalf of a third party may amount to inducement or mediation under Article 114; an adult advertising their own services would be evidence of the Article 113 offence.,neni 114 Kodi Penal,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a specific provision; media and electronic communications law was not reviewed.,al-kp,https://qbz.gov.al/preview/a2b117e6-69b2-4355-aa49-78967c31bf4d,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/albania/
DZ,Algeria,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 years,"The Penal Code does not make selling sex in private an offence, but publicly soliciting people of either sex to debauchery by gestures, words, writings or any other means is punishable by six months to two years and a fine of 1,000 to 20,000 dinars (Article 347).",Code pénal art. 347,low,2026-10-30,The Ministry of Justice legal portal (droit.mjustice.gov.dz) could not be reached; the text was read from an unofficial consolidation and a UNDP review. The UNDP review states that prostitution is illegal; how sex workers are prosecuted in practice was not checked.,dz-cp | dz-undp,https://www.algdz.com/fr/politique/lois-et-reglementations/code-penal | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/algeria-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/algeria/
DZ,Algeria,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes paying an adult for sex an offence, and consensual sex between unmarried adults is not criminalised. A married client may be prosecuted for adultery (one to two years) only on the complaint of the offended spouse (Article 339).",Code pénal art. 339,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation; the official text could not be opened.,dz-cp,https://www.algdz.com/fr/politique/lois-et-reglementations/code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/algeria/
DZ,Algeria,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who owns, manages, runs or finances a hotel, furnished house, bar, restaurant, club, dance hall or any place open to the public and habitually tolerates prostitution or the search for clients there faces two to five years and a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 dinars, loss of licence and closure for at least a year (Article 346). Tolerating habitual clandestine prostitution in private premises one controls carries two to five years (Article 348).",Code pénal art. 346 | Code pénal art. 348,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation; the official text could not be opened.,dz-cp | dz-undp,https://www.algdz.com/fr/politique/lois-et-reglementations/code-penal | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/algeria-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/algeria/
DZ,Algeria,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Article 343 punishes with two to five years anyone who knowingly aids, assists or protects another's prostitution, shares in its proceeds, lives with a person who habitually engages in it, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual relations with such persons, recruits a person even with consent, or acts as an intermediary. Aggravating circumstances (minors, coercion, several victims, among others) raise this to five to ten years (Article 344).",Code pénal art. 343 | Code pénal art. 344,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation; the official text could not be opened.,dz-cp | dz-undp,https://www.algdz.com/fr/politique/lois-et-reglementations/code-penal | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/algeria-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/algeria/
DZ,Algeria,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no specific advertising offence, but public soliciting ""by writings or any other means"" is punishable under Article 347, and aiding or protecting another's prostitution ""in any manner"" is procuring under Article 343(1).",Code pénal art. 343(1) | Code pénal art. 347,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation. Whether and how these provisions are applied to online advertisements or hosting sites was not checked.,dz-cp,https://www.algdz.com/fr/politique/lois-et-reglementations/code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/algeria/
AD,Andorra,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence for the person selling. The 2018 Public Security Law presents itself as incorporating a 'legal prohibition of prostitution', but its sanction falls only on the person who solicits or obtains paid sex. Any third-party help, venue or publicity is criminal.",Llei 30/2018 art. 31 | Codi penal arts. 150–152,high,2026-10-30,,ad-llei-30-2018 | ad-codi-penal | ad-3cat-2026,https://www.consellgeneral.ad/fitxers/documents/lleis-2018/llei-30-2018-qualificada-de-seguretat-publica | https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2005009 | https://www.3cat.cat/3catinfo/andorra-considerara-prostitucio-demanar-i-pagar-per-contingut-sexual-a-plataformes-com-onlyfans/noticia/3401254/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/andorra/
AD,Andorra,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"€1,000 fine","Soliciting or obtaining sexual relations from a person engaged in prostitution, even occasionally, in exchange for payment, a promise of payment or a benefit in kind is prohibited (Llei 30/2018 art. 31) and is a serious infringement (art. 51(h)), fined €501–1,000 (art. 53(2)).","Llei 30/2018 arts. 31, 51(h), 53(2) | Codi penal art. 154",high,2026-10-30,,ad-llei-30-2018 | ad-llei-30-2018-consolidated | ad-codi-penal,https://www.consellgeneral.ad/fitxers/documents/lleis-2018/llei-30-2018-qualificada-de-seguretat-publica | https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2018030 | https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2005009,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/andorra/
AD,Andorra,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who runs or finances a prostitution establishment faces three months to three years' imprisonment and disqualification from managing hotel, restaurant or leisure businesses for up to five years (Codi penal art. 150). Where the offender profits, a fine of up to €30,000, or three times the profit, is added (art. 153).","Codi penal arts. 150, 153",high,2026-10-30,,ad-codi-penal,https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2005009,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/andorra/
AD,Andorra,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Recruiting for prostitution, or promoting, facilitating or favouring another person's prostitution, is punishable by three months to three years (art. 151(1)), regardless of consent. Using violence, intimidation, deception or abuse of a position of need or dependence to make someone engage in prostitution carries two to five years (art. 152). Penalties rise for organised groups (art. 460).","Codi penal arts. 151, 152, 153, 157 bis, 460",medium,2026-10-30,"Cited from the government's unofficial consolidated text, which does not yet include the reform adopted on 15 July 2026; that reform may have amended this chapter.",ad-codi-penal,https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2005009,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/andorra/
AD,Andorra,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting, publicising, facilitating, disseminating or inciting prostitution through the media, the internet or other information technologies so that it becomes accessible to a large number of people is punished with the art. 151 penalty in its upper half (art. 151(2)). This covers ad sites and other online intermediaries.",Codi penal art. 151(2),medium,2026-10-30,Consolidated text predates the July 2026 reform; the new digital-facilitation offence is known only from press reports.,ad-codi-penal | ad-radiovalira-2026,https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2005009 | https://radiovalira.ad/2026/07/15/el-consell-general-eleva-ledat-de-consentiment-sexual-als-16-anys/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/andorra/
AO,Angola,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the 2020 Penal Code makes it an offence for an adult to sell sex. The general offence of sexual importuning (art. 191: explicit sexual proposals, exhibitionism or forced sexual contact; up to three years or a fine) is not specific to sex work.",Código Penal (Lei 38/20) arts. 189–191,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Diário da República text (I Série n.º 179, 11 November 2020) as hosted by Angola's Serviço de Investigação Criminal. Later amendments to the Code were not checked. Administrative or police practice (round-ups, municipal rules) was not reviewed.",ao-cp2020,https://sic.gov.ao/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Novo-Codigo-Penal-Angolano.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/angola/
AO,Angola,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no client offence for adults. An adult who has a sexual act with a minor in exchange for payment or other consideration commits an offence punishable by up to three years, or one to five years where there is penetration (art. 197).",Código Penal (Lei 38/20) art. 197,medium,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Diário da República text.,ao-cp2020,https://sic.gov.ao/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Novo-Codigo-Penal-Angolano.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/angola/
AO,Angola,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Running premises for prostitution is not an offence in its own right. It falls under lenocínio (art. 189) when the operator, for profit, exploits the economic need or particular vulnerability of the people working there, or coerces them by violence, threat or fraud. The penalty is one to eight years, or five to ten years if done as a profession.",Código Penal (Lei 38/20) art. 189,medium,2026-10-30,"Translation by the editors. How broadly courts read ""economic need"" is unknown; a wide reading would bring most commercial arrangements within the offence.",ao-cp2020,https://sic.gov.ao/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Novo-Codigo-Penal-Angolano.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/angola/
AO,Angola,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Profiting from another's prostitution is a crime only in exploitative or coercive forms. These are taking advantage of economic need or particular vulnerability, or using violence, threat or fraud (art. 189, one to eight years; five to ten as a profession). Luring or coercing a person into prostitution abroad, or facilitating it by transporting or lodging them, is sexual trafficking (art. 190, two to ten years).",Código Penal (Lei 38/20) arts. 189–190 | arts. 195–197 (minors),medium,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Diário da República text.,ao-cp2020,https://sic.gov.ao/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Novo-Codigo-Penal-Angolano.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/angola/
AO,Angola,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision of the Penal Code targets advertising sexual services by or for adults. An advert placed by a third party would be criminal only as part of an exploitative or coercive lenocínio (art. 189) or trafficking (art. 190) offence.,Código Penal (Lei 38/20) arts. 189–190,low,2026-10-30,"Based on a search of the Penal Code text for prostitution-related provisions; media, advertising and electronic-communications laws were not reviewed.",ao-cp2020,https://sic.gov.ao/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Novo-Codigo-Penal-Angolano.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/angola/
AG,Antigua and Barbuda,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,Selling sex in private is not an offence. Loitering or being in a public place for the purpose of prostitution or solicitation to the annoyance of the public carries up to two months; a 'common prostitute' behaving riotously or indecently in public carries up to six months; and soliciting 'in any place' for immoral purposes carries five years under the Sexual Offences Act.,"s. 41(3) and (5) Small Charges Act, Cap. 405 | s. 22(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act 1995",high,2026-10-30,The Small Charges (Amendment) Act 2024 added curfew-style loitering offences for children and did not amend s. 41.,ag-sca | ag-soa | ag-sca24,https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-405.pdf | https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1995-9.pdf | https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/No.-20-of-2024-Small-Charges-Amendment-Act-2024.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/
AG,Antigua and Barbuda,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found. A male person who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place for immoral purposes commits an offence (six months), which could reach clients.","s. 41(4) Small Charges Act, Cap. 405",medium,2026-10-30,Absence of an offence in the acts reviewed; the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act was not checked.,ag-sca | ag-soa,https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-405.pdf | https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1995-9.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/
AG,Antigua and Barbuda,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used carry a $10,000 fine and five years on summary conviction. The Small Charges Act separately penalises keeping a brothel (fine up to $1,000) and permitting premises to be used for habitual prostitution (six months).","s. 21 Sexual Offences Act 1995 | s. 19 Small Charges Act, Cap. 405 | s. 41(1) Small Charges Act, Cap. 405",medium,2026-10-30,The section number of the brothel offence was lost in the PDF text and is inferred from its position between ss. 20 and 22 and its marginal note 'Prohibition of brothel'.,ag-soa | ag-sca,https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1995-9.pdf | https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-405.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/
AG,Antigua and Barbuda,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, carries fifteen years. Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries five years, with a presumption against anyone living with or controlling a sex worker. A woman who controls a sex worker's movements for gain faces six months under the Small Charges Act.","s. 16(b)-(c) Sexual Offences Act 1995 | s. 22(1)(a) and (3) Sexual Offences Act 1995 | s. 41(2) Small Charges Act, Cap. 405",high,2026-10-30,,ag-soa | ag-sca,https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1995-9.pdf | https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-405.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/
AG,Antigua and Barbuda,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 22(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act applies 'in any place', and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.",s. 22 Sexual Offences Act 1995,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",ag-soa,https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1995-9.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/
AR,Argentina,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Selling sex is not a federal offence. Provincial and city contravention codes may sanction public soliciting; in Buenos Aires City, ostensibly offering sexual services in unauthorised public spaces carries one to five days' community work or a fine.","Código Contravencional CABA (Ley 1472), art. 97",high,2026-10-30,Only the Buenos Aires City code was checked; provincial and municipal codes differ.,ar-cp | ar-caba-1472,https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/15000-19999/16546/texact.htm | https://boletinoficialpdf.buenosaires.gob.ar/util/imagen.php?idn=62598&idf=3,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/argentina/
AR,Argentina,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Paying an adult for sex is not a federal offence. The Buenos Aires City code applies its public-space contravention to whoever ostensibly ""demands"" sexual services as well as to whoever offers them.","Código Contravencional CABA (Ley 1472), art. 97",high,2026-10-30,,ar-cp | ar-caba-1472,https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/15000-19999/16546/texact.htm | https://boletinoficialpdf.buenosaires.gob.ar/util/imagen.php?idn=62598&idf=3,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/argentina/
AR,Argentina,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Law 12.331 prohibits throughout the Republic the establishment of houses or premises where prostitution is practised or incited (art. 15). Those who keep, administer or run such houses, openly or covertly, are fined and, on a repeat offence, imprisoned for one to three years without suspension (art. 17).","Ley 12.331, arts. 15, 17 | Código Penal, arts. 125 bis, 127",medium,2026-10-30,The InfoLEG text consulted reproduces the original 1936 wording; whether and how later amendments (such as Decree-Law 10.638 of 1944) changed articles 15 and 17 was not traced.,ar-12331 | ar-cp,https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/190000-194999/194957/norma.htm | https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/15000-19999/16546/texact.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/argentina/
AR,Argentina,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting or facilitating the prostitution of a person carries four to six years, even with the person's consent; economically exploiting the exercise of another person's prostitution carries the same, also regardless of consent. Both rise to five to ten years with deception, violence, threats, abuse of a position of vulnerability or other aggravating circumstances, and ten to fifteen if the victim is under 18.","Código Penal, arts. 125 bis, 126, 127",high,2026-10-30,,ar-cp,https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/15000-19999/16546/texact.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/argentina/
AR,Argentina,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Decree 936 of 2011 prohibits, nationwide and by any medium, advertisements that promote the sexual offer or refer explicitly or implicitly to seeking people for the sex trade, including ads for lawful activities that are a disguise for these. A monitoring office in the Ministry of Justice checks print media and imposes or requests sanctions; the government's plain-language guide tells the public such ads are prohibited and can be reported.","Decreto 936/2011, arts. 1-4 | Código Contravencional CABA (Ley 1472), art. 96",medium,2026-10-30,The sanction scales in Resolutions 1180/2011 and 14/2011 were not read in the original. Whether the monitoring office is still active in 2026 could not be confirmed.,ar-936 | ar-936-ficha | ar-leysimple | ar-caba-1472,https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/180000-184999/184133/norma.htm | https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/verNorma.do?id=184133 | https://www.argentina.gob.ar/justicia/derechofacil/leysimple/trata-de-personas | https://boletinoficialpdf.buenosaires.gob.ar/util/imagen.php?idn=62598&idf=3,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/argentina/
AM,Armenia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,"Engaging in prostitution carries a fine of twenty times the minimum salary unit used for administrative fines, and forty times for a repeat within one year of a penalty. A person subjected to trafficking or exploitation is released from administrative liability for offences committed under coercion.",Art. 179.1 Code of Administrative Offences | Art. 21.1 Code of Administrative Offences,high,2026-10-30,"Read in the official English translation on ARLIS, updated to amendments of 3 July 2025. The fine in drams was not verified.",am-aoc-en,https://www.arlis.am/en/acts/224995,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/armenia/
AM,Armenia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence: Article 179.1 penalises engaging in prostitution, and the Criminal Code's prostitution offences target pimps, facilitators and those who exploit children.",Art. 179.1 Code of Administrative Offences | Arts. 298-299 ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգիրք,medium,2026-10-30,Inferred from the absence of any buyer offence in the texts read; the separate Criminal Code provisions on child prostitution were not reviewed.,am-aoc-en | am-cc,https://www.arlis.am/en/acts/224995 | https://www.arlis.am/hy/acts/153080,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/armenia/
AM,Armenia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Creating, managing or keeping an establishment for prostitution, using a public establishment for that purpose, or providing a flat, building, car or other dwelling for another person's prostitution is 'facilitating prostitution': a fine, 100 to 200 hours of community work, restriction of liberty up to two years, short-term detention or up to three years. Group or official abuse: up to five years; criminal organisation: three to six.",Art. 299 ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգիրք,high,2026-10-30,,am-cc,https://www.arlis.am/hy/acts/153080,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/armenia/
AM,Armenia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Pimping, meaning involving or inducing another person to engage in prostitution for gain or other base motives where the act is not trafficking or exploitation, carries a fine, 150 to 270 hours of community work, one to three years' restriction of liberty, short-term detention or two to five years. Against a pregnant woman or a dependant, by a group or by abuse of office: three to six years; by a criminal organisation: four to eight.",Art. 298 ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգիրք,high,2026-10-30,,am-cc,https://www.arlis.am/hy/acts/153080,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/armenia/
AM,Armenia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in the codes reviewed. The person selling sex commits the Article 179.1 offence whether or not they advertise; a third party who publishes adverts to induce or involve others could fall under Article 298 or 299 of the Criminal Code.,Art. 179.1 Code of Administrative Offences | Arts. 298-299 ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգիրք,low,2026-10-30,"The Law on Advertising was not checked, and applying Articles 298-299 to adverts or ad sites is our reading; no case law was found.",am-aoc-en | am-cc,https://www.arlis.am/en/acts/224995 | https://www.arlis.am/hy/acts/153080,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/armenia/
AU,Australia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Selling sex as an independent adult is lawful in every state and territory. What differs is how sex workers may work: alone or with others, from which premises, and whether they may solicit in public. In South Australia the broad statutory definition of a brothel may reach a worker's own premises. Western Australia makes acting as a sex worker an offence only for children, declared drug traffickers and people with specified convictions.",s 3 Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT) | s 14 Prostitution Act 2000 (WA) | s 3 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas),high,2026-10-30,,nt-sia-2019-pdf | qld-dsw-act-2024 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | tas-sioa-2005 | act-swa-1992,https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Paying for sex is not an offence in most of Australia. Tasmania is the exception: knowingly receiving sexual services from a commercial sexual services business is an offence (up to 1 year), though buying from a self-employed sex worker is not. Clients can also commit street-soliciting offences in NSW, the ACT, WA and Tasmania, and Victoria's time-and-place soliciting offence covers anyone.",s 5 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas) | s 19A Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) | s 19 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | s 5 Prostitution Act 2000 (WA) | s 217A Criminal Code (Qld),high,2026-10-30,,tas-sioa-2005 | nsw-soa-1988 | act-swa-1992 | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | qld-dsw-act-2024,https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042 | https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Brothels are lawful businesses in NSW (subject to development consent), Victoria and Queensland (no licence since 2023 and 2024), the NT (operators of businesses with three or more workers need a suitability certificate) and the ACT (registration and prescribed locations). Keeping or managing a brothel is a criminal offence in Western Australia and South Australia, and operating a commercial sexual services business is one in Tasmania (up to 8 years).","ss 16-17 Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) | s 37A Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) | s 18 Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT) | ss 12-18 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | s 190 Criminal Code (WA) | ss 27-29 Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) | ss 4, 16 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas)",high,2026-10-30,,nsw-soa-1988 | nsw-ps-07-017 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | qld-dsw-act-2024 | nt-sia-2019-pdf | act-swa-1992 | wa-criminal-code | sa-soa-1953 | tas-sioa-2005,https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/planning-circular-ps-07-017-commencement-of-brothels-act-2007.pdf | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a196.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"In the four decriminalised jurisdictions sex workers may share premises; Queensland's 2024 reform specifically repealed the offences that stopped them working together. In the ACT two or more workers at one place make it a brothel that must be in a prescribed location and, if commercial, registered. Tasmania allows two self-employed sex workers to work together. In WA and SA shared premises can fall within the brothel offences.",s 18 and Dictionary Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | s 3 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas) | s 190 Criminal Code (WA) | s 27 Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA),medium,2026-10-30,Whether a single sex worker's own premises can be a 'brothel' under South Australian law depends on case law that was not reviewed.,act-swa-1992 | tas-sioa-2005 | wa-criminal-code | sa-soa-1953 | qld-statement-2024,https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042 | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a196.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100231,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Coercing someone into sex work or into handing over earnings is an offence everywhere. Living on the earnings of another person's prostitution is still an offence in Western Australia and South Australia; elsewhere managers and employers are lawful if they do not coerce. Commonwealth trafficking, slavery, servitude and deceptive recruiting offences (Criminal Code Divisions 270-271) apply nationwide.","s 15A Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) | s 218 Criminal Code (Qld) | ss 10-11 Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT) | s 17 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | ss 190-191 Criminal Code (WA) | ss 25A, 26 Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) | ss 4, 7 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas) | Divs 270-271 Criminal Code (Cth)",high,2026-10-30,,nsw-soa-1988 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | qld-dsw-act-2024 | nt-sia-2019-pdf | act-swa-1992 | wa-criminal-code | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | sa-soa-1953 | tas-sioa-2005 | cth-criminal-code,https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a196.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042 | https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04868/latest/text/2,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Rules range from none to a near-total ban. New South Wales makes it an offence to publish an advertisement indicating that a person is available for prostitution (s 18) or seeking sex workers (s 18A). Victoria requires advertisements to comply with regulations; the NT limits newspaper, TV and radio advertising to what regulations allow; WA, SA and the NT ban recruitment advertising. Queensland, the ACT and Tasmania have no sex-work-specific advertising offence in force.","ss 18, 18A Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) | ss 38F, 39 Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) | s 15 Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT) | ss 9-10 Prostitution Act 2000 (WA) | s 25A Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) | s 32 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT)",medium,2026-10-30,How often the NSW s 18 offence is enforced against individual sex workers' online advertisements was not found in official data. The content of any Victorian advertising regulations made under s 39 and any ACT regulations under s 32 was not checked.,nsw-soa-1988 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | nt-sia-2019-pdf | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | sa-soa-1953 | qld-prostitution-act-1999 | qld-dsw-act-2024 | act-swa-1992 | tas-sioa-2005,https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/repealed/current/act-1999-073 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,varies,Varies by region,,,"No Australian law targets adult advertising websites as such. NSW's s 18 covers anyone who publishes or causes to be published an advertisement for prostitution, without excluding online publishers. Commonwealth law limits that exposure: s 235 Online Safety Act 2021 overrides state laws that would make an Australian hosting provider liable for content it was not aware of, or require it to monitor content. eSafety can issue notices for sexually explicit (class 2) material.",s 235 Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) | s 107 Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) | ss 119-120 Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) | s 18 Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW),medium,2026-10-30,How s 235 interacts with the NSW advertising offence has not been tested in a reported case found during this review. The industry codes registered under the Online Safety Act were not reviewed.,cth-osa-2021 | nsw-soa-1988 | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | sa-soa-1953 | qld-dsw-act-2024,https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2021A00076/latest/text | https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Street-based sex work is largely lawful in Queensland, Victoria, the NT and NSW, with place-based exceptions: in NSW near dwellings, schools, churches and hospitals; in Victoria near schools and children's services from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and near places of worship. Soliciting or loitering in a public place is an offence in the ACT, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.","ss 19-20 Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) | s 38B Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) | s 19 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | ss 5-6, 24 Prostitution Act 2000 (WA) | s 25 Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) | s 8 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas)",high,2026-10-30,,nsw-soa-1988 | vic-swda-2022-asmade | qld-legal-aid | nt-sia-2019-pdf | act-swa-1992 | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | sa-soa-1953 | tas-sioa-2005,https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Find-legal-information/Relationships-and-children/Relationships/Sex-and-the-law/Sex-work-and-the-law | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953 | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,,,"Individual sex workers do not register anywhere in Australia, and none of the statutes reviewed requires routine STI testing. Business-level controls remain in the ACT (registration of commercial brothels and escort agencies with the Commissioner for Fair Trading) and the NT (suitability certificates for operators of businesses with three or more sex workers). Victoria's and Queensland's licensing systems were abolished in 2023 and 2024.","ss 11-16, 26-27 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | ss 18-22 Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT) | s 8 Prostitution Act 2000 (WA) | s 12 Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas)",high,2026-10-30,,act-swa-1992 | nt-sia-2019-pdf | vic-swda-2022-asmade | qld-dsw-act-2024 | qld-legal-aid | nsw-ps-07-017 | wa-prostitution-act-2000 | tas-sioa-2005,https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Find-legal-information/Relationships-and-children/Relationships/Sex-and-the-law/Sex-work-and-the-law | https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/planning-circular-ps-07-017-commencement-of-brothels-act-2007.pdf | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,,,"There is no sex-work-specific tax regime. Income from sex work is taxed under general Commonwealth income tax and GST law like other business or employment income. The NT Sex Industry Act states as an object that the industry should operate under the laws that apply to businesses generally, including taxation.",s 3(e) Sex Industry Act 2019 (NT),medium,2026-10-30,No Australian Taxation Office guidance specific to sex work was opened for this review; the statement that general tax law applies rests on the absence of any special regime in the statutes reviewed.,nt-sia-2019-pdf | qld-legal-aid,https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378 | https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Find-legal-information/Relationships-and-children/Relationships/Sex-and-the-law/Sex-work-and-the-law,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AU,Australia,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,legal,Legal,,,"No Commonwealth or state statute reviewed bars visa holders from sex work in the way New Zealand's s 19 does. Where sex work is lawful, a migrant's ability to do it depends on the general work conditions attached to their visa. The 2025 US Trafficking in Persons report says some police assumed women who migrated to work in commercial sex could not be trafficking victims.",Divs 270-271 Criminal Code (Cth) | s 6 Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT) | s 7(2)(f) Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 (Tas),low,2026-10-30,"The Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994 were not reviewed, so the absence of a sex-work-specific visa rule is inferred from the statutes and reports reviewed, not confirmed against migration law.",cth-criminal-code | act-swa-1992 | tas-sioa-2005 | us-tip-2025-au,https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04868/latest/text/2 | https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/ | https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042 | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/australia/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/australia/
AT,Austria,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Legal for adults in all Länder, but only in the places and forms the Land law allows, usually approved brothels; some Länder also allow house visits or street-based work in permitted zones. Sex workers must have a health check before starting and every six weeks (a blood test every twelve weeks), are liable to income tax and are insured as self-employed. Working outside the permitted places is an administrative offence.","§§ 4, 5, 9, 17 Wiener Prostitutionsgesetz 2011 | §§ 4, 5, 18 Vorarlberger Sittenpolizeigesetz | § 3 Abs. 3 Oö. Sexualdienstleistungsgesetz",high,2026-10-30,,at-bka-2024 | at-wpg | at-vbg-spg | at-ooe-sdlg | at-ogh-2012,https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrW&Gesetzesnummer=20000170 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrVbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000263 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=LrOO&Gesetzesnummer=20000696&Paragraf=3 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokument.wxe?Abfrage=Justiz&Dokumentnummer=JJT_20120418_OGH0002_0030OB00045_12G0000_000,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/austria/
AT,Austria,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,Vienna: €500 fine,"Paying an adult for sex is not a crime. Vienna and Tyrol fine clients who seek services in places where prostitution is banned, such as outside the permitted street zones. Under federal criminal law, a client who exploits a person's coercion commits § 205a StGB, and paying for sex with a person under 18 is a crime.","§ 16, § 17 Abs. 3 Wiener Prostitutionsgesetz 2011 | § 205a StGB",high,2026-10-30,,at-wpg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrW&Gesetzesnummer=20000170 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/austria/
AT,Austria,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Brothels are legal if approved under the Land law; the conditions (location away from residential areas and protected sites, operator reliability, a separate entrance) differ by Land. Running unapproved premises is an administrative offence. Escort agencies that openly arrange sexual services are not permitted under any Land law; an approved brothel may arrange services delivered on its premises or, where allowed, at the client's home. Vorarlberg has never approved a brothel.","§§ 6-8, 17 Abs. 2 Wiener Prostitutionsgesetz 2011 | §§ 5-11 Vorarlberger Sittenpolizeigesetz",high,2026-10-30,,at-wpg | at-vbg-spg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrW&Gesetzesnummer=20000170 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrVbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000263 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/austria/
AT,Austria,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Profiting from another person's prostitution is a crime when it exploits that person with the aim of a regular income (Zuhälterei, § 216 StGB: up to two years; up to three years for intimidation, dictating the terms of work or exploiting several people). Bringing a person into prostitution (§ 215) and cross-border recruitment (§ 217) are separate offences. Operating an approved brothel is not in itself procuring.",§ 215 StGB | § 216 StGB | § 217 StGB,high,2026-10-30,,at-stgb-215 | at-stgb-216 | at-stgb-217 | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10002296&Paragraf=215 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10002296&Paragraf=216 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10002296&Paragraf=217 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/austria/
AT,Austria,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"No federal law bans advertising sexual services. The Land laws differ, using vague terms such as advertising that is intrusive or offends moral sensibilities, bans near schools, rules on brothel signs, and in Vorarlberg a ban on brothel advertising installations. Vienna and Upper Austria ban advertising unsafe-sex practices. The Land laws do not expressly regulate internet advertising, and no rule on ad-site liability was found.","§ 10 Abs. 2, § 17 Abs. 4a Wiener Prostitutionsgesetz 2011 | § 3 Abs. 3 Z 4-5 Oö. Sexualdienstleistungsgesetz | § 11 Abs. 1 Vorarlberger Sittenpolizeigesetz",high,2026-10-30,,at-wpg | at-ooe-sdlg | at-vbg-spg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrW&Gesetzesnummer=20000170 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=LrOO&Gesetzesnummer=20000696&Paragraf=3 | https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrVbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000263 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/austria/
AZ,Azerbaijan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,AZN 500 fine,"Engaging in prostitution (fahişəliklə məşğul olma) is an administrative offence punished by a fine of AZN 100. Since an amendment published in January 2026, making open calls to engage in prostitution online, or a prostitution-related deal in public view, is fined AZN 500.",Art. 524.1 İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi | Art. 524.2 İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi,high,2026-10-30,Read on the official e-qanun.az portal (consolidated text). Our translation of Article 524.2; the original wording is in the advertising topic.,az-ixm,https://e-qanun.az/framework/46960,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/azerbaijan/
AZ,Azerbaijan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes paying for sex with an adult an offence. Article 524 targets engaging in prostitution; whether the 'deal' limb of Article 524.2 could reach a client making an arrangement in public view has not, as far as we found, been tested.",Art. 524 İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi,medium,2026-10-30,Inferred from the absence of a buyer offence in the codes read; no enforcement data found.,az-ixm,https://e-qanun.az/framework/46960,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/azerbaijan/
AZ,Azerbaijan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping dens of debauchery for prostitution, or providing dwellings for that purpose, carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 400 to 480 hours of community work, correctional work up to two years or up to three years' imprisonment. Repeat offences or those by a group or organised group carry three to six years.",Art. 244 Cinayət Məcəlləsi,high,2026-10-30,,az-cm,https://e-qanun.az/framework/46947,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/azerbaijan/
AZ,Azerbaijan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Involving a person in prostitution for income or other benefit carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 320 to 480 hours of community work or one to three years; exploiting a person's helplessness or impairments, or acting as an organised group, three to six years. Involving a minor in prostitution carries three to six years, four to eight in aggravated cases.",Art. 243 Cinayət Məcəlləsi | Art. 171 Cinayət Məcəlləsi,high,2026-10-30,,az-cm,https://e-qanun.az/framework/46947,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/azerbaijan/
AZ,Azerbaijan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Since an amendment published in January 2026, open calls to engage in prostitution made through internet information resources or information and telecommunication networks are an administrative offence fined AZN 500. The Law on Advertising also bans advertising goods and actions that harm consumers' morality or physical and psychological health.",Art. 524.2 İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi | Art. 11.1 Reklam haqqında Qanun,medium,2026-10-30,Article 524.2 is read from the official text; platform liability and the reach of the Law on Advertising are not established.,az-ixm | az-reklam,https://e-qanun.az/framework/46960 | https://president.az/az/articles/view/15859,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/azerbaijan/
BS,Bahamas,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: BSD 150 fine,Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who loiters or wanders about and importunes any passenger for the purposes of prostitution is liable to a $150 penalty. Persistently soliciting or importuning in a public place for immoral purposes is an offence under both the Penal Code (six months) and the Sexual Offences Act (five years).,"s. 212(13) Penal Code, Ch. 84 | s. 138(2) Penal Code, Ch. 84 | s. 8(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 99",high,2026-10-30,The two persistent-soliciting provisions overlap with different maximum penalties; which one prosecutors use was not researched.,bs-penal | bs-soa,https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1873/1873-0015/1873-0015_2.pdf | https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1991/1991-0009/1991-0009_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahamas/
BS,Bahamas,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found in the Penal Code or the Sexual Offences Act. The persistent-soliciting offences are not limited to sellers and could reach a client who importunes in public.,"s. 138(2) Penal Code, Ch. 84 | s. 8(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 99",medium,2026-10-30,"Absence of an offence in the two acts reviewed; other legislation, such as the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention and Suppression) Act, was not checked.",bs-penal | bs-soa,https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1873/1873-0015/1873-0015_2.pdf | https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1991/1991-0009/1991-0009_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahamas/
BS,Bahamas,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are offences: a $150 penalty or three months, $500 or six months on a second conviction and $1,000 or twelve months on a third, plus a possible good-behaviour recognisance.","s. 137 Penal Code, Ch. 84 | s. 42 Penal Code, Ch. 84 (search warrant) | s. 45 Penal Code, Ch. 84 (assignment of lease)",high,2026-10-30,,bs-penal,https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1873/1873-0015/1873-0015_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahamas/
BS,Bahamas,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure a person, 'whether by electronic means or otherwise', to become a 'common prostitute' or to leave home or The Bahamas to frequent a brothel carries fifteen years. Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries five years under the Sexual Offences Act (six months under the Penal Code), with a statutory presumption against anyone who lives with a sex worker or controls their movements.","s. 7(a)(ii)-(iv) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 99 | s. 8(1)(a) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 99 | s. 138(1) Penal Code, Ch. 84 | s. 43 Penal Code, Ch. 84",high,2026-10-30,,bs-soa | bs-penal,https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1991/1991-0009/1991-0009_2.pdf | https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1873/1873-0015/1873-0015_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahamas/
BS,Bahamas,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The procuration offence in s. 7 of the Sexual Offences Act expressly covers procuring 'by electronic means', which could reach online recruitment of sex workers, and the brothel and living-on-earnings offences could apply to a third party who profits from advertising others.","s. 7 Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 99",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",bs-soa,https://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1991/1991-0009/1991-0009_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahamas/
BH,Bahrain,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 5 years,"Every person, male or female, who relies wholly or partly for a livelihood on earnings from prostitution or immorality is liable to up to five years' imprisonment (Art. 326(1)). On detection, the police refer the person for a medical examination, and someone found to have a venereal disease is ordered into a medical institution until recovery (Art. 330).",Art. 326(1) Penal Code | Art. 330 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,Wording from the English version published by the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission; the Arabic text is authoritative.,bh-penal,https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/id/L1576,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahrain/
BH,Bahrain,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code targets clients, and consensual sex with a woman aged 21 or over is not itself an offence (Art. 345 covers ages 14 to 21). A married client may commit adultery, which carries up to two years (Art. 316).",Art. 316 Penal Code | Art. 345 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Whether clients have been prosecuted as accomplices, for example for 'assisting' prostitution under Art. 324, or under other laws, was not checked.",bh-penal,https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/id/L1576,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahrain/
BH,Bahrain,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Establishing or running premises for immorality or prostitution, or assisting in any way in doing so, carries two to five years' imprisonment. The court orders the premises closed and the property and furniture in them confiscated. Premises count if they are normally used for others to engage in prostitution.",Art. 328 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,,bh-penal,https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/id/L1576,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahrain/
BH,Bahrain,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Enticing a person into prostitution or assisting in it carries imprisonment, up to five years if the victim is under 18 (Art. 324). Inducing prostitution by coercion, threats or deception carries five to seven years, seven to ten under 18 (Art. 325). Living off another's prostitution through influence, or protecting a person engaged in it in return for a benefit, carries up to five years (Art. 326(2)-(3)).",Art. 324 Penal Code | Art. 325 Penal Code | Art. 326 Penal Code | Art. 327 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,,bh-penal,https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/id/L1576,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahrain/
BH,Bahrain,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Soliciting another person in a public place to immorality or prostitution carries up to two years' imprisonment, and every notice containing an invitation implying a temptation to prostitution, or drawing attention to it, counts as soliciting (Art. 329). Inciting passers-by to debauchery on a public road carries three to six months and/or a fine of BHD 100 to 1,000 (Art. 354, as replaced in 2025).",Art. 329 Penal Code | Art. 354 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"How Article 329(2) on notices applies to online ads, and whether it requires a public place, was not checked against case law; Bahrain's cybercrime legislation was not checked.",bh-penal | bh-law25-2025,https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/id/L1576 | https://lloc.gov.bh/Legislation/HTM/K2525,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bahrain/
BD,Bangladesh,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 years,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Attracting attention for the purpose of prostitution ""in any street or public place or from within any house or building"", by words, gestures or indecent exposure, is punishable by up to three years' rigorous imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 taka, or both.",s. 13 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012 | art. 18(2) Constitution,high,2026-10-30,,bd-tip-2012 | bd-bsehr-2000,https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1028974/1930_1413966465_543f75664.pdf | https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/case-law/bgd/2000/bangladesh_society_for_the_enforcement_of_human_rights_bsehr_and_ors_v__government_of_bangladesh_and_ors_html/Bangladesh_Society_for_the_Enforcement_of_Human_Rights_versus_Government_of_Bangladesh_and_Others_-_Judgment.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bangladesh/
BD,Bangladesh,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. Buying or hiring a girl under 18 for prostitution is an offence under section 373 of the Penal Code, and trafficking offences under the 2012 Act apply where force, fraud or deception are involved.",s. 373 Penal Code 1860,medium,2026-10-30,Absence of a buyer offence is inferred from the 2012 Act and the High Court's 2000 review of the applicable law; the Penal Code was not read on the official portal (bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd did not respond).,bd-tip-2012 | bd-bsehr-2000,https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1028974/1930_1413966465_543f75664.pdf | https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/case-law/bgd/2000/bangladesh_society_for_the_enforcement_of_human_rights_bsehr_and_ors_v__government_of_bangladesh_and_ors_html/Bangladesh_Society_for_the_Enforcement_of_Human_Rights_versus_Government_of_Bangladesh_and_Others_-_Judgment.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bangladesh/
BD,Bangladesh,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or actively assisting in managing a brothel, or knowingly letting a house or land be used as one, carries three to five years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of at least 20,000 taka. A brothel is ""any house, place or structure used for the purpose of prostitution"". Large brothel districts such as Daulatdia nevertheless operate openly.",s. 2(9) Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012 | s. 12 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012,high,2026-10-30,"How the 2012 brothel offence is reconciled with the tolerated brothel districts was not found in any official source. The High Court's 2000 judgment predates the 2012 Act and described enrolment with the local administration under the 1933 Act, since repealed.",bd-tip-2012 | bd-bsehr-2000,https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1028974/1930_1413966465_543f75664.pdf | https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/case-law/bgd/2000/bangladesh_society_for_the_enforcement_of_human_rights_bsehr_and_ors_v__government_of_bangladesh_and_ors_html/Bangladesh_Society_for_the_Enforcement_of_Human_Rights_versus_Government_of_Bangladesh_and_Others_-_Judgment.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bangladesh/
BD,Bangladesh,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Bringing a person into Bangladesh, or moving a person within it, for prostitution or other sexual exploitation by force, fraud or seduction carries five to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of at least 50,000 taka. Managing or assisting in the management of a brothel is separately punished. Human trafficking carries five years to life.",s. 11 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012 | s. 12 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012,medium,2026-10-30,"No general offence of living on another person's earnings from prostitution was found in the 2012 Act, which repealed the 1933 Act that contained one. Whether consensual adult third-party arrangements outside a brothel are prosecuted was not established.",bd-tip-2012,https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1028974/1930_1413966465_543f75664.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bangladesh/
BD,Bangladesh,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Attracting another person's attention for the purpose of prostitution by words, gestures or indecent exposure, in a street or public place or from inside a building, is an offence carrying up to three years' imprisonment or a fine. No offence specific to printed or online advertising was found.",s. 13 Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012,low,2026-10-30,Whether section 13 reaches online advertisements is untested in the sources found. Pornography and cyber laws were not checked because the official legislation portal did not respond.,bd-tip-2012,https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1028974/1930_1413966465_543f75664.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bangladesh/
BB,Barbados,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,immoral soliciting: 5 years,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who 'in any place solicits for immoral purposes' is liable on summary conviction to a $5,000 fine or five years, or both.","s. 19(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Law Revision edition of Cap. 154 on the Barbados Law Courts site (pages dated L.R.O. 1993/2002); later amendments to the Act were not checked. The Minor Offences Act was not checked for street offences, and how courts read 'immoral purposes' was not researched.",bb-soa,https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/SexualOffencesCAP154.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/barbados/
BB,Barbados,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found in the Sexual Offences Act. The soliciting offence in s. 19(1)(b) is not limited to sellers.,"s. 19(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Law Revision edition of Cap. 154 on the Barbados Law Courts site (pages dated L.R.O. 1993/2002); later amendments to the Act were not checked.,bb-soa,https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/SexualOffencesCAP154.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/barbados/
BB,Barbados,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are punishable on summary conviction by five years or a $5,000 fine, or both.","s. 18 Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Law Revision edition of Cap. 154 on the Barbados Law Courts site (pages dated L.R.O. 1993/2002); later amendments to the Act were not checked.,bb-soa,https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/SexualOffencesCAP154.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/barbados/
BB,Barbados,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, carries fifteen years on indictment. Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution carries a $5,000 fine or five years, with a presumption against anyone living with or controlling a sex worker; controlling a sex worker's movements for gain carries five years.","s. 13(b)-(c) Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154 | s. 19(1)(a) and (3) Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154 | s. 20 Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Law Revision edition of Cap. 154 on the Barbados Law Courts site (pages dated L.R.O. 1993/2002); later amendments to the Act were not checked.,bb-soa,https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/SexualOffencesCAP154.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/barbados/
BB,Barbados,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 19(1)(b) applies 'in any place', and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.","s. 19 Sexual Offences Act, Cap. 154",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",bb-soa,https://www.barbadoslawcourts.gov.bb/assets/content/pdfs/statutes/SexualOffencesCAP154.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/barbados/
BY,Belarus,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,up to 15 days,"Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of 6 to 20 base units, community work or administrative arrest; a repeat within a year after a penalty is punishable by 20 to 30 base units, community work or arrest.",ст. 19.5 КоАП,high,2026-10-30,,by-koap,https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=HK2100091,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belarus/
BY,Belarus,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence; the administrative offence in Article 19.5 targets the person engaging in prostitution, and no offence directed at buyers was found in the Code of Administrative Offences.",,high,2026-10-30,,by-koap,https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=HK2100091,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belarus/
BY,Belarus,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly providing premises for prostitution for gain, or organising or keeping a den for prostitution, is punishable by two to five years' restriction of liberty or three to five years' imprisonment with a fine; five to ten years in aggravated cases.",ст. 171 УК,high,2026-10-30,,by-uk,https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=hk9900275,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belarus/
BY,Belarus,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or using another person's prostitution, defined as deriving material or other benefit from another person's voluntary provision of sexual services, carries the same penalty as brothel keeping. Drawing a person into prostitution or compelling them to continue is punishable by arrest, restriction of liberty of up to three years or one to three years' imprisonment with a fine.",ст. 171 УК (примечание) | ст. 171-1 УК,high,2026-10-30,,by-uk,https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=hk9900275,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belarus/
BY,Belarus,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"The Law on Advertising prohibits advertising sexual services, including under the guise of psychological help, companionship, relaxation, massage or other lawful activity, and advertising aimed at drawing people into providing sexual services. Breaches of advertising law are administrative offences carrying fines for advertisers, producers and distributors of ads.",ст. 10 Закона «О рекламе» | ст. 13.9 КоАП,high,2026-10-30,The prohibition sits in the general requirements for advertising (Article 10); the paragraph number was not identified. Application to foreign websites was not checked.,by-ad | by-koap,https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=h10700225 | https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=HK2100091,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belarus/
BE,Belgium,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling sexual services as an adult is not an offence. The 2022 reform repealed the old Criminal Code articles on prostitution (articles 379 to 382bis and related provisions). It replaced them with a chapter that criminalises only the abuse of prostitution by third parties.,"Law of 21 March 2022, art. 117 (repeal of arts. 379–382bis Code pénal 1867) | Arts. 265–272 Code pénal (2024)",high,2026-10-30,,be-law-2022 | be-cp-book2 | be-hausman-2023 | be-antwerp-rules | be-cp-1867,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2022/03/21/2022031330/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://research.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/095331f6-0873-439c-bf35-8a7268cd0a58/content | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1867060801&table_name=loi,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sexual services is not an offence. Belgium has no purchase ban. Paying a minor, or giving a minor any material benefit in exchange for sex, is always a criminal offence.",Arts. 265–272 Code pénal (2024): no client offence for adults,high,2026-10-30,,be-cp-book2 | be-antwerp-rules | be-antwerp-forms,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,It is procuring to organise another person's prostitution for gain 'except in the cases provided for by law'. Since 1 December 2024 the law of 3 May 2024 supplies that exception: a legal person recognised by the Ministers of Justice and Work may employ sex workers on a sex worker employment contract. Renting rooms or windows is an offence only if it yields an abnormal advantage.,"Art. 265 Code pénal (2024), formerly art. 433quater/1 Code pénal (1867) | Arts. 268, 270–271/1 Code pénal (2024) (art. 269 repealed by the law of 16 March 2026) | Law of 3 May 2024, arts. 11–19 | Social Penal Code arts. 122/3, 136/2, 177 §3, 186/2 (as amended in 2024)",high,2026-10-30,,be-cp-book2 | be-cp-1867 | be-cp-book1 | be-labour-2024 | be-fod-2025 | be-hausman-2023 | be-antwerp-rules | be-law-2026-03-16 | be-decimes-1952 | be-vrt-2025,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1867060801&table_name=loi | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=2024022909&table_name=loi | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/05/03/2024202750/justel | https://werk.belgie.be/nl/blog/inwerkingtreding-van-de-wet-van-3-mei-2024-houdende-bepalingen-betreffende-sekswerk-onder | https://research.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/095331f6-0873-439c-bf35-8a7268cd0a58/content | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2026/03/25_1.pdf | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1952030530&table_name=loi | https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2025/11/27/het-oudste-beroep-ter-wereld-kiest-er-niet-voor-om-als-loontrekk/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision forbids adult sex workers from working together or sharing premises. The procuring offence requires organising someone else's prostitution for gain, or obtaining an abnormal advantage. Local planning and nuisance rules still apply, for example Antwerp's conditions on home-based prostitution.",Art. 265 Code pénal (2024),medium,2026-10-30,Neither the statute nor any case law we found addresses shared premises directly. The status is inferred from the elements of the procuring offence.,be-cp-book2 | be-antwerp-rules | be-antwerp-forms,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Procuring remains a crime: organising another adult's prostitution for gain, outside a recognised employment relationship; facilitating prostitution for an abnormal advantage; or obstructing exit. Since 1 September 2026 the penalty is level 3 (more than 3 to 5 years) and the judge may add a fine of up to €200,000 per victim. Third parties who provide normal services at normal prices (landlords, accountants, drivers) are not covered.",Art. 265 Code pénal (2024) | Art. 268 Code pénal (2024) (aggravated abuse) | Formerly arts. 433quater/1 and 433quater/4 Code pénal (1867),high,2026-10-30,,be-cp-book2 | be-cp-1867 | be-cp-book1 | be-hausman-2023,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1867060801&table_name=loi | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=2024022909&table_name=loi | https://research.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/095331f6-0873-439c-bf35-8a7268cd0a58/content,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Advertising the prostitution of an adult is an offence, except for an adult's own ads behind a window in a dedicated venue or on a dedicated platform, medium or section, and for dedicated platforms that meet the royal decree of 18 May 2024. According to the decree's report, venues may also advertise on such platforms. Since 1 September 2026 the penalty is level 1 (a fine of €200 to €20,000, community service or probation).","Art. 266 Code pénal (2024), formerly art. 433quater/2 Code pénal (1867) | Art. 267 Code pénal (2024) (public incitement), formerly art. 433quater/3 | Art. 166 Code pénal (2024) (minors) | Arrêté royal du 18 mai 2024 portant exécution de l'article 433quater/2 du Code pénal | Art. 36 Code pénal (2024) (penalty levels)",high,2026-10-30,"The commentary on social-network ads, and the reading that third parties such as brothel managers may advertise on compliant dedicated platforms, come from the government's report to the King, not from the statute. No court decision on either was found. The consolidated Justel text of art. 266 (updated to 2 April 2026) does not reproduce two amendments the law of 15 May 2024 made to art. 433quater/2: the words 'at least, but not only' before the reporting duty, and the paragraph listing the personal data that platforms process and keep for up to three years. Neither law of 16 March 2026 nor the harmonisation law of 3 March 2026 amends art. 266, so the 2024 additions appear to have been lost in the recodification.",be-cp-book2 | be-cp-1867 | be-cp-book1 | be-law-2022 | be-ar-2024 | be-antwerp-rules | be-hausman-2023 | be-law-2026-03-16 | be-law-2026-03-16-decimes | be-law-2026-03-03,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1867060801&table_name=loi | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=2024022909&table_name=loi | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2022/03/21/2022031330/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=fr&caller=summary&pub_date=2024-06-13&numac=2024005196 | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://research.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/095331f6-0873-439c-bf35-8a7268cd0a58/content | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2026/03/25_1.pdf | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2026/04/01_1.pdf | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2026/03/10_1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"A website that publishes prostitution ads is exempt from the advertising ban only if it, or the section carrying the ads, is specifically dedicated to prostitution and meets the royal decree of 18 May 2024. The decree requires checking each advertiser's identity and age, showing safety and anti-trafficking information, reporting suspected abuse without delay, a contact point for police in Belgium, and keeping account and ad data for three years. Other hosts fall under the advertising offence.","Art. 266 §2 Code pénal (2024), formerly art. 433quater/2 §2 | Arrêté royal du 18 mai 2024, arts. 1–11 | Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (DSA)",high,2026-10-30,"The decree was adopted to implement art. 433quater/2 of the 1867 Code. Since 1 September 2026 the provision is art. 266 of the new Code. The decree still refers to art. 433quater/2. The harmonisation law of 3 March 2026 does not update that reference, but art. 266 keeps the same delegation to the King. The data-processing paragraph inserted in 2024 does not appear in art. 266 (see `advertising`). No published enforcement figures against ad platforms were found.",be-ar-2024 | be-cp-book2 | be-cp-1867 | eu-dsa | be-law-2026-03-03,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=fr&caller=summary&pub_date=2024-06-13&numac=2024005196 | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=1867060801&table_name=loi | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2026/03/10_1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,Federal law has no soliciting offence for adults since 2022. Municipalities control street-based prostitution through police regulations and administrative fines. Antwerp bans street prostitution outright and punishes it with municipal fines or a street ban. Public incitement of an adult to prostitute themselves remains a federal offence.,"Art. 267 Code pénal (2024) | Municipal police regulations (e.g. Antwerp politiecodex, title 6, chapter 2)",medium,2026-10-30,Whether active soliciting falls under the federal advertising ban is unsettled in the literature. We found no case law.,be-law-2022 | be-cp-book2 | be-hausman-2023 | be-antwerp-forms | be-bruzz-2026-03,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2022/03/21/2022031330/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://research.dial.uclouvain.be/server/api/core/bitstreams/095331f6-0873-439c-bf35-8a7268cd0a58/content | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk | https://www.bruzz.be/actua/veiligheid/bars-winkels-en-bordelen-de-brabantwijk-moeten-vanaf-1-april-s-nachts-sluiten-2026-03-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,No national registration or licence exists for sex workers themselves. Employers of sex workers need prior joint recognition by the Ministers of Justice and Work. Some municipalities register workers or venues: Antwerp requires a suitability declaration per window building and records every window rental in the police app HookUp. We found no mandatory health checks in the federal acts reviewed.,"Law of 3 May 2024, arts. 11–17 | Antwerp police code, title 6, chapter 2; Antwerp regulation on sex businesses",medium,2026-10-30,"The statement that no national health-check duty exists is based on the federal acts reviewed here (2022 Criminal Code reform, new Criminal Code, 2024 labour law). We did not review every municipal regulation.",be-labour-2024 | be-fod-2025 | be-antwerp-rules | be-antwerp-forms,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/05/03/2024202750/justel | https://werk.belgie.be/nl/blog/inwerkingtreding-van-de-wet-van-3-mei-2024-houdende-bepalingen-betreffende-sekswerk-onder | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Sex workers may work as self-employed or, since 1 December 2024, as employees of a recognised employer. Employees have a normal employment contract under the 1978 Employment Contracts Act with full labour and social security protection: pension, unemployment, health insurance, paid leave and maternity leave. They fall under joint committee 302.","Law of 3 May 2024, arts. 3–10",medium,2026-10-30,"We did not review the income-tax and self-employed social-security rules that apply specifically to sex workers, so this entry is limited to the employment-contract regime.",be-labour-2024 | be-fod-2025 | be-utsopi,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/05/03/2024202750/justel | https://werk.belgie.be/nl/blog/inwerkingtreding-van-de-wet-van-3-mei-2024-houdende-bepalingen-betreffende-sekswerk-onder | https://www.utsopi.be/our-work/decriminalisation/cadre-du-travail,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BE,Belgium,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"No rule bars foreign nationals from prostitution as such, but general residence and work-authorisation rules apply. Recognised employers must comply with the rules on employing foreign workers. Antwerp requires window workers to hold valid residence or identity papers. Exploiting a person's illegal or precarious residence status is an aggravating factor in prostitution offences.","Art. 268 Code pénal (2024) | Law of 3 May 2024, art. 17, 4°",medium,2026-10-30,The immigration rules themselves (residence and single permit) were not reviewed for this entry.,be-cp-book2 | be-labour-2024 | be-antwerp-forms | be-utsopi | be-ar-2024,https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024002088/justel | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/05/03/2024202750/justel | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk | https://www.utsopi.be/our-work/decriminalisation/cadre-du-travail | https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=fr&caller=summary&pub_date=2024-06-13&numac=2024005196,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belgium/
BZ,Belize,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,Selling sex in private is not an offence. Loitering about or importuning any person in a street or other place for prostitution is a summary offence (fine up to BZ$100 or six months on first conviction); a 'common prostitute or night-walker' loitering in public for prostitution to the annoyance of others commits a petty offence (fine up to BZ$200 or two months).,"s. 4(1)(ix) and (9) Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98 | s. 18(1)(c) Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98",high,2026-10-30,The Criminal Code (Cap. 101) was not checked for further provisions.,bz-sjoa,https://www.gefislands.org/sites/default/files/downloads/policies/639762f72e12f_Cap_98_Summary_Jurisdiction__Offences__Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belize/
BZ,Belize,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found in the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act. Its soliciting offence in s. 18(1)(c) is not limited to sellers and could reach a client who importunes in public.,"s. 18(1)(c) Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98",medium,2026-10-30,"Some secondary sources state that buying is illegal in Belize; no statutory basis for that was found, but the Criminal Code (Cap. 101) and the 2013 trafficking and child-exploitation acts were not reviewed.",bz-sjoa,https://www.gefislands.org/sites/default/files/downloads/policies/639762f72e12f_Cap_98_Summary_Jurisdiction__Offences__Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belize/
BZ,Belize,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, assisting in its management, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, or letting premises knowing they will be so used is a summary offence: fine up to BZ$500 or six months on first conviction, BZ$1,000 or twelve months on a later one. A 'brothel' includes any place where people resort for 'illicit intercourse'.","s. 15 Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98 | s. 16 Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98",high,2026-10-30,,bz-sjoa,https://www.gefislands.org/sites/default/files/downloads/policies/639762f72e12f_Cap_98_Summary_Jurisdiction__Offences__Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belize/
BZ,Belize,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,A male person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution commits a summary offence (fine up to BZ$100 or six months; twelve months on a later conviction). A man who lives with or is habitually in the company of a sex worker and has no visible means of subsistence is presumed to do so unless he proves otherwise.,"s. 18(1)(a), (2) and (3) Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98",medium,2026-10-30,Procuring offences in the Criminal Code (Cap. 101) and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act were not checked; the Summary Jurisdiction offence is worded for male persons only.,bz-sjoa,https://www.gefislands.org/sites/default/files/downloads/policies/639762f72e12f_Cap_98_Summary_Jurisdiction__Offences__Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belize/
BZ,Belize,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting advertisements for sexual services was found. The Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act penalises selling or publicly exhibiting obscene printed matter (s. 4(1)(x)), and the soliciting offences cover importuning in streets and public places.","s. 4(1)(x) Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 98",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision; the Criminal Code, broadcasting and electronic-communications laws were not reviewed.",bz-sjoa,https://www.gefislands.org/sites/default/files/downloads/policies/639762f72e12f_Cap_98_Summary_Jurisdiction__Offences__Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/belize/
BJ,Benin,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Publicly soliciting people of either sex by gestures, words, writing or any other means to provoke them to debauchery is a police contravention (Art. 994(3)), punishable by one day to two months in prison and/or a fine of 2,000 to 200,000 CFA francs (Arts. 987–988). Police in Cotonou and Parakou held dozens of sex workers for soliciting in 2024.",Code pénal 2018 art. 994(3) | Code pénal 2018 arts. 987–988,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the text layer of a scanned copy of the promulgated law, which is imperfect. A Beninese law lecturer quoted in 2021 said prostitution and soliciting are not offences under the 2018 Code; the contravention in Art. 994 suggests soliciting is a minor offence. Women arrested in Cotonou in 2021 were released after appearing before the court of first instance.",bj-cp2018 | bj-bip-2024 | bj-beninwebtv-2021,https://droit-et-politique-en-afrique.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-penal-en-Republique-du-Benin-du-28-decembre-2018.pdf | https://bipradio.com/racolage-a-cotonou-une-vingtaine-de-travailleuses-du-sexe-interpellee/ | https://beninwebtv.bj/traque-des-prostituees-un-juriste-apprecie-le-fondement-juridique-de-laction-de-alain-orounla/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/benin/
BJ,Benin,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the 2018 Penal Code. Sex with a minor under 15 is an offence regardless of consent (Art. 554), and habitually inciting or facilitating the debauchery of people under 18 carries six months to five years (Art. 558).",Code pénal 2018 art. 554 | Code pénal 2018 art. 558,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in an imperfect scanned text. The public-soliciting contravention in Art. 994(3) is not limited to sellers, but no case of it being used against a client was found.",bj-cp2018,https://droit-et-politique-en-afrique.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-penal-en-Republique-du-Benin-du-28-decembre-2018.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/benin/
BJ,Benin,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning directly or through another, managing, running, financing or helping to finance a prostitution establishment, or as the operator of a hotel, furnished house, bar, restaurant, club, dance hall or any place open to the public habitually accepting prostitution or the seeking of clients there, carries the penalties of Art. 556, doubled for a repeat within ten years (Art. 560). Conviction withdraws the licence and closes the premises for three months to five years (Art. 561).",Code pénal 2018 art. 560 | Code pénal 2018 art. 561,medium,2026-10-30,Read in an imperfect scanned text.,bj-cp2018,https://droit-et-politique-en-afrique.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-penal-en-Republique-du-Benin-du-28-decembre-2018.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/benin/
BJ,Benin,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who knowingly aids or protects another's prostitution or soliciting; shares its proceeds; knowingly lives with a person who habitually sells sex; cannot justify their income while associating with sex workers; recruits or keeps a person, even a consenting adult, for prostitution; or acts as an intermediary. Penalty: one to three years and a 250,000 CFA franc fine (Art. 556); two to five years and 300,000 to 4 million if aggravated (Art. 557).",Code pénal 2018 art. 556 | Code pénal 2018 art. 557 | Code pénal 2018 art. 559,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in an imperfect scanned text. Loi n° 2021-11 rewrote several sexual-offence articles (from Art. 551 on); the readable part of it did not touch Arts. 556–561, but this was not fully confirmed. When the victim is a child, procuring carries five to ten years.",bj-cp2018,https://droit-et-politique-en-afrique.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-penal-en-Republique-du-Benin-du-28-decembre-2018.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/benin/
BJ,Benin,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence specific to adverts was found. Public soliciting by writing or any other means is a contravention (Art. 994(3)), and so is displaying posters or images contrary to decency in public places (Art. 994(2)). Knowingly aiding or assisting another person's soliciting for prostitution is procuring (Art. 556(1)), which on its face could reach a site that hosts adverts for sexual services.",Code pénal 2018 art. 994(2)–(3) | Code pénal 2018 art. 556(1),low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no case applying them to online adverts or platforms was found. The Digital Code (Law No. 2017-20) was not checked.,bj-cp2018,https://droit-et-politique-en-afrique.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-penal-en-Republique-du-Benin-du-28-decembre-2018.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/benin/
BT,Bhutan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Offering, agreeing to or engaging in sexual conduct for money or property is the offence of prostitution, a misdemeanour carrying a minimum of one year and a maximum of under three years' imprisonment.",s. 373 Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 374 Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 12 Penal Code of Bhutan,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the English text of the 2004 Code as reproduced by the Warnath Group; no official consolidated text including the 2011 and 2021 amendments was found. No report was found of either amendment changing Chapter 26.,bt-penal-code,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Bhutan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bhutan/
BT,Bhutan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Giving money, property or other gratification to engage in a sexual act is the offence of patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanour for an adult, and a fourth-degree felony (three to under five years) or third-degree felony (five to under nine years) where the person is a child.",s. 377 Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 378 Penal Code of Bhutan,medium,2026-10-30,"As for selling: the 2004 text, read in an unofficial reproduction.",bt-penal-code,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Bhutan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bhutan/
BT,Bhutan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, leasing, controlling, managing or supervising a brothel, or otherwise keeping a prostitution business, is promotion of prostitution, a misdemeanour (felony where a child is involved).",s. 375(a) Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 376 Penal Code of Bhutan,medium,2026-10-30,,bt-penal-code,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Bhutan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bhutan/
BT,Bhutan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a person for a house of prostitution, encouraging or causing someone to become or remain a sex worker, procuring a sex worker for a client, or requiring a sex worker to hand over any of her earnings is promotion of prostitution. Transporting, selling or buying a person into or out of Bhutan for prostitution is trafficking under section 379.","s. 375(b), (c), (e), (f) Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 379 Penal Code of Bhutan",medium,2026-10-30,,bt-penal-code,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Bhutan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bhutan/
BT,Bhutan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A sex worker who offers sexual conduct for money commits prostitution, since ""offers"" is part of the offence. A third party who solicits a person to patronize a sex worker commits promotion of prostitution. No provision specific to online platforms was found.",s. 373 Penal Code of Bhutan | s. 375(d) Penal Code of Bhutan,medium,2026-10-30,"Applying the offer and soliciting offences to advertisements is a reading of the text; no case applying them to online ads was found. The Information, Communications and Media Act was not checked.",bt-penal-code,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Bhutan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bhutan/
BO,Bolivia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,none,,Selling sex is not an offence. Sex workers obtain a health card (carnet sanitario) after STI checks every three months and HIV tests every six months at departmental surveillance centres; the Ministry of Health describes the card as allowing work in venues and lenocinios.,,medium,2026-10-30,"The health-card rules are described from a 2015 Ministry of Health release; the regulation that sets them, and whether working without a card is sanctioned, were not found.",bo-minsalud-2015 | bo-ley-263,https://www.minsalud.gob.bo/619-trabajadoras-sexuales-fueron-reconocidas-por-cumplir-normas-de-proteccion | https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/ley263contralatrataytraficodepersonas_bol_2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bolivia/
BO,Bolivia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Commercial sexual violence against minors and trafficking are separate crimes.,,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the Penal Code provisions amended by Law 263; the full current Penal Code was not reviewed.,bo-ley-263,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/ley263contralatrataytraficodepersonas_bol_2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bolivia/
BO,Bolivia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Venues where sex is sold need a sanitary certificate from the departmental health service, and those without one have been closed in inspections. Keeping, openly or covertly, a house or establishment where sexual exploitation or commercial sexual violence is promoted carries 8 to 12 years.","Código Penal, art. 321(IV)",medium,2026-10-30,Which authority issues operating licences (presumably municipalities) and under which rules was not confirmed.,bo-ley-263 | bo-erbol-2014,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/ley263contralatrataytraficodepersonas_bol_2012.pdf | https://anteriorportal.erbol.com.bo/noticia/social/31102014/clausuraron_88_lenocinios_en_la_paz_y_el_alto,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bolivia/
BO,Bolivia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Promoting, facilitating or contributing to another's prostitution, or forcing them to remain in it, for profit or to satisfy others, is proxenetismo (10 to 15 years) when committed through deception, abuse of need, vulnerability, dependency or power, violence, threats or other coercion. Higher penalties apply for victims under 18 or with disabilities (12 to 18) and under 14 (15 to 20).","Código Penal, art. 321 (Ley 263, art. 34)",medium,2026-10-30,The statement about the 2006 wording comes from secondary summaries of Law 3325 and was not checked against its text.,bo-ley-263,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/ley263contralatrataytraficodepersonas_bol_2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bolivia/
BO,Bolivia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Advertisements offering sexual services are lawful but regulated: Law 263 requires them to protect dignity, bans images of partial or total nudity and references to a person's regional, local or national origin, and requires that minors are never involved. The Ministry of Communication enforces this and imposes administrative sanctions on media outlets.","Ley 263, art. 23",high,2026-10-30,Whether the rule and its implementing regulation are applied to online platforms was not checked.,bo-ley-263,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/ley263contralatrataytraficodepersonas_bol_2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bolivia/
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Selling sex is a public order misdemeanour in the jurisdictions checked: 200–600 KM in Sarajevo Canton and 100–1,000 KM in Brčko District. Other cantons and Republika Srpska have their own public order laws, which were not checked.",čl. 8 st. 2 tač. c) Zakona o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira KS | čl. 16 Zakona o javnom redu i miru BD,medium,2026-10-30,"Statute texts were read in the Paragraf Lex BA database, an unofficial consolidation; official gazettes for the entities and cantons are not freely available in consolidated form.",ba-ks-ppjrm | ba-bd-zjrm | ba-rs-zjrm,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/kantona-sarajevo/zakon-o-prekrsajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/zakon-o-javnom-redu-i-miru-brcko-distrikta-bih.html | https://www.narodnaskupstinars.net/ci/akti/usvojeni-zakoni/zakon-o-javnom-redu-i-miru-0,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Sarajevo Canton fines anyone who uses prostitution services 200–600 KM, the same as sellers. Brčko District's public order law penalises only the person engaging in prostitution. Using the sexual services of a child aged 15 or over for payment is a crime in the Federation and Republika Srpska (six months to five years).",čl. 8 st. 2 tač. c) Zakona o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira KS | čl. 210g st. 2 KZ FBiH | čl. 180 st. 2 KZ RS,medium,2026-10-30,"Statute texts were read in the Paragraf Lex BA database, an unofficial consolidation; official gazettes for the entities and cantons are not freely available in consolidated form.",ba-ks-ppjrm | ba-bd-zjrm | ba-kz-fbih | ba-kz-rs,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/kantona-sarajevo/zakon-o-prekrsajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/zakon-o-javnom-redu-i-miru-brcko-distrikta-bih.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/fbih/krivicni-zakon-federacije-bosne-i-hercegovine.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/republika-srpska/krivicni-zakon-republike-srpske.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Taking part in any way in organising or running the provision of sexual services is a crime punishable by six months to five years in all three criminal codes. In Sarajevo Canton, renting or providing premises for prostitution is also a misdemeanour (500–1,500 KM).",čl. 210 KZ FBiH | čl. 169 KZ RS | čl. 207 KZ BD | čl. 8 st. 5 tač. c) Zakona o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira KS,medium,2026-10-30,"Statute texts were read in the Paragraf Lex BA database, an unofficial consolidation; official gazettes for the entities and cantons are not freely available in consolidated form.",ba-kz-fbih | ba-kz-rs | ba-kz-bd | ba-ks-ppjrm,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/fbih/krivicni-zakon-federacije-bosne-i-hercegovine.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/republika-srpska/krivicni-zakon-republike-srpske.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/krivicni-zakon-brcko-distrikta-bosne-i-hercegovine.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/kantona-sarajevo/zakon-o-prekrsajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing, inciting or luring another person to provide sexual services for gain, or otherwise enabling their handover to another for that purpose, is punishable by six months to five years in the Federation, Republika Srpska (plus a fine; one to eight years if several people are involved) and Brčko District. Whether the person already sold sex is irrelevant.",čl. 210 KZ FBiH | čl. 169 KZ RS | čl. 207 KZ BD,medium,2026-10-30,"Statute texts were read in the Paragraf Lex BA database, an unofficial consolidation; official gazettes for the entities and cantons are not freely available in consolidated form.",ba-kz-fbih | ba-kz-rs | ba-kz-bd,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/fbih/krivicni-zakon-federacije-bosne-i-hercegovine.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/republika-srpska/krivicni-zakon-republike-srpske.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/krivicni-zakon-brcko-distrikta-bosne-i-hercegovine.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence of advertising adults' sexual services was found in the three criminal codes or the public order laws checked. The Federation Criminal Code makes advertising the sexual services of a child a crime (six months to five years). Advertising for a third party could fall within ""taking part in organising"" prostitution.",čl. 210g st. 5 KZ FBiH,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a specific provision; cantonal laws other than Sarajevo's and Republika Srpska's public order law were not checked.,ba-kz-fbih | ba-kz-rs | ba-kz-bd,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/fbih/krivicni-zakon-federacije-bosne-i-hercegovine.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/republika-srpska/krivicni-zakon-republike-srpske.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/krivicni-zakon-brcko-distrikta-bosne-i-hercegovine.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
BW,Botswana,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Persistently soliciting or importuning for immoral purposes in a public place is an offence (s. 155(1)(b)), punishable by up to two years (s. 33), with possible corporal punishment on a repeat conviction. Soliciting in a public place, or a ""common prostitute"" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner there, is an idle-and-disorderly offence (s. 179(a), (f)). The penalty is a fine of up to P10 or one month, rising to one year for repeat convictions.","Penal Code (Cap. 08:01) s. 155(1) | s. 179(a), (f) | s. 33",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Government of Botswana's consolidated text as hosted by UNODC's SHERLOC database; the consolidation date is not stated. The official portal (botswanalaws.com) blocks automated access, so later amendments could not be checked.",bw-pc,https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/document/bwa/penal_code_html/Botswana_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/botswana/
BW,Botswana,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code contains no offence of paying an adult for sex. The public-soliciting offences (ss. 155(1)(b), 179(f)) apply to any person.",Penal Code s. 155(1)(b) | s. 179(f),medium,2026-10-30,Consolidation date unknown; see the note on selling.,bw-pc,https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/document/bwa/penal_code_html/Botswana_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/botswana/
BW,Botswana,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in managing one, is an offence. So is knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel as tenant or occupier, or letting premises knowing they will be so used (s. 158). No specific penalty is set, so the general maximum of two years and/or a fine applies (s. 33).",Penal Code s. 158 | s. 33,medium,2026-10-30,"Consolidation date unknown. The August 2026 motion refers to s. 156 as ""keeping a brothel""; in the code text read here, brothels are s. 158 and s. 156 is aiding prostitution for gain.",bw-pc,https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/document/bwa/penal_code_html/Botswana_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/botswana/
BW,Botswana,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring any person to become a ""common prostitute"", or to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, is an offence (s. 149). No term is specified, so the general two-year maximum applies (s. 33), and the court may add corporal punishment. Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 155(1)(a)) and controlling a sex worker's movements for gain (s. 156) are also offences. A person who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings (s. 155(2)).","Penal Code s. 149 | s. 155(1)(a), (2) | s. 156 | s. 33",medium,2026-10-30,Consolidation date unknown; see the note on selling.,bw-pc,https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/document/bwa/penal_code_html/Botswana_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/botswana/
BW,Botswana,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services as such. Soliciting is an offence only in a public place (ss. 155(1)(b), 179(f)). A third party who advertises a sex worker's services for gain could be prosecuted for aiding prostitution for gain (s. 156) or living on the earnings (s. 155(1)(a)).",Penal Code s. 155 | s. 156 | s. 179(f),low,2026-10-30,A reading of the statutory text only; no prosecutions of advertisers or websites were found.,bw-pc,https://www.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/document/bwa/penal_code_html/Botswana_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/botswana/
BR,Brazil,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not a crime. The Ministry of Labour's Brazilian Classification of Occupations lists ""profissional do sexo"" (code 5198-05), describing people who seek clients, attend and accompany them and take part in sexual-health education activities.",CBO 5198-05,medium,2026-10-30,"The CBO entry was read in a 2016 Chamber of Deputies document asking the ministry to remove it, which dates the entry to 2015; secondary sources date it to the CBO 2002 edition. The CBO search site requires a reCAPTCHA and the Planalto legislation portal blocked automated access, so neither primary text could be read directly.",br-cp | br-camara-cbo | br-cbo,https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/del2848compilado.htm | https://www.camara.leg.br/proposicoesWeb/prop_mostrarintegra?codteor=1476331 | http://www.mtecbo.gov.br/cbosite/pages/pesquisas/BuscaPorCodigo.jsf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brazil/
BR,Brazil,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not a crime. Sexual acts with children and adolescents in prostitution or sexual exploitation are separate crimes.,,medium,2026-10-30,The Penal Code on the Planalto portal could not be opened (automated access blocked); based on the code's structure as reproduced in secondary sources.,br-cp,https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/del2848compilado.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brazil/
BR,Brazil,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Maintaining, on one's own account or for a third party, an establishment where sexual exploitation occurs, whether or not for profit, carries 2 to 5 years and a fine (art. 229, heading ""Casa de prostituição""). The Superior Court of Justice held in 2018 that a venue where adults sell sex without violence, threat, fraud or restriction of their freedom is not covered.","Código Penal, art. 229",medium,2026-10-30,Neither the Planalto Penal Code page nor the STJ bulletin could be opened (both blocked automated access); text and holding confirmed through search results quoting them.,br-cp | br-stj-2018,https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/del2848compilado.htm | https://processo.stj.jus.br/jurisprudencia/externo/informativo/?livre=%40CNOT%3D016750,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brazil/
BR,Brazil,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing or attracting someone into prostitution or other sexual exploitation, facilitating it, or preventing or hindering someone from leaving it carries 2 to 5 years (art. 228). Profiting from another's prostitution by sharing directly in the earnings or being supported by the person carries 1 to 4 years (art. 230), rising to 2 to 8 years with violence, serious threat or fraud.","Código Penal, arts. 228, 230, 149-A",medium,2026-10-30,Wording taken from secondary reproductions of the compiled Penal Code; the Planalto portal blocked automated access.,br-cp,https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/del2848compilado.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brazil/
BR,Brazil,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No federal offence specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of a third party could amount to facilitating prostitution (art. 228) or support liability for an establishment (art. 229); advertising involving minors is separately criminalised.,"Código Penal, arts. 228-229",low,2026-10-30,Inference from the general offences; platform liability under the Marco Civil da Internet and the 2025 Supreme Court rulings on it were not reviewed.,br-cp,https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/del2848compilado.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brazil/
BN,Brunei,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"For Muslims, selling sex is zina under the Syariah Penal Code Order (stoning to death if married, 100 strokes and one year if unmarried, where proved by confession or four witnesses; lesser penalties on other evidence). The civil Women and Girls Protection Act has no offence of selling sex itself.",ss. 68–69 Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 | Women and Girls Protection Act (Cap. 120),medium,2026-10-30,"Read in a scanned Government Gazette copy hosted by the ICJ; parts of s. 69, including any provision on non-Muslims, are illegible in that copy. The Attorney General's Chambers PDFs returned errors. Civil soliciting offences in the Penal Code (Cap. 22) and the Miscellaneous Offences Act were not reviewed.",bn-spco2013 | bn-cap120 | bn-hrw2019,https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Brunei-Syariah-Penal-Code-Order-2013-eng.pdf | https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Women-and-Girls-Prosecution-Act-Chapter-120-Section-5.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/22/bruneis-pernicious-new-penal-code,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brunei/
BN,Brunei,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"For Muslims, paying for sex is zina, punishable as for the person selling. No civil offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Women and Girls Protection Act.",ss. 68–69 Syariah Penal Code Order 2013,medium,2026-10-30,Whether and how zina applies to non-Muslims could not be read in the copy reviewed; the civil Penal Code was not reviewed.,bn-spco2013 | bn-cap120,https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Brunei-Syariah-Penal-Code-Order-2013-eng.pdf | https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Women-and-Girls-Prosecution-Act-Chapter-120-Section-5.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brunei/
BN,Brunei,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, or knowingly permitting or letting premises to be used as one, is punishable with one year and a fine of B$5,000, and five years and B$20,000 on a second conviction. A brothel is a place used by two or more women or girls for prostitution.",s. 2 Women and Girls Protection Act (Cap. 120) | s. 6 Women and Girls Protection Act (Cap. 120),medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the 1984 Revised Edition, hosted by a third party; later amendments were not checked.",bn-cap120,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Women-and-Girls-Prosecution-Act-Chapter-120-Section-5.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brunei/
BN,Brunei,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or partly on another person's prostitution, or persistently soliciting in public on behalf of a woman or girl, carries five years and a fine of B$20,000, with possible whipping for men. Under the Syariah Order, acting as a procurer for a purpose contrary to Islamic law carries up to B$12,000, three years, or both.",s. 5 Women and Girls Protection Act (Cap. 120) | s. 205 Syariah Penal Code Order 2013,medium,2026-10-30,"Cap. 120 read in the 1984 Revised Edition; the US State Department reports in 2026 that s. 5 is still used, with the same maximum penalties.",bn-cap120 | bn-spco2013 | bn-tip2026,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Women-and-Girls-Prosecution-Act-Chapter-120-Section-5.pdf | https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Brunei-Syariah-Penal-Code-Order-2013-eng.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2026-trafficking-in-persons-report/brunei,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brunei/
BN,Brunei,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Advertising for others would fall under soliciting on behalf of a woman (Cap. 120 s. 5) or acting as a procurer under the Syariah Order, and abetting zina is itself an offence.",s. 5 Women and Girls Protection Act (Cap. 120) | s. 73 Syariah Penal Code Order 2013 | s. 205 Syariah Penal Code Order 2013,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from general provisions; broadcasting, internet and publications law was not reviewed.",bn-cap120 | bn-spco2013,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Women-and-Girls-Prosecution-Act-Chapter-120-Section-5.pdf | https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Brunei-Syariah-Penal-Code-Order-2013-eng.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/brunei/
BG,Bulgaria,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex as an adult is not an offence under national law. Article 329(1) of the Criminal Code, which punished adults living for a long time on income obtained by ""impermissible or immoral"" means, was declared unconstitutional in 2022 (decision No. 13 of 2022, State Gazette No. 79/2022).","чл. 329, ал. 1 НК (обявена за противоконституционна)",medium,2026-10-30,"Municipal public order ordinances may sanction street solicitation; these were not reviewed for this overview. The court decision is cited from the consolidated-text annotation, not from the court's own website.",bg-nk,https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/1589654529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bulgaria/
BG,Bulgaria,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Using a person who is a victim of trafficking in human beings for lewd acts is punishable by three to ten years and a fine; sexual acts with a minor aged 16 or over who sells sex carry one to three years.,чл. 159в НК | чл. 154а НК,high,2026-10-30,,bg-nk,https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/1589654529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bulgaria/
BG,Bulgaria,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,Systematically providing premises to different people for sexual intercourse or lewd acts is punishable by up to five years and a fine; one to six years and a higher fine if done for gain.,"чл. 155, ал. 2 и 3 НК",high,2026-10-30,,bg-nk,https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/1589654529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bulgaria/
BG,Bulgaria,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing another person into prostitution, or procuring a person for lewd acts or intercourse, is punishable by one to three years and a fine; one to six years where done for gain, with further aggravated forms.","чл. 155, ал. 1 и 3 НК",high,2026-10-30,,bg-nk,https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/1589654529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bulgaria/
BG,Bulgaria,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the Criminal Code. Advertising for a third party could amount to inducement under Article 155(1).,чл. 155 НК,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific criminal provision; advertising, media and e-commerce legislation was not reviewed.",bg-nk,https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/1589654529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/bulgaria/
BF,Burkina Faso,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,"Prostitution is defined (Article 533-20, first paragraph) but not punished. Publicly soliciting another person by any means, including passive conduct, to induce sexual relations for payment or a promise of payment carries one to three months and a fine of 250,000 to 600,000 CFA francs (Article 533-20). Publicly soliciting people for debauchery by gestures or words carries two months to one year (Article 533-28).",Code pénal 2018 art. 533-20 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-21 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-28,high,2026-10-30,"The text read is the 2018 Code as published by the Police Academy; it was amended in 2019 (Law No. 044-2019/AN), which was not checked for these articles. The October 2026 Code may change them.",bf-cp | bf-minute-2026,https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal | https://www.minute.bf/a-la-barre-22-prevenus-condamnes-pour-prostitution-en-ligne-proxenetisme-et-exercice-illegal-de-professions/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BF,Burkina Faso,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Penal Code. Habitually inciting to debauchery or favouring the corruption of minors carries two to five years (Article 533-19).,Code pénal 2018 art. 533-19,high,2026-10-30,,bf-cp,https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BF,Burkina Faso,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running or financing a prostitution establishment, tolerating prostitution in a place open to the public, or providing premises or vehicles knowing they will be used for prostitution carries five to ten years and 3 to 10 million CFA francs (Article 533-26). Habitually receiving sex workers in a hotel, bar or club carries two to five years (Article 533-27); tolerating habitual clandestine debauchery in private premises two months to two years (Article 533-29).",Code pénal 2018 art. 533-26 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-27 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-29,high,2026-10-30,In the July 2026 case a defendant who rented out a furnished villa knowing it was used for prostitution was convicted of procuring.,bf-cp | bf-minute-2026,https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal | https://www.minute.bf/a-la-barre-22-prevenus-condamnes-pour-prostitution-en-ligne-proxenetisme-et-exercice-illegal-de-professions/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BF,Burkina Faso,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Aiding, assisting or protecting another's prostitution, profiting from or sharing its proceeds, receiving support from a person habitually engaged in it, or recruiting or pressuring someone into it carries three to ten years and 1 to 6 million CFA francs (Article 533-22). Acting as an intermediary or living with a sex worker without justifying one's resources is treated as procuring (Article 533-23).",Code pénal 2018 art. 533-22 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-23 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-24 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-25,high,2026-10-30,,bf-cp,https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BF,Burkina Faso,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No separate advertising offence exists, but soliciting 'by any means' covers online adverts. On 1 July 2026 the Ouagadougou II court gave 13 women three months suspended and a 500,000 CFA franc fine each for soliciting after they posted nude photos with phone numbers and rates on WhatsApp. Procuring committed through an electronic network addressed to the public is aggravated (Article 533-24).",Code pénal 2018 art. 533-20 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-24,high,2026-10-30,The news report does not cite the articles applied; matching the conviction to Article 533-20 is an inference from the charge of soliciting.,bf-cp | bf-minute-2026,https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal | https://www.minute.bf/a-la-barre-22-prevenus-condamnes-pour-prostitution-en-ligne-proxenetisme-et-exercice-illegal-de-professions/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BF,Burkina Faso,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,People who run online spaces connecting clients with sex workers are prosecuted as procurers. In the July 2026 Ouagadougou case three men who administered WhatsApp groups linking clients with women offering sexual services were convicted of procuring and given three years suspended and a 1 million CFA franc fine each.,Code pénal 2018 art. 533-22 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-23 | Code pénal 2018 art. 533-24,medium,2026-10-30,"Based on one news report of a first-instance judgment, open to appeal; the articles applied are not stated in the report. No case concerning a website or international platform was found.",bf-minute-2026 | bf-cp,https://www.minute.bf/a-la-barre-22-prevenus-condamnes-pour-prostitution-en-ligne-proxenetisme-et-exercice-illegal-de-professions/ | https://academiedepolice.bf/index.php/telechargement/category/38-codes?download=163%3Ala-loi-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burkina-faso/
BI,Burundi,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but racolage is: a person who sells sex and approaches clients, or does any act in public to attract clients, faces one to six months' penal servitude and/or a fine of FBu 5,000 to 20,000 (Art. 571). Obstructing prevention, assistance or rehabilitation work for people who sell sex is a separate offence (Art. 564).",Code pénal 2017 Art. 561 | Code pénal 2017 Art. 571,high,2026-10-30,Official French text in the Bulletin Officiel du Burundi; English wording is our translation. Enforcement practice was not assessed.,bi-cp-2017,https://amategeko.gov.bi/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BOB_No12TER-2017-2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burundi/
BI,Burundi,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No article of the 2017 Penal Code punishes a client for paying an adult for sex. Article 568 punishes intermediaries between people who sell sex and those who ""exploit or remunerate the prostitution of others"", but not the client as such.",Code pénal 2017 Art. 568,medium,2026-10-30,Adultery remains an offence for married persons under the Code; whether it is used against clients was not checked.,bi-cp-2017,https://amategeko.gov.bi/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BOB_No12TER-2017-2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burundi/
BI,Burundi,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Directly or through an intermediary running, managing or knowingly financing a brothel (maison de prostitution) carries two to five years and a fine of FBu 100,000 to 1,000,000 (Art. 565). Knowingly letting or renting any building or premises for the prostitution of others carries two to five years and/or a fine of FBu 50,000 to 1,000,000 (Art. 569).",Code pénal 2017 Art. 565 | Code pénal 2017 Art. 569,high,2026-10-30,Our translation of the official French text.,bi-cp-2017,https://amategeko.gov.bi/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BOB_No12TER-2017-2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burundi/
BI,Burundi,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Exciting, facilitating or favouring the prostitution of persons over 21 carries one to five years (five to ten if under 21), as does recruiting or keeping a person, even consenting, for prostitution (Arts. 562–563). Profiting from or sharing another's earnings, even with consent, carries one to five years (Art. 566); assisting or protecting another's prostitution or soliciting, or acting as intermediary, one to three years (Arts. 567–568).",Code pénal 2017 Arts. 562–563 | Code pénal 2017 Arts. 566–568 | Code pénal 2017 Art. 570,high,2026-10-30,"Our translation of the official French text. Penalties double under Art. 570 for, among others, minors, non-consenting or vulnerable victims and organised groups.",bi-cp-2017,https://amategeko.gov.bi/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BOB_No12TER-2017-2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burundi/
BI,Burundi,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No article specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Public acts to attract clients are racolage (Art. 571), assisting another's soliciting is an offence (Art. 567), and advertising by any means songs, writings, images or objects contrary to good morals is punishable by a fine (Art. 587).",Code pénal 2017 Art. 567 | Code pénal 2017 Art. 571 | Code pénal 2017 Art. 587,low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; whether online ads count as racolage or assistance has not been tested in any case found. Communications and cybercrime law was not reviewed.,bi-cp-2017,https://amategeko.gov.bi/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BOB_No12TER-2017-2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/burundi/
CV,Cabo Verde,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of selling sex was found in the Penal Code. Engaging in explicit sexual acts in a public space is a general offence (Article 147-A: up to one year or a fine of up to 150 days), and sexually importuning another person, including by words or written proposals, is punishable under Article 145-B.",Código Penal art. 145.º-B | Código Penal art. 147.º-A,high,2026-10-30,,cv-cp-2021,https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/3610,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cabo-verde/
CV,Cabo Verde,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. An adult who, for payment or any other consideration, uses a person aged 10 to 18 in sexual activities or has sex with them faces four to ten years, six to twelve with penetration (Article 145-A). Knowingly using the services of a trafficking victim carries one to five years (Article 271-A(5)).",Código Penal art. 145.º-A | Código Penal art. 271.º-A(5),high,2026-10-30,,cv-cp-2021,https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/3610,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cabo-verde/
CV,Cabo Verde,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence of running a brothel or managed venue was found. Organising or facilitating adult prostitution becomes lenocínio only where the person is particularly vulnerable, for example through physical or mental impairment or extreme economic need, and the organiser takes advantage of it: two to six years (Article 148(3)).",Código Penal art. 148.º(3),medium,2026-10-30,"The absence of a brothel offence was established by reading the republished Code; other laws (licensing, public order) were not checked.",cv-cp-2021,https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/3610,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cabo-verde/
CV,Cabo Verde,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Lenocínio covers anyone who promotes, motivates, instigates, favours, arranges, negotiates or in any way helps or facilitates prostitution or sexual acts of a child under 16 (six to ten years) or of a 16- or 17-year-old (two to six years), and an adult of particular vulnerability whose situation the offender exploits (two to six years) (Article 148). Trafficking for sexual exploitation carries four to ten years (Article 271-A).",Código Penal art. 148.º | Código Penal art. 149.º | Código Penal art. 271.º-A,high,2026-10-30,,cv-cp-2021 | cv-cp-2015,https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/3610 | https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/2096,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cabo-verde/
CV,Cabo Verde,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found in the Penal Code. Advertising the services of a minor, or of an adult whose vulnerability is exploited, could fall under lenocínio as facilitating their prostitution (Article 148).",Código Penal art. 148.º,low,2026-10-30,"Advertising, press and media laws were not checked; no case on advertising or websites was found.",cv-cp-2021,https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/Download/3610,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cabo-verde/
KH,Cambodia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 days,"Selling sex is not an offence as such, but a person who willingly solicits another in public for the purpose of prostituting himself or herself faces one to six days' imprisonment and a fine of 3,000–10,000 riel. Minors are exempt from punishment for soliciting.",Article 23 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008 | Article 24 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008,medium,2026-10-30,Read in UNICEF's unofficial English translation (2008); the Khmer text was not compared. Enforcement practice is documented mainly in a 2010 report and may have changed.,kh-law2008 | kh-hrw2010,https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C3_Law-on-Suppression.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/07/19/streets/arbitrary-detention-and-other-abuses-against-sex-workers-cambodia,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cambodia/
KH,Cambodia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the 2008 law. Purchasing child prostitution is punished with two to five years, or seven to fifteen years where the child is under 15.",Article 34 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008,medium,2026-10-30,Absence of a buyer offence confirmed from the translation and by Human Rights Watch (2010); the 2009 Criminal Code was not reviewed.,kh-law2008 | kh-hrw2010,https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C3_Law-on-Suppression.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/07/19/streets/arbitrary-detention-and-other-abuses-against-sex-workers-cambodia,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cambodia/
KH,Cambodia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Managing, exploiting, operating or financing an establishment of prostitution, accepting or tolerating prostitution or client-seeking inside an establishment, and providing non-public premises knowing they will be used for prostitution each carry two to five years; seven to fifteen years where children are involved.",Articles 30–33 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,kh-law2008,https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C3_Law-on-Suppression.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cambodia/
KH,Cambodia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring prostitution, which covers drawing a financial profit from, assisting or protecting the prostitution of others, recruiting or inducing a person into it, and acting as an intermediary, carries two to five years; five to ten years in aggravated cases and longer where a minor is involved or torture is used.",Articles 25–29 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,kh-law2008,https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C3_Law-on-Suppression.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cambodia/
KH,Cambodia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence of advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising child prostitution as an intermediary is a specific offence (two to five years). Publishing advertisements for another person's sexual services could amount to assisting the prostitution of others or acting as an intermediary (Article 25), and public soliciting is an offence for the person selling sex.",Article 24 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008 | Article 25 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008 | Article 35 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the procuring definition; whether online advertising counts as soliciting ""in public"" was not established. Telecommunications and cybercrime rules were not reviewed.",kh-law2008,https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/C3_Law-on-Suppression.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cambodia/
CM,Cameroon,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 5 years,"Any person of either sex who habitually, for remuneration, engages in sexual acts with another is punishable by six months to five years in prison and a fine of CFAF 20,000 to 500,000 (Section 343(1)). The offence requires habit and payment; occasional paid sex is not covered by this section.",Penal Code 2016 s. 343(1),high,2026-10-30,"Read in the WIPO Lex copy of the bilingual official text (scanned, partly garbled OCR); the French wording was checked against the English. Enforcement practice was not assessed.",cm-pc2016-fr | cm-pc2016-en,https://www.prc.cm/fr/actualites/actes/lois/1828-loi-n-2016-007-du-12-juillet-2016-portant-code-penal | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/cm/cm014en.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cameroon/
CM,Cameroon,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes buying sex an offence; Section 343(1) applies to the person who engages in sexual acts for remuneration. A married client may commit adultery (Section 361: two to six months or a fine), which can be prosecuted only on the complaint of the wronged spouse.",Penal Code 2016 s. 343 | Penal Code 2016 s. 361,medium,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from the absence of a client offence in the Code; whether clients are ever charged as accomplices to the Section 343 offence was not checked.,cm-pc2016-en | cm-pc2016-fr,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/cm/cm014en.html | https://www.prc.cm/fr/actualites/actes/lois/1828-loi-n-2016-007-du-12-juillet-2016-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cameroon/
CM,Cameroon,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no stand-alone brothel-keeping offence, but owning, managing or being in charge of an establishment where prostitution is habitually practised is an aggravating circumstance of the procuring offence: the penalty of six months to five years is doubled and the court must order the establishment closed (Section 294(3)(a) and (6)). Allowing a child under 18 to live or work in such an establishment is a separate offence (Section 345).",Penal Code 2016 s. 294(3)(a) | Penal Code 2016 s. 294(6) | Penal Code 2016 s. 345,high,2026-10-30,,cm-pc2016-en | cm-pc2016-fr,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/cm/cm014en.html | https://www.prc.cm/fr/actualites/actes/lois/1828-loi-n-2016-007-du-12-juillet-2016-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cameroon/
CM,Cameroon,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever procures, aids or facilitates another person's prostitution, shares even occasionally in its proceeds, or is supported by a person engaging in prostitution faces six months to five years and a fine of CFAF 20,000 to 1,000,000. A person living with a sex worker is presumed to be supported unless they show sufficient own resources. The penalty is doubled for coercion, fraud, weapons, venue owners, victims under 21 and parents or guardians. The sex worker is not an accessory (Section 294).",Penal Code 2016 s. 294,high,2026-10-30,,cm-pc2016-en | cm-pc2016-fr,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/cm/cm014en.html | https://www.prc.cm/fr/actualites/actes/lois/1828-loi-n-2016-007-du-12-juillet-2016-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cameroon/
CM,Cameroon,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly soliciting persons of either sex for prostitution or debauchery by gestures, words, writing or any other means carries six months to five years (Section 343(2)), which on its wording reaches written and online offers. Drawing the public's attention to an occasion of immorality is punishable as public indecency (Section 264(b)). A site hosting such offers could be charged with aiding or facilitating prostitution (Section 294).",Penal Code 2016 s. 343(2) | Penal Code 2016 s. 264(b) | Penal Code 2016 s. 294(1),medium,2026-10-30,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services or on platform liability was found; the application of Sections 343(2) and 294 to online ads is an inference from their wording, not from case law. The 2010 cybercrime law was not checked.",cm-pc2016-en | cm-pc2016-fr,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/cm/cm014en.html | https://www.prc.cm/fr/actualites/actes/lois/1828-loi-n-2016-007-du-12-juillet-2016-portant-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cameroon/
CA,Canada,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,in public: 2 years,"Selling one's own sexual services is not an offence, and s. 286.5 bars prosecuting a seller as a party to the buyer's offence. Two narrow summary offences in s. 213 still apply to sellers: stopping or impeding traffic in a public place, and communicating to offer sexual services in a public place next to a school ground, playground or daycare centre.","s. 286.5 Criminal Code | s. 213(1), (1.1) Criminal Code",high,2026-10-30,,cc-286-5 | cc-213 | caswlr-onsc | bedford-scc,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.5.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-213.html | https://www.powerottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFSWLR-v.-Attorney-General-Reasons-for-Judgment-CV-21-659594-signed.pdf | https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/13389/index.do,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 5 years,"Obtaining, or communicating in any place to obtain, the sexual services of a person for consideration is a hybrid offence: up to 5 years on indictment, or up to two years less a day and a fine of up to CAD 5,000 on summary conviction. Mandatory minimum fines start at CAD 500 and double near parks, schools, religious institutions or places where minors are expected to be. From under-18s: up to 14 years, minimum 6 months.","s. 286.1(1), (2) Criminal Code | s. 718.4 Criminal Code | s. 36 Protecting Victims Act, S.C. 2026, c. 19",high,2026-10-30,,cc-286-1 | pva | caswlr-onsc,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.1.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/AnnualStatutes/2026_19/FullText.html | https://www.powerottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFSWLR-v.-Attorney-General-Reasons-for-Judgment-CV-21-659594-signed.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The bawdy-house offences were repealed in 2019, so there is no brothel offence as such. Running a venue that sells other people's sexual services is still caught by the material-benefit offence, whose exceptions do not cover a ""commercial enterprise that offers sexual services for consideration"", and by procuring. A landlord who only rents premises to an independent sex worker commits neither offence.","s. 286.2(5)(e), (6) Criminal Code | s. 286.3 Criminal Code | former s. 210 Criminal Code (repealed, S.C. 2019, c. 25, s. 73)",high,2026-10-30,,cc-286-2 | cc-286-3 | cc-210 | kloubakov-scc | bedford-scc,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.2.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.3.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-210-20030101.html | https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/21132/index.do | https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/13389/index.do,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Sex workers may work together from the same indoor premises. The Supreme Court held in 2025 that people selling their own services, ""whether independently or cooperatively with others"", are outside the ""commercial enterprise"" exclusion, and that the immunity covers each seller's own services. The purchase by their clients remains an offence.","s. 286.2(4), (5) Criminal Code | s. 286.5 Criminal Code",high,2026-10-30,,kloubakov-scc | doj-technical-paper | cc-286-2 | ns-onca,https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/21132/index.do | https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/protect/p1.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.2.html | https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2022/2022ONCA0160.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a person to offer or provide sexual services for consideration, or recruiting, holding, concealing or harbouring them or controlling their movements in order to facilitate a purchase, carries up to 14 years. Knowingly receiving a material benefit derived from a purchase carries up to 10 years, subject to exceptions for non-exploitative relationships.",s. 286.2 Criminal Code | s. 286.3 Criminal Code | s. 286.5(1)(a) Criminal Code,high,2026-10-30,,cc-286-2 | cc-286-3 | cc-286-5 | kloubakov-scc | ns-onca,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.2.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.3.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.5.html | https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/21132/index.do | https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2022/2022ONCA0160.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Knowingly advertising an offer to provide sexual services for consideration is a hybrid offence, punishable by up to 5 years on indictment. A person cannot be prosecuted for advertising their own sexual services, but anyone who advertises someone else's, or helps place such an ad, can be. Courts have found that the offence limits freedom of expression but is justified under s. 1 of the Charter.","s. 286.4 Criminal Code | s. 286.5(1)(b), (2) Criminal Code | s. 164(1), (8) Criminal Code",high,2026-10-30,,cc-286-4 | cc-286-5 | cc-164 | ns-onca | caswlr-onsc | just-2022,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.4.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.5.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-164.html | https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2022/2022ONCA0160.htm | https://www.powerottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFSWLR-v.-Attorney-General-Reasons-for-Judgment-CV-21-659594-signed.pdf | https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/JUST/Reports/RP11891316/justrp04/justrp04-e.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,A website or publisher that knowingly carries ads for other people's sexual services can be liable as a party to the s. 286.4 offence; the seller's own immunity does not cover them. A judge can also order the custodian of a computer system in Canada to delete such ads and identify who posted them. Evidence before the courts and Parliament is that advertising moved to sites hosted outside Canada.,s. 286.4 Criminal Code | s. 21 Criminal Code (parties to offences) | s. 164.1 Criminal Code | s. 286.3 Criminal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Party liability for platforms rests on the Justice Department's reading of the statute and on remarks in court rulings, not on a judgment about a website. We could not search CanLII (it blocks automated access) and found no reported conviction of an ad-site operator under s. 286.4. Statistics Canada does not break advertising charges down by type of accused.",doj-technical-paper | caswlr-onsc | cc-164-1 | cc-286-4 | kloubakov-scc | ns-onca | just-2022 | statcan-35100177,https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/protect/p1.html | https://www.powerottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFSWLR-v.-Attorney-General-Reasons-for-Judgment-CV-21-659594-signed.pdf | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-164.1.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.4.html | https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/21132/index.do | https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2022/2022ONCA0160.htm | https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/JUST/Reports/RP11891316/justrp04/justrp04-e.pdf | https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3510017701,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Communicating in public to sell sexual services is lawful except in or next to school grounds, playgrounds and daycare centres. Stopping vehicles or impeding traffic to offer, provide or obtain sexual services is an offence for sellers and buyers alike. Buyers commit the s. 286.1 offence wherever they communicate, with higher minimum fines near parks, schools and places where minors are expected.","s. 213(1), (1.1), (2) Criminal Code | s. 286.1(1)(a)(i), (b)(i) Criminal Code",high,2026-10-30,,cc-213 | cc-286-1 | juristat-2021 | statcan-35100177 | just-2022,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-213.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-286.1.html | https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00010-eng.htm | https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3510017701 | https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/JUST/Reports/RP11891316/justrp04/justrp04-e.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"There is no national registration or health-check regime for sex workers. Municipalities license related businesses under their own by-laws, without making the sale of sex lawful. Toronto, for example, licenses body-rub parlour owners, operators and body-rubbers and requires a medical certificate from licensed body-rubbers.","Toronto Municipal Code ch. 545, § 545-2A(7)–(8), § 545-333",medium,2026-10-30,"Only Toronto's by-law was checked. Other cities' licensing regimes (body-rub, holistic, escort or adult-entertainment licences) differ and were not reviewed.",toronto-545,https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_545.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no tax rule specific to sex work. Income from selling sexual services is taxable like other business income, and business expenses are deductible. The Ontario Superior Court noted in 2023 that sex workers must report income from all sources, legal or illegal, and can make Canada Pension Plan contributions as self-employed people.",s. 241 Income Tax Act (taxpayer confidentiality),medium,2026-10-30,Stated from the court's summary of the tax position. The Income Tax Act and CRA guidance were not checked directly for this entry.,caswlr-onsc,https://www.powerottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFSWLR-v.-Attorney-General-Reasons-for-Judgment-CV-21-659594-signed.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CA,Canada,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Immigration regulations bar every temporary resident who is authorised to work from taking or extending a job with an employer who regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massage. Work permits are refused for such employers. Temporary residents without work authorisation may not work at all.","s. 183(1)(b), (b.1) IRPR | s. 196.1(a) IRPR | s. 200(3)(g.1) IRPR | s. 203(2)(a) IRPR",high,2026-10-30,"That a breach of these conditions can lead to removal follows from the general Immigration and Refugee Protection Act scheme, which was not reviewed in detail for this entry.",irpr-183 | irpr-196-1 | irpr-200 | just-2022 | irpr-203,https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/section-183.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/section-196.1.html | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/section-200.html | https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/441/JUST/Reports/RP11891316/justrp04/justrp04-e.pdf | https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2002-227/section-203.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/canada/
CF,Central African Republic,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 year,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but publicly soliciting or attempting to solicit persons of either sex for debauchery, by gestures, words, writing or any other means, is punishable by one month and a day to one year in prison or a fine of CFAF 100,002 to 500,000 (Article 89). Public soliciting is also a fifth-class contravention (Article 442(2); fine of CFAF 20,001 to 100,000 and up to one month, Article 434).",Code pénal 2010 art. 89 | Code pénal 2010 art. 442(2) | Code pénal 2010 art. 434,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Equipo Nizkor transcription of the Journal officiel special edition of 15 January 2010 and checked against a PDF copy hosted by ILGA; neither is the official gazette itself. No later amendment to these articles was found, but the absence of amendments was not confirmed.",cf-cp2010 | cf-cp2010-ilga,https://derechos.org/intlaw/doc/caf1.html | https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CF%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(2010)%20-%20OR(fr).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/central-african-republic/
CF,Central African Republic,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes buying sex from an adult an offence, and the Code has no offence of adultery (adultery appears only as an excuse for violence). Habitually exciting, favouring or facilitating the debauchery of a person under 18 is punishable by three to ten years (Article 92).",Code pénal 2010 art. 92,medium,2026-10-30,Inferred from a full-text search of an unofficial transcription.,cf-cp2010,https://derechos.org/intlaw/doc/caf1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/central-african-republic/
CF,Central African Republic,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no specific offence of keeping a brothel, but running premises for others' prostitution falls within the procuring offence: habitually aiding, assisting or protecting another person's prostitution, sharing in its proceeds, or keeping a person for prostitution, punishable by one to five years and a fine of CFAF 100,002 to 1,000,000 (Article 90).",Code pénal 2010 art. 90,medium,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from the wording of Article 90; no case law found.,cf-cp2010,https://derechos.org/intlaw/doc/caf1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/central-african-republic/
CF,Central African Republic,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer, punishable by one to five years and a fine of CFAF 100,002 to 1,000,000, is anyone who habitually and knowingly aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting; shares in its proceeds; lives with a sex worker without sufficient own resources; hires or keeps an adult for prostitution even with consent; or acts as an intermediary (Article 90). Minors, coercion, abuse of authority or deceit raise this to three to ten years (Article 91).",Code pénal 2010 art. 90 | Code pénal 2010 art. 91,high,2026-10-30,,cf-cp2010 | cf-cp2010-ilga,https://derechos.org/intlaw/doc/caf1.html | https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CF%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(2010)%20-%20OR(fr).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/central-african-republic/
CF,Central African Republic,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found, but public soliciting for debauchery by ""writing or any other means"" is an offence (Article 89), which on its wording covers published offers, and a third party who habitually assists such soliciting is a procurer (Article 90(1)). Pornography is defined as representation offending public morals, but the offence in Article 111 concerns children only.",Code pénal 2010 art. 89 | Code pénal 2010 art. 90(1) | Code pénal 2010 art. 111,low,2026-10-30,"Applying Articles 89 and 90 to online ads and ad sites is an inference from their wording, not from case law. Press and electronic communications laws (including a 2025 press law) were not checked.",cf-cp2010,https://derechos.org/intlaw/doc/caf1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/central-african-republic/
TD,Chad,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No article of the 2017 Penal Code makes selling sex, or soliciting by the person selling, an offence. Prostitution appears only in the procuring offences (Articles 335–336), in the child-protection offence of letting a child live or work in a house where prostitution is practised (Article 364), and as forced prostitution in the crimes against humanity provisions.",Code pénal 2017 art. 335 | Code pénal 2017 art. 364,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the droit-afrique.com consolidation of the Code hosted by FAOLEX (not the Official Journal); a full-text search found no other prostitution provision. Other laws, local regulations and police practice (e.g. arrests for public-order or vagrancy reasons) were not checked.",td-cp2017,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cha213367.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chad/
TD,Chad,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision makes buying sex from an adult an offence. The Code has no general offence of adultery or of sex outside marriage; excitement or facilitation of the debauchery of a minor is punished separately (Article 363).,Code pénal 2017 art. 363,medium,2026-10-30,"Inferred from a full-text search of an unofficial consolidation; the term adultery appears only as a mitigating excuse for violence, not as an offence.",td-cp2017,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cha213367.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chad/
TD,Chad,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no specific brothel-keeping offence, but running a venue for others' prostitution would fall under the broad procuring offence: aiding, assisting or protecting another person's prostitution in any way, sharing in its proceeds, or keeping a person for prostitution (Article 335, six months to two years). Allowing a child under 18 to live or work in a house where prostitution is practised is punishable by 15 days to six months (Article 364).",Code pénal 2017 art. 335 | Code pénal 2017 art. 364,medium,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from the wording of Article 335; no case law was found.,td-cp2017,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cha213367.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chad/
TD,Chad,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer, punishable by six months to two years and a fine of CFAF 100,000 to 1,000,000, is anyone who knowingly aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting; shares in its proceeds; lives with a sex worker without sufficient own resources; hires or keeps an adult for prostitution even with consent; or acts as an intermediary (Article 335). Minors, coercion, weapons, family or authority links and officials raise it to two to five years (Article 336).",Code pénal 2017 art. 335 | Code pénal 2017 art. 336,high,2026-10-30,,td-cp2017,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cha213367.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chad/
TD,Chad,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Exposing posters or images contrary to decency in public places is a petty offence (fine of CFAF 2,000 to 20,000, up to 15 days; Article 518(15)). A third party who publishes or hosts a sex worker's offer could be charged with aiding or assisting prostitution or soliciting under Article 335; an advertisement placed by the sex worker for herself is not an offence as such.",Code pénal 2017 art. 518(15) | Code pénal 2017 art. 335(a),low,2026-10-30,Inferred from general provisions; no case law found. Chad's cybercrime and electronic communications laws were not checked.,td-cp2017,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cha213367.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chad/
CL,Chile,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence for adults. Health checks for sex workers under Decree 206 of 2007 are voluntary and confidential, with health centres keeping a statistical count of the people in control. The Penal Code still lists, among minor offences (faltas), breaching police regulations concerning those who engage in sex trade (art. 495 no. 7).","Código Sanitario, art. 41 | Decreto 206 de 2007 (MINSAL) | Código Penal, art. 495 n° 7",medium,2026-10-30,The consolidated codes on LeyChile could not be opened (the site refused automated access); described from a 2014 Library of Congress report prepared for the Senate and search results quoting article 41. Changes after 2014 may not be reflected.,cl-bcn-2014 | cl-cs | cl-cp,https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/20235/4/comercio+sexual_final_v5.pdf | https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=5595 | https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1984,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chile/
CL,Chile,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Obtaining sexual services from a person aged 14 to 17 in exchange for money or any other benefit is punished with presidio menor in its maximum degree (art. 367 ter).,"Código Penal, art. 367 ter",medium,2026-10-30,Penal Code text taken from the 2014 Library of Congress report; later amendments to article 367 ter were not checked.,cl-bcn-2014 | cl-cp,https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/20235/4/comercio+sexual_final_v5.pdf | https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1984,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chile/
CL,Chile,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"The Sanitary Code prohibits grouping people engaged in sex trade in closed brothels or houses of tolerance (art. 41). The Carabineros enforce the ban and order and carry out the closure of premises, in addition to health-authority penalties; a closure can be lifted only by a civil judge at the owner's request.","Código Sanitario, art. 41",medium,2026-10-30,LeyChile could not be opened; wording confirmed from search results quoting the article and from the Library of Congress report.,cl-cs | cl-bcn-2014,https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=5595 | https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/20235/4/comercio+sexual_final_v5.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chile/
CL,Chile,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no general offence of procuring adults. Promoting or facilitating the prostitution of minors to satisfy the desires of another carries presidio menor in its maximum degree, and presidio mayor where there is habituality, abuse of authority or trust, or deception (art. 367). Trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating cross-border movement for prostitution are covered by the offences added by Law 20.507 of 2011.","Código Penal, art. 367 | Ley 20.507 (Código Penal, Libro II, Título VIII, párrafo 5 bis)",medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 2014 Library of Congress report; the exact current numbering and wording of the trafficking offences could not be checked on LeyChile.,cl-bcn-2014 | cl-cp,https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/20235/4/comercio+sexual_final_v5.pdf | https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1984,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chile/
CL,Chile,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising a brothel would run into the Sanitary Code ban on brothels, and advertising involving minors would fall under the child-protection offences.",,low,2026-10-30,"Media, consumer and platform rules were not reviewed; the absence of an advertising rule is unconfirmed.",cl-bcn-2014 | cl-cs,https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/20235/4/comercio+sexual_final_v5.pdf | https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=5595,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/chile/
CN,China,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,up to 15 days,"Selling sex is punished with 10 to 15 days' administrative detention and an optional fine of up to 5,000 yuan; in minor cases up to 5 days or a fine of up to 1,000 yuan. Soliciting customers in a public place carries up to 5 days or 1,000 yuan. Knowingly selling sex while having a serious sexually transmitted disease is a crime (up to 5 years).",《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第七十八条 | 《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第一百三十六条 | 《刑法》第三百六十条,high,2026-10-30,,cn-psapl-2025 | cn-criminal-law | cn-xinhua-2019,http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0227/c1001-40670930.html | https://fgk.chinatax.gov.cn/zcfgk/c100009/c5212248/content.html | http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-12/28/c_1125399152.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/
CN,China,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,up to 15 days,"Buying sex (嫖娼) is punished under the same article as selling: 10 to 15 days' administrative detention and an optional fine of up to 5,000 yuan, or up to 5 days or 1,000 yuan in minor cases.",《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第七十八条,high,2026-10-30,,cn-psapl-2025,http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0227/c1001-40670930.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/
CN,China,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a place where others sell sex is the crime of harbouring (容留) prostitution, or organising prostitution where three or more people are managed or controlled. Staff of hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues and taxi firms who use their business for prostitution are punished under the same articles, the person in charge more severely.",《刑法》第三百五十八条、第三百五十九条、第三百六十一条 | 《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第七十九条,high,2026-10-30,,cn-criminal-law | cn-spc-interpretation-2017 | cn-psapl-2025,https://fgk.chinatax.gov.cn/zcfgk/c100009/c5212248/content.html | https://www.court.gov.cn/fabu/xiangqing/53752.html | http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0227/c1001-40670930.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/
CN,China,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or forcing others into prostitution carries 5 to 10 years and, in serious cases, 10 years to life; assisting an organiser, for example by recruiting or transporting people, up to 5 years (5 to 10 if serious). Inducing, harbouring or introducing others into prostitution carries up to 5 years, or 5 years and more if serious, always with a fine. Minor cases are administrative offences.",《刑法》第三百五十八条 | 《刑法》第三百五十九条 | 《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第七十九条,high,2026-10-30,,cn-criminal-law | cn-spc-interpretation-2017 | cn-psapl-2025,https://fgk.chinatax.gov.cn/zcfgk/c100009/c5212248/content.html | https://www.court.gov.cn/fabu/xiangqing/53752.html | http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0227/c1001-40670930.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/
CN,China,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publishing prostitution solicitation information online (招嫖违法信息) is prosecuted, in serious cases, as illegal use of an information network (up to 3 years), or as the more heavily punished crime of introducing prostitution where that is also made out. Spreading obscene information online is also an administrative offence.",《刑法》第二百八十七条之一 | 法释〔2017〕13号 第八条 | 《治安管理处罚法》（2025修订）第八十条,high,2026-10-30,,cn-criminal-law | cn-spc-interpretation-2017 | cn-psapl-2025,https://fgk.chinatax.gov.cn/zcfgk/c100009/c5212248/content.html | https://www.court.gov.cn/fabu/xiangqing/53752.html | http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0227/c1001-40670930.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/
CO,Colombia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,outside zones: fine,"Selling sex is not a crime. Under the Police Code, prostitution as such does not give rise to corrective measures, but sex workers may be fined for working outside the zones and hours set by the municipality, without the required sanitary measures, or for sexual acts in public.","Ley 1801 de 2016, arts. 42 y 44",high,2026-10-30,,co-cnp | co-t594,http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_1801_2016_pr001.html | https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2016/t-594-16.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/colombia/
CO,Colombia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,outside zones: fine,Paying an adult for sex is not a crime. The Police Code fines clients who mistreat or coerce sex workers or who buy services outside the conditions it sets for venues and zones.,"Ley 1801 de 2016, art. 45",high,2026-10-30,,co-cnp,http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_1801_2016_pr001.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/colombia/
CO,Colombia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Establishments where prostitution takes place are lawful if they meet the Police Code's conditions: a sanitary certificate from the health authority, condom provision, cooperation with inspections, dignified treatment of sex workers and no entry for minors. Breaches lead to fines and definitive suspension of the activity. Running a venue for adults is not itself a crime.","Ley 1801 de 2016, arts. 43 y 46 | Código Penal, art. 217",high,2026-10-30,,co-cnp | co-cp-214 | co-t594 | co-t629,http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_1801_2016_pr001.html | http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_0599_2000_pr008.html | https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2016/t-594-16.htm | https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2010/t-629-10.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/colombia/
CO,Colombia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing another person into prostitution for profit or to satisfy another's desires carries 10 to 22 years and a fine; coercing a person into prostitution carries 9 to 13 years. The Constitutional Court upheld the inducement offence in C-636 of 2009, holding that prostitution itself is not prohibited.","Código Penal, arts. 213, 213-A, 214, 216",high,2026-10-30,,co-cp-213 | co-cp-214 | co-c636,http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_0599_2000_pr007.html | http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_0599_2000_pr008.html | https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2009/C-636-09.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/colombia/
CO,Colombia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No national statute was found that prohibits advertising adult sexual services as such. Using or facilitating any means of communication, including the internet, to offer or obtain sexual contact with people under 18 is a crime carrying 10 to 14 years.","Código Penal, art. 219-A",medium,2026-10-30,"The absence of an adult-advertising offence is based on a review of the Penal Code chapter on sexual exploitation and the Police Code; other laws (consumer protection, media regulation, municipal codes) were not checked.",co-cp-214,http://www.secretariasenado.gov.co/senado/basedoc/ley_0599_2000_pr008.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/colombia/
KM,Comoros,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 2 years,"There is no offence of selling sex as such, but fornication (zina), sexual intercourse outside marriage, is prohibited and punishable by six months to two years and/or a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 Comorian francs (arts. 306–307). Married persons are liable for adultery: three months to two years and/or a fine (art. 305).",Penal Code 2020 arts. 305–307,medium,2026-10-30,"Text read in a droit-afrique.com copy of the code (archived 2023), not the official gazette. In the February 2026 Moroni case, defence counsel argued that the code ""ne contient aucun article parlant de la prostitution""; the verdict was not found.",km-cp-2020 | km-gazette-2026,https://web.archive.org/web/20230609124926/https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Comores-Code-2020-penal.pdf | https://lagazettedescomores.com/soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9/justice-10-individus-poursuivis-pour-prox%C3%A9n%C3%A9tisme-et-prostitution-.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/comoros/
KM,Comoros,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 2 years,"No client-specific offence exists, but the fornication provisions apply to both participants: those guilty of fornication are punished by six months to two years and/or a fine (art. 307). An adulterer's partner is punished like the adulterer (art. 305).",Penal Code 2020 arts. 305–307,medium,2026-10-30,"How often the fornication offence is charged against clients was not found. Proof requires confession, flagrante delicto or four male witnesses (art. 306).",km-cp-2020,https://web.archive.org/web/20230609124926/https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Comores-Code-2020-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/comoros/
KM,Comoros,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who, directly or through another, holds, manages, operates, directs, finances or helps finance a prostitution establishment, or who runs a hotel, boarding house, bar, restaurant, club, dance hall or other place open to the public and habitually tolerates prostitution or the seeking of clients there, is punished with the penalties of art. 310; they double for a repeat within ten years (art. 313).",Penal Code 2020 art. 313,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial copy of the code.,km-cp-2020,https://web.archive.org/web/20230609124926/https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Comores-Code-2020-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/comoros/
KM,Comoros,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who knowingly helps or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares in its proceeds, knowingly lives with a person habitually engaged in prostitution, recruits or keeps an adult for prostitution even with consent, or acts as an intermediary: six months to three years and 50,000 to 500,000 Comorian francs (art. 310). Aggravated cases carry two to ten years and up to 1,000,000 francs (art. 311).",Penal Code 2020 arts. 310–311,medium,2026-10-30,Translated from the French; unofficial copy of the code.,km-cp-2020,https://web.archive.org/web/20230609124926/https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Comores-Code-2020-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/comoros/
KM,Comoros,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who publicly draws attention to an occasion for debauchery, or publishes an announcement or correspondence of that kind in whatever terms, is punishable by one to two years and a fine of 150,000 to 550,000 Comorian francs (art. 233, by reference to art. 232). Helping or assisting another's prostitution or soliciting is also procuring (art. 310(a)).",Penal Code 2020 arts. 232–233 | Penal Code 2020 art. 310(a),medium,2026-10-30,Art. 233 is a general public-morals offence rather than a provision written for online ads; no case law on websites was found. The cybercrime chapter (art. 449 ff.) was not reviewed.,km-cp-2020,https://web.archive.org/web/20230609124926/https://www.droit-afrique.com/uploads/Comores-Code-2020-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/comoros/
CR,Costa Rica,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence. The 'vagrancy' offence in Law 3550, which covered women habitually found in places of prostitution, was largely struck down by the Constitutional Chamber in 1994; a sex workers' organisation reports that police still use it as a pretext for detentions. HIV testing is voluntary and no compulsory health checks apply to sex workers.","Ley 3550 contra la Vagancia, la Mendicidad y el Abandono, art. 2 (anulado en lo pertinente, Sala Constitucional, sentencia 7549-94)",medium,2026-10-30,The vagrancy ruling and the HIV-law position come from an NGO legal mapping (2020) and were not checked against the judgment or the HIV law. Municipal rules on street soliciting were not reviewed.,cr-redtrasex-2020 | cr-cp,https://redtrasex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mapeo_de_leyes_costa_rica_rts2020.pdf | https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_costa_rica.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/costa-rica/
CR,Costa Rica,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Paying, or promising to pay, a person under 18 or a third party so that the minor performs sexual or erotic acts is punishable by four to ten years if the victim is under 13, three to eight years if aged 13–14 and two to six years if aged 15–17 (Art. 160).",Art. 160 Código Penal (reformado por Ley 8590 de 2007),medium,2026-10-30,"Checked against a consolidated copy current to about 2009; no later change making the purchase of sex from adults an offence was found, but the official consolidated text could not be read (see sources).",cr-cp,https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_costa_rica.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/costa-rica/
CR,Costa Rica,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel offence, but running premises where others sell sex is prosecuted as promoting their prostitution or keeping them in it (Art. 169, two to five years). In 2023 the San Carlos criminal court convicted four people of proxenetismo, criminal association and in two cases trafficking over a network of nine bars; their lawyer argued that judges read 'facilitating' as any act that makes prostitution easier.",Arts. 169 y 170 Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Whether simply renting rooms or running a bar where sex workers meet clients is prosecuted depends on case law that was not systematically reviewed.,cr-cp | cr-crhoy-2023,https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_costa_rica.pdf | https://crhoy.com/nacionales/31-anos-de-carcel-por-red-de-explotacion-sexual-en-costa-rica/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/costa-rica/
CR,Costa Rica,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting the prostitution of others, inducing someone to engage or remain in it, or recruiting for it: two to five years (Art. 169); four to ten with aggravating factors such as a minor victim, deception, violence or abuse of need (Art. 170). Coercively living off a sex worker's earnings: two to eight years (Art. 171). Moving a person into, out of or within the country for prostitution is trafficking, six to ten years, with no requirement of force (Art. 172).",Art. 169 Código Penal (Ley 7899 de 1999) | Arts. 170 y 171 Código Penal (Ley 8590 de 2007) | Art. 172 Código Penal (Ley 8720 de 2009),medium,2026-10-30,"Wording of Arts. 169–171 is consistent across a consolidated copy current to about 2009 and an NGO legal mapping from 2020. The official consolidated text on SINALEVI loads its content by script and could not be read, so amendments after 2009 (notably to the trafficking offence in Art. 172) were not checked.",cr-cp | cr-sinalevi,https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_costa_rica.pdf | https://sinalevi.go.cr/ResultadosNormativa/Informacion?param1=5027&param2=&param3=1&param4=,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/costa-rica/
CR,Costa Rica,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting advertisements for adult sexual services was found. A sex worker advertising their own services commits no offence on the text checked, but advertising on behalf of others can amount to 'promoting' their prostitution (Art. 169), and publicising a person's travel for prostitution can fall under the trafficking offence (Art. 172).",Arts. 169 y 172 Código Penal,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the Penal Code; advertising, media and telecommunications laws and any case law on online advertisements or platforms were not reviewed.",cr-cp,https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_costa_rica.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/costa-rica/
CI,Côte d'Ivoire,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,"Selling sex is not an offence, but anyone who, by gestures, words, writings or any other means, publicly solicits or tries to solicit people of either sex in order to provoke them to debauchery faces fifteen days to three months and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 francs (Article 361).",Code pénal 2019 art. 361,medium,2026-10-30,"Article 361 was read in the Nanan consolidated text, not in the Journal officiel, which could not be opened.",ci-cp,https://www.nanan.ai/textes/loi-n-2019-574-du-26-juin-2019-portant-code-penal-modifiee-par-la-loi-du-n-2021-893-du-21-decembre-2021,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cote-d-ivoire/
CI,Côte d'Ivoire,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Penal Code. Exciting, favouring or facilitating the debauchery or corruption of minors carries two to five years (Article 360).",Code pénal 2019 art. 360,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the Nanan consolidated text.,ci-cp,https://www.nanan.ai/textes/loi-n-2019-574-du-26-juin-2019-portant-code-penal-modifiee-par-la-loi-du-n-2021-893-du-21-decembre-2021,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cote-d-ivoire/
CI,Côte d'Ivoire,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Holding, managing, running or financing an establishment whose main or ancillary purpose is prostitution, or habitually tolerating prostitution or the seeking of clients in a hotel, bar, club or other place open to the public, carries two to five years and 1 to 10 million francs, with withdrawal of the licence (Article 362). Knowingly making private premises available to sex workers for habitual use carries six months to two years (Article 363).",Code pénal 2019 art. 362 | Code pénal 2019 art. 363,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the Nanan consolidated text. Article 363 can reach a landlord who knowingly rents to a sex worker.,ci-cp,https://www.nanan.ai/textes/loi-n-2019-574-du-26-juin-2019-portant-code-penal-modifiee-par-la-loi-du-n-2021-893-du-21-decembre-2021,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cote-d-ivoire/
CI,Côte d'Ivoire,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds and receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, lives with such a person without justifying their resources, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: one to five years and 1 to 10 million CFA francs (Article 358). Penalties double for a minor, coercion, a partner or parent, or several offenders (Article 359).",Code pénal 2019 art. 358 | Code pénal 2019 art. 359,high,2026-10-30,,ci-vbg | ci-cp,https://efemmes.gouv.ci/uploads/documents/RECUEIL_DE_TEXTES_DE_LOIS_VBG.pdf | https://www.nanan.ai/textes/loi-n-2019-574-du-26-juin-2019-portant-code-penal-modifiee-par-la-loi-du-n-2021-893-du-21-decembre-2021,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cote-d-ivoire/
CI,Côte d'Ivoire,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind whatever its terms, carries one month to two years and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 CFA francs (Article 357(4)), doubled where a minor is targeted. Public soliciting by writings or any other means is a separate offence (Article 361), and helping another's soliciting is procuring (Article 358).",Code pénal 2019 art. 357(4) | Code pénal 2019 art. 361 | Code pénal 2019 art. 358(1),high,2026-10-30,Article 357 also lets the court bar a convicted person from managing a press or publishing business. No case applying it to websites was found.,ci-vbg | ci-cp,https://efemmes.gouv.ci/uploads/documents/RECUEIL_DE_TEXTES_DE_LOIS_VBG.pdf | https://www.nanan.ai/textes/loi-n-2019-574-du-26-juin-2019-portant-code-penal-modifiee-par-la-loi-du-n-2021-893-du-21-decembre-2021,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cote-d-ivoire/
HR,Croatia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,up to 30 days,"Engaging in prostitution (""tko se odaje prostituciji"") is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of EUR 20–100 or up to 30 days' imprisonment. The provision is not limited to public places.",čl. 12 Zakona o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira,high,2026-10-30,,hr-ppjrm | hr-nn-114-2022 | hr-nn-47-2023,https://www.zakon.hr/z/279/Zakon-o-prekr%C5%A1ajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2022_10_114_1706.html | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2023_05_47_806.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/croatia/
HR,Croatia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Buying sexual services from a person whom the buyer knew, or should and could have known, was forced, deceived or otherwise coerced into providing them is a crime punishable by one to ten years' imprisonment.",čl. 157 st. 2 Kaznenog zakona,high,2026-10-30,,hr-kz | hr-kz-2011,https://www.zakon.hr/z/98/Kazneni-zakon | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2011_11_125_2498.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/croatia/
HR,Croatia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Allowing one's premises to be used for prostitution, or otherwise enabling or assisting it, is a misdemeanour (EUR 300–2,000 or up to 30 days). Organising or enabling another person's provision of sexual services for gain is a crime punishable by six months to five years.",čl. 7 Zakona o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira | čl. 157 st. 1 Kaznenog zakona,high,2026-10-30,,hr-ppjrm | hr-nn-47-2023 | hr-kz,https://www.zakon.hr/z/279/Zakon-o-prekr%C5%A1ajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2023_05_47_806.html | https://www.zakon.hr/z/98/Kazneni-zakon,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/croatia/
HR,Croatia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Luring, recruiting or inciting another person to provide sexual services, or organising or enabling it, for gain is punishable by six months to five years. Force, deception or abuse of a position of dependence raises the range to one to ten years. The person's consent, and whether they already sold sex, is irrelevant.","čl. 157 st. 1, 2 i 4 Kaznenog zakona",high,2026-10-30,,hr-kz,https://www.zakon.hr/z/98/Kazneni-zakon,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/croatia/
HR,Croatia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Advertising the prostitution of another person through public media ""and other similar means"" is a crime punishable by up to three years. Since a 2015 amendment the provision refers expressly to another person's prostitution, so people advertising their own services fall outside it.",čl. 157 st. 3 Kaznenog zakona,high,2026-10-30,"Whether a website that hosts third-party ads counts as ""other similar means"" under Article 157(3), and how the provision interacts with the EU Digital Services Act, has not been checked against case law for this overview.",hr-kz | hr-nn-56-2015 | hr-kz-2011,https://www.zakon.hr/z/98/Kazneni-zakon | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2015_05_56_1095.html | https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2011_11_125_2498.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/croatia/
CU,Cuba,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence under the 2022 Penal Code, which provides security measures only after a crime ('posdelictivas'), ending the pre-criminal 'dangerous state' (peligrosidad) regime under which sex workers were previously prosecuted. Independent outlets report continued police harassment and bribery, and warning letters that create a police record.",Arts. 1.2 y 2.3 Código Penal (Ley 151/2022),medium,2026-10-30,"Police practice is documented only through testimony in independent media. The Diario de Cuba report (a Camagüey lawyer describing warning letters issued by the police vice department) returned HTTP 403 and is cited from search-result content only. No official data on warnings were found, and administrative (contravention) regulations were not reviewed.",cu-cp-2022 | cu-jovencuba-2024 | cu-ddc-2024,https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/documento/2022-09/goc-2022-o93_0.pdf | https://jovencuba.com/trabajo-sexual/ | https://diariodecuba.com/cuba/1725724502_57026.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cuba/
CU,Cuba,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the 2022 Penal Code. Using a person under 18 in prostitution is punishable by seven to fifteen years, and up to thirty years or life with aggravating factors (Art. 402).",Art. 402 Código Penal (Ley 151/2022),medium,2026-10-30,,cu-cp-2022,https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/documento/2022-09/goc-2022-o93_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cuba/
CU,Cuba,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, running, administering, operating or financing, directly or through a third party, wholly or partly, any premises, establishment or dwelling, or part of one, where prostitution or any other form of 'carnal commerce' takes place is punishable by four to ten years.",Art. 364.1 b) Código Penal (Ley 151/2022),high,2026-10-30,,cu-cp-2022,https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/documento/2022-09/goc-2022-o93_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cuba/
CU,Cuba,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing another person, or in any way cooperating in or promoting their engaging in prostitution, and obtaining any benefit from another's prostitution, are punishable by four to ten years (Art. 364.1); eight to twenty years where, among other things, the offender works in tourism, public order or health, uses threats or coercion, or acts habitually (Art. 364.2). Trafficking requires coercive means (Art. 363).",Arts. 363 y 364 Código Penal (Ley 151/2022),high,2026-10-30,,cu-cp-2022,https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/documento/2022-09/goc-2022-o93_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cuba/
CU,Cuba,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence specifically targeting advertisements for sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of another person can amount to 'cooperating in or promoting' their prostitution under Art. 364.1 a).,Art. 364.1 a) Código Penal (Ley 151/2022),low,2026-10-30,Inference from the Penal Code; regulations on internet content and the media were not reviewed.,cu-cp-2022,https://www.parlamentocubano.gob.cu/sites/default/files/documento/2022-09/goc-2022-o93_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cuba/
CY,Cyprus,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,persistent soliciting: 5 yrs,"Selling sexual services as an adult is not an offence and is not regulated. The only provision aimed at sex workers themselves is the offence of persistently soliciting clients, or importuning any person for immoral purposes, in a public place (Cap. 154 s. 164(1)(b), misdemeanour, up to five years).",Criminal Code Cap. 154 s. 164(1)(b),high,2026-10-30,,cy-cap154 | ep-2021-study,https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/0_154/full.html | https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/695394/IPOL_STU(2021)695394_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cyprus/
CY,Cyprus,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. Since 2019 anyone who requests, receives or uses the work or services of a victim that are the object of sexual exploitation commits an offence punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment or a fine of up to €50,000 (Law 60(I)/2014 s. 17A).","Law 60(I)/2014 ss. 2, 17, 17A",high,2026-10-30,No case law was reviewed on whether courts read a knowledge requirement into s. 17A.,cy-law-60-2014,https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/2014_1_60/full.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cyprus/
CY,Cyprus,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, a tenant or occupier knowingly allowing premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution, and a landlord knowingly letting premises for that use are misdemeanours (Cap. 154 s. 156), punishable by up to two years or a fine under the general rule in s. 35. A landlord may end the lease after a tenant's conviction.","Criminal Code Cap. 154 ss. 35, 156, 158",high,2026-10-30,"Whether two sex workers sharing a flat count as a 'brothel' depends on the common-law definition, which was not checked.",cy-cap154,https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/0_154/full.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cyprus/
CY,Cyprus,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a woman into common prostitution or to become an inmate of a brothel is punishable by up to five years (s. 157). Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution is punishable by up to five years (s. 164(1)(a)), with a presumption against anyone who lives with or controls a sex worker; s. 165 covers women who control another woman's prostitution for gain.","Criminal Code Cap. 154 ss. 157, 164(1)(a), 164(3), 165 | Law 60(I)/2014 s. 9",high,2026-10-30,,cy-cap154 | cy-law-60-2014,https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/0_154/full.html | https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/2014_1_60/full.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cyprus/
CY,Cyprus,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"No offence specific to advertising adult sexual services was found in Cap. 154 or Law 60(I)/2014. Self-advertising is not addressed. A publisher or website knowingly taking a share of sex workers' earnings could fall under the living-on-earnings offence (s. 164(1)(a)), and organising or directing a person into prostitution counts as 'sexual exploitation' under Law 60(I)/2014.",Criminal Code Cap. 154 s. 164(1)(a) | Law 60(I)/2014 s. 2,low,2026-10-30,Absence of an advertising offence is inferred from the texts reviewed; application of s. 164 to advertising sites is untested as far as found.,cy-cap154 | cy-law-60-2014,https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/0_154/full.html | https://www.cylaw.org/nomoi/enop/non-ind/2014_1_60/full.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/cyprus/
CZ,Czechia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,near schools: 2 years,"Selling sexual services as an adult is not an offence and is not regulated by statute. Two limits apply: prostitution near a school, school facility or other place intended for children is a criminal offence for the sex worker herself (§ 190(1) Criminal Code, up to two years), and municipal ordinances may ban offering sexual services in public spaces (administrative fine).",§ 190 trestního zákoníku (č. 40/2009 Sb.),high,2026-10-30,,cz-tz | cz-nss-2025 | cz-us-1155-26 | cz-us-pl-69-04 | cz-mv-thb-2024,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://vyhledavac.nssoud.cz/DokumentOriginal/Index/745817 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=2-1155-26_1 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=Pl-69-04 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Paying or offering a child (under 18) for sexual acts is a criminal offence under § 202 Criminal Code, both for the person who offers the payment and for the person who takes part in the act.",§ 202 trestního zákoníku,medium,2026-10-30,"Status describes national law. Local ordinances that ban using street prostitution in public spaces were not surveyed, so how many municipalities expose clients to an administrative fine is not known.",cz-tz | cz-mv-ozv,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/mvcren/docDetail.aspx?docType=ART&docid=10110,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no licence for brothels. Running premises where others sell sex and taking a share of their earnings or repeated payments for enabling it is procuring (§ 189 Criminal Code). The express 1922 statutory ban on brothels was repealed with effect from 1 January 2024 as obsolete, which left § 189 as the operative rule. Sexual services are mostly provided in private flats ('privates') and as escort services, and police monitor nightclubs.",§ 189 trestního zákoníku | § 1 bod 1032 zákona č. 276/2023 Sb.,high,2026-10-30,,cz-tz | cz-276-2023 | cz-mv-ozv | cz-cj-2024 | cz-mv-thb-2024,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2023-276 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/mvcren/docDetail.aspx?docType=ART&docid=10110 | https://www.ceska-justice.cz/2024/07/osobne-kontrolovali-pocet-divek-us-odmitl-stiznost-obvineneho-v-kauze-webu-inzerujiciho-sex/ | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision addresses sex workers who share a flat. Independent workers splitting costs are not committing an offence as such, but if one organises the others' work, recruits them or takes a share of their earnings or repeated payments for enabling their work, § 189 can apply to her.",§ 189 trestního zákoníku,medium,2026-10-30,Inferred from the wording of § 189 and the case law on 'profiting'; no decision on shared premises among sex workers was located.,cz-tz | cz-cj-2024,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://www.ceska-justice.cz/2024/07/osobne-kontrolovali-pocet-divek-us-odmitl-stiznost-obvineneho-v-kauze-webu-inzerujiciho-sex/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (kuplířství, § 189 Criminal Code) covers inducing, arranging, hiring, enticing or seducing another person into prostitution and profiting from prostitution carried on by another. Basic penalty: six months to four years; two to eight years for substantial gain or as an organised group; five to 12 years for grievous bodily harm and 8 to 15 years if death is caused. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is punished separately under § 168.",§ 189 trestního zákoníku | § 168 trestního zákoníku,high,2026-10-30,,cz-tz | cz-mv-thb-2024,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No law bans advertising sexual services, and sex workers advertise their own services online. Limits come from general law: arranging or advertising another person's services for a share of the income can be procuring (§ 189); advertisements must not breach good morals or contain elements of pornography (§ 2(3) Advertising Regulation Act); and public offering in the street can be banned by municipal ordinance.",§ 2 odst. 3 zákona č. 40/1995 Sb. | § 189 trestního zákoníku | § 10 písm. a) zákona č. 128/2000 Sb.,high,2026-10-30,,cz-reklama | cz-tz | cz-lupa-2026 | cz-obce,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1995-40#p2 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189 | https://www.lupa.cz/aktuality/inzerce-neni-kuplirstvi-soud-smetl-ze-stolu-zalobu-kolem-erotickych-webu-sex-cz/ | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2000-128#p10,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No statute addresses ad sites for sexual services. Operators risk prosecution for procuring if they profit from the advertisers' prostitution: police seized 49 sites in the Sex.cz case in 2023 and its operators were indicted, but in August 2026 the Municipal Court in Prague discontinued the prosecution of eight people and the company, holding that selling ad space for a fixed fee is not procuring. That decision was not final when reported. Hosting liability follows the EU Digital Services Act.",§ 189 trestního zákoníku | § 5 zákona č. 480/2004 Sb. | Regulation (EU) 2022/2065,medium,2026-10-30,"The August 2026 discontinuance is reported by the news media only (the court decision itself was not available to us) and was not final; a higher court could take a different view of § 189. Whether the prosecutor filed a complaint, and any ruling of the High Court in Prague, could not be confirmed as of 30 October 2026. Whether the Digital Economy Act designating ČTÚ had been enacted by then was not confirmed either: the latest text found is a government bill of November 2025.",cz-mv-thb-2024 | cz-cj-2024 | cz-lupa-2026 | cz-info-2026 | eu-dsa | ec-dsc | cz-ctu-dsa | cz-480-2004,https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx | https://www.ceska-justice.cz/2024/07/osobne-kontrolovali-pocet-divek-us-odmitl-stiznost-obvineneho-v-kauze-webu-inzerujiciho-sex/ | https://www.lupa.cz/aktuality/inzerce-neni-kuplirstvi-soud-smetl-ze-stolu-zalobu-kolem-erotickych-webu-sex-cz/ | https://www.info.cz/zpravodajstvi-a-komentare/sex-cz-kuplirstvi-soud | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj | https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-dscs | https://ctu.gov.cz/digitalni-sluzby-rozcestnik | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2004-480#p5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Municipalities may, by generally binding ordinance under § 10(a) of the Municipalities Act, ban offering sexual services in all or some public spaces, or allow it only in defined places. Prague bans it citywide. A breach is an administrative offence with a fine of up to CZK 100,000. Prostitution near schools and places for children is a criminal offence (§ 190).",§ 10 písm. a) zákona č. 128/2000 Sb. | § 4 odst. 2 a 3 zákona č. 251/2016 Sb. | § 190 trestního zákoníku,high,2026-10-30,,cz-obce | cz-prestupky | cz-us-pl-69-04 | cz-mv-ozv | cz-mv-thb-2024 | cz-tz,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2000-128#p10 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2016-251#p4 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=Pl-69-04 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/mvcren/docDetail.aspx?docType=ART&docid=10110 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no registration, licence, permit or mandatory health check for sex workers. Prostitution cannot be licensed as a trade: § 3(3)(p) of the Trade Licensing Act excludes 'offering or providing services aimed directly at satisfying sexual needs'. Article 6 of the 1950 UN Convention, to which Czechia is a party, obliges states to abolish special registration of persons in prostitution; governments cited it against regulation bills.",§ 3 odst. 3 písm. p) zákona č. 455/1991 Sb.,high,2026-10-30,,cz-zivnost | un-1950 | cz-nss-2025 | cz-psp-1081,https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1991-455#p3-3-p | https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=VII-11-a&chapter=7&clang=_en | https://vyhledavac.nssoud.cz/DokumentOriginal/Index/745817 | https://www.psp.cz/sqw/historie.sqw?o=4&t=1081,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Income from voluntary prostitution is taxable. The Supreme Administrative Court held so in 22 Afs 24/2025-48 (6 October 2025), and the Constitutional Court rejected the taxpayer's complaints in II. ÚS 1155/26 (31 August 2026) and II. ÚS 2549/26 (9 September 2026). The Constitutional Court classed the income as income from an independent profession under § 7(2) of the Income Tax Act, which needs no trade licence. Neither the 1950 Convention nor § 189 bars taxation.",§ 7 odst. 2 zákona č. 586/1992 Sb.,high,2026-10-30,,cz-nss-2025 | cz-us-1155-26 | cz-us-2549-26 | cz-zdp | cz-ctk-2026 | cz-zo-344-2013,https://vyhledavac.nssoud.cz/DokumentOriginal/Index/745817 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=2-1155-26_1 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=2-2549-26_1 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1992-586#p7 | https://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/prijmy-z-dobrovolne-prostituce-podlehaji-zdaneni-potvrdil-us/2890263 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2013-344,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CZ,Czechia,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,varies,Varies by region,,,"No immigration rule addresses prostitution. EU citizens are in the same position as Czech nationals. Police report that women from Asia, Ukraine, Latin America and Africa travel to Czechia for limited periods on tourist visas, often first repaying travel debts to people who pushed them into prostitution; trafficking (§ 168) and procuring (§ 189) are the provisions used against third parties.",,low,2026-10-30,Residence and work-authorisation rules for third-country nationals who sell sex were not checked against the Foreigners' Residence Act.,cz-mv-thb-2024 | cz-tz,https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/soubor/zprava-osl-za-rok-2024-eng-final-pdf.aspx | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/czechia/
CD,Democratic Republic of the Congo,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex, or soliciting for it, an offence for an adult. The prostitution provisions (Articles 172 and 174 b to 174 c) are aimed at those who recruit, exploit or force others, and at the corruption of minors.","Code pénal Livre II arts. 172, 174 b, 174 c",medium,2026-10-30,"Based on the 2004 official consolidation and the 2006 amending law; later amendments and provincial or municipal public-order measures, which may be used against street-based sex workers, were not checked. Police practice was not assessed.",cd-cp2004 | cd-loi2006,https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6e09fe/pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cng210037.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
CD,Democratic Republic of the Congo,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no offence of paying an adult for sex. Clients can be liable under the sexual violence provisions where the person is under 18 or has not consented, and under Article 174 c where the person was forced.","Code pénal Livre II arts. 170, 172, 174 c",medium,2026-10-30,Whether the general adultery offence of the Penal Code is used against clients was not checked.,cd-cp2004 | cd-loi2006,https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6e09fe/pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cng210037.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
CD,Democratic Republic of the Congo,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a house of debauchery or prostitution (""quiconque aura tenu une maison de débauche ou de prostitution"") is punishable by three months to five years of penal servitude and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 constant Congolese francs (Article 174 b, 2°). The provision has the same wording in the 2004 consolidation, when it followed Article 174.","Code pénal Livre II art. 174 b, 2°",medium,2026-10-30,The two-column layout of the 2006 Journal officiel mixes the text of Article 174 b with neighbouring articles; the wording quoted was checked against the 2004 consolidation.,cd-loi2006 | cd-cp2004,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cng210037.pdf | https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6e09fe/pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
CD,Democratic Republic of the Congo,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Article 174 b punishes with three months to five years and a fine anyone who, to satisfy another's passions, recruits, entices or leads away a person over 18 into prostitution, even with consent; the souteneur, who lives wholly or partly off a person whose prostitution he exploits; and anyone who habitually exploits another's prostitution in any other way. Forcing a person into sexual acts for gain is forced prostitution (Article 174 c).","Code pénal Livre II art. 174 b, 1°, 3°, 4° | Code pénal Livre II art. 174 c | Code pénal Livre II art. 172",medium,2026-10-30,Read in the official Journal officiel texts of 2004 and 2006 hosted by legal-tools.org and FAOLEX.,cd-loi2006 | cd-cp2004,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cng210037.pdf | https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6e09fe/pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
CD,Democratic Republic of the Congo,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Exhibiting, selling or distributing writings, images or objects contrary to public morals, or announcing them by any means of publicity with a view to trade, carries eight days to one year and a fine (Article 175). An advertisement placed by a third party for another person could also fall under the recruitment or exploitation limbs of Article 174 b.",Code pénal Livre II arts. 175–177 | Code pénal Livre II art. 174 b,low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no case law found. Article 177 excludes liability where the acts cannot corrupt morals. The 2023 Digital Code and press laws were not opened.,cd-cp2004 | cd-loi2006,https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6e09fe/pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cng210037.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
DK,Denmark,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex as an adult is not an offence. The Penal Code's prostitution provisions punish those who run, exploit or mediate the prostitution of others, not the person selling.",§ 233 straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,dk-strl-2025 | dk-jm-2022,https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/1294 | https://www.justitsministeriet.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rapport-fra-arbejdsgruppen-om-digitale-kraenkelser1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/denmark/
DK,Denmark,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. Having sexual intercourse or another sexual act with a person under 18 for payment or a promise of payment is punishable by a fine or up to two years.,§ 224(2) straffeloven | § 225 straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,dk-strl-2025,https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/1294,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/denmark/
DK,Denmark,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a business in which another person has sex with customers for payment is procuring (rufferi), punishable by up to four years. Renting out a hotel room for commercial prostitution carries a fine or up to one year.",§ 233(1) straffeloven | § 233(3) straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,dk-strl-2025 | dk-lov-633-2013 | dk-jm-2022,https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/1294 | https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2013/633 | https://www.justitsministeriet.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rapport-fra-arbejdsgruppen-om-digitale-kraenkelser1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/denmark/
DK,Denmark,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Otherwise exploiting another person's commercial prostitution, or promoting it by acting as an intermediary for gain or repeatedly, is punishable by a fine or up to three years. Inducing someone into prostitution by deception or other improper means carries a fine or up to two years.",§ 233(2) straffeloven | § 233 a straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,dk-strl-2025 | dk-lov-633-2013,https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/1294 | https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2013/633,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/denmark/
DK,Denmark,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no specific offence of advertising sexual services, and sex workers advertise in print and online media. Media that publish such adverts for payment could in principle be prosecuted as intermediaries under § 233(2), but a long-standing practice has been not to prosecute them.",§ 233(2) second sentence straffeloven,medium,2026-10-30,"We found no later legislation acting on the 2022 working group's analysis, but did not confirm the current prosecution practice directly with the prosecution service.",dk-jm-2022 | dk-strl-2025,https://www.justitsministeriet.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rapport-fra-arbejdsgruppen-om-digitale-kraenkelser1.pdf | https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/1294,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/denmark/
DJ,Djibouti,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Prostitution itself is not an offence. Publicly soliciting persons of either sex by gesture, words, writings or any other means in order to incite them to debauchery (racolage) is a fifth-class contravention punished with a fine of 50,000 francs and one month's imprisonment, and the proceeds of prostitution may be confiscated.",Code pénal art. R. 5-10° | Code pénal art. R. 6,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in a copy of the Code (with Book V on contraventions) hosted by policehumanrightsresources.org; it is not dated as a consolidated text, so later amendments could be missing. Translation of the French by the editors.",dj-cp1995,https://policehumanrightsresources.org/content/uploads/2016/07/Penal-Code-Djibouti.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/djibouti/
DJ,Djibouti,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision makes paying for sex with an adult an offence. The soliciting contravention (Article R. 5-10°) is worded neutrally and could in principle apply to anyone who publicly solicits another to debauchery.,Code pénal art. R. 5-10°,medium,2026-10-30,Same caveat on the version of the Code.,dj-cp1995,https://policehumanrightsresources.org/content/uploads/2016/07/Penal-Code-Djibouti.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/djibouti/
DJ,Djibouti,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, managing, operating or financing a prostitution establishment, directly or through an intermediary, or habitually tolerating prostitution or the seeking of clients in a venue open to the public, carries ten years and a fine of 25 million francs (Article 399), plus closure and loss of licences (Articles 412–413). Making private premises available to, or selling them to, persons known to prostitute themselves there is treated as procuring (Article 395).",Code pénal art. 395 | Code pénal art. 399 | Code pénal arts. 412–413,medium,2026-10-30,Article 395(4) as worded would also reach sex workers who share or rent premises together.,dj-cp1995,https://policehumanrightsresources.org/content/uploads/2016/07/Penal-Code-Djibouti.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/djibouti/
DJ,Djibouti,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Proxénétisme, by any means, is aiding, assisting or protecting the prostitution of another; profiting from it or receiving support from a person who habitually prostitutes; or recruiting or pressuring a person into prostitution: five years and 10 million francs (Article 394). Acting as intermediary, or being unable to justify one's income while living with sex workers, is treated as procuring (Article 395). Aggravated forms carry ten to twenty years (Articles 396–398).",Code pénal arts. 394–398 | Loi n° 133/AN/16/7ème L,medium,2026-10-30,The 2016 anti-trafficking law lists the exploitation of the prostitution of others as a form of exploitation for the purposes of trafficking.,dj-cp1995 | dj-trafficking2016,https://policehumanrightsresources.org/content/uploads/2016/07/Penal-Code-Djibouti.pdf | https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Djibouti-Law-No.-133.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/djibouti/
DJ,Djibouti,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly soliciting by writings or any other means is the racolage contravention (Article R. 5-10°). Publicly inciting others by words, writings or any other means of communication to practices contrary to good morals carries one year and 200,000 francs (Article 353). A website or intermediary that carries sex-work advertisements risks liability for aiding or assisting the prostitution of another (Article 394(1)).",Code pénal art. R. 5-10° | Code pénal art. 353 | Code pénal art. 394,low,2026-10-30,"No provision names advertising of sexual services; the classification is inferred from the general wording, and no case law was found.",dj-cp1995,https://policehumanrightsresources.org/content/uploads/2016/07/Penal-Code-Djibouti.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/djibouti/
DM,Dominica,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,immoral soliciting: 5 years,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who 'in any place solicits for immoral purposes' is liable on summary conviction to a $5,000 fine and five years.",s. 25(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act 1998,medium,2026-10-30,"The official PDF of the 1998 Act is a scan; its text was read by OCR. The Small Offences Act (Chap. 10:39) was not checked, and how courts read 'immoral purposes' was not researched.",dm-soa98,https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/1998/act1-1998.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominica/
DM,Dominica,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found in the Sexual Offences Act 1998 or its 2016 amendment. The soliciting offence in s. 25(1)(b) is not limited to sellers.,s. 25(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act 1998,medium,2026-10-30,The official PDF of the 1998 Act is a scan; its text was read by OCR.,dm-soa98 | dm-soa16,https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/1998/act1-1998.pdf | https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2016_sexualoffencesamendmentact_dma.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominica/
DM,Dominica,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing, or acting or assisting in the management of a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used carry a $5,000 fine and five years on summary conviction.",s. 24 Sexual Offences Act 1998,medium,2026-10-30,The official PDF of the 1998 Act is a scan; its text was read by OCR.,dm-soa98,https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/1998/act1-1998.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominica/
DM,Dominica,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or to become an inmate of a brothel, carries fourteen years. Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries a $5,000 fine and five years, with a presumption against anyone who lives with or controls a sex worker; controlling a sex worker's movements for gain carries five years.",s. 18(c)-(d) Sexual Offences Act 1998 | s. 25(1)(a) and (3) Sexual Offences Act 1998 | s. 26 Sexual Offences Act 1998,medium,2026-10-30,The official PDF of the 1998 Act is a scan; its text was read by OCR. The fourteen-year maximum for s. 18(c)-(d) is read from the penalty list at the end of s. 18.,dm-soa98,https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/1998/act1-1998.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominica/
DM,Dominica,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 25(1)(b) applies 'in any place', and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.",s. 25 Sexual Offences Act 1998,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",dm-soa98,https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/1998/act1-1998.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominica/
DO,Dominican Republic,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling sex is not an offence. The new Penal Code defines prostitution as 'any sexual relationship between adults in exchange for remuneration or a promise of economic remuneration' (Art. 178) solely for the purposes of the procuring offences; it creates no offence for the person who sells sex.,Art. 178 Código Penal (Ley 74-25),medium,2026-10-30,Read from a republication of the official consolidated edition; municipal rules and police practice were not reviewed.,do-cp-2025,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
DO,Dominican Republic,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Paying for sexual services is procuring only where the payer 'obtains a benefit in return', i.e. acts as a profit-making intermediary (Art. 176(8)). Paying or promising to pay a child or adolescent for sexual acts is commercial sexual exploitation, punishable by ten to twenty years (Arts. 179–180).",Art. 176 núm. 8 Código Penal (Ley 74-25) | Arts. 179 y 180 núm. 2 Código Penal (Ley 74-25),medium,2026-10-30,"The 2003 trafficking law (Law 137-03), which the new code did not repeal, was not reviewed for a client offence.",do-cp-2025,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
DO,Dominican Republic,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running, using or financing a commercial establishment for procuring, or agreeing that adults sell sex or look for clients inside an establishment or its annexes, is aggravated procuring: five to ten years and a fine of ten to twenty public-sector minimum wages (Art. 177). Housing or keeping people for prostitution is basic procuring (Art. 176(6)).","Art. 176 núm. 6 Código Penal (Ley 74-25, modificado por Ley 44-26) | Art. 177 núms. 9–11 Código Penal (Ley 74-25, modificado por Ley 44-26)",medium,2026-10-30,Numbering follows the text as amended by Law 44-26; the original Art. 177 listed twelve circumstances.,do-cp-2025,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
DO,Dominican Republic,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring, 'engaging in intervening for profit to encourage, favour or induce the prostitution of another person', carries two to five years and a fine of nine to fifteen public-sector minimum wages (Art. 176). It includes helping, protecting or covering for another adult's prostitution, sharing their earnings, hiring someone for prostitution and intermediating between sex workers and clients. Aggravated forms carry five to ten years (Art. 177).","Arts. 176–178 Código Penal (Ley 74-25, modificado por Ley 44-26)",medium,2026-10-30,No case law under the new code yet; the text was read from a law firm's republication of the official consolidated edition because the official portal could not be searched.,do-cp-2025 | do-diariolibre-2026,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en | https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/justicia/2026/08/02/nuevo-codigo-penal-las-43-modificaciones-que-transforman-justicia-rd/3617663,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
DO,Dominican Republic,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence targets advertising as such and a sex worker's own advertisement is not an offence. Advertising on behalf of others can be intermediation between sex workers and clients (Art. 176(4) and (7)), and committing procuring 'by means of or with the help of a communications network that allows messages to be disseminated to an indeterminate public' makes it aggravated procuring, five to ten years (Art. 177(6)).","Art. 176 núms. 4 y 7 Código Penal (Ley 74-25) | Art. 177 núm. 6 Código Penal (Ley 74-25, modificado por Ley 44-26)",medium,2026-10-30,How courts will apply the communications-network aggravation to ad sites is untested.,do-cp-2025 | do-diariolibre-2026,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en | https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/justicia/2026/08/02/nuevo-codigo-penal-las-43-modificaciones-que-transforman-justicia-rd/3617663,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
DO,Dominican Republic,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Legal persons can be held criminally liable for procuring and the other offences in Arts. 176–182 under the general corporate-liability rules (Art. 183, with Arts. 8–11), where the offence results from failures of direction, control or supervision. Those general rules take effect on 5 November 2026, three months after Law 44-26 was published.","Arts. 8–11 y 183 Código Penal (Ley 74-25, modificado por Ley 44-26) | Art. 31 Ley 44-26",medium,2026-10-30,Whether an ad platform hosting third-party listings would be treated as an intermediary under Art. 176 has not been tested.,do-cp-2025,https://www.sclawyer.com.do/base-de-datos/ley-74-25-nuevo-codigo-penal-?lang=en,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/dominican-republic/
EC,Ecuador,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence under the COIP. The penal code treats brothels (""prostíbulos"") as lawful adult venues: it punishes inciting, taking or allowing children into them.","COIP, art. 169",medium,2026-10-30,Health-check or registration requirements for sex workers and municipal ordinances on street work were not checked.,ec-coip,https://www.defensa.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2021/03/COIP_act_feb-2021.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ecuador/
EC,Ecuador,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Sexual acts with a victim of sexual exploitation or with minors fall under the exploitation and sexual-offence provisions.,"COIP, arts. 100-101",medium,2026-10-30,Based on the COIP as last modified in February 2021; later reforms were not consolidated in the text checked.,ec-coip,https://www.defensa.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2021/03/COIP_act_feb-2021.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ecuador/
EC,Ecuador,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"""Centros de tolerancia"" are category 1 establishments that need a Permiso Anual de Funcionamiento from the Ministry of Government, issued through the police intendancies and valid for one fiscal year. Requirements include a sanitary permit from ARCSA (required for category 1 only), a municipal licence, land-use and fire permits, an inspection report and an annual fee of USD 539.56.","Acuerdo Ministerial No. 0069 (R.O. 475, 2019), art. 7",high,2026-10-30,,ec-paf | ec-paf-categorias,https://www.ministeriodegobierno.gob.ec/permiso-anual-de-funcionamiento/ | https://www.ministeriodegobierno.gob.ec/emision-de-permisos-de-funcionamiento-a-establecimientos-categoria-1-23-y-8-centros-de-diversion-para-mayores-de-edad-centros-de-tolerancia-licorerias-depositos-de-bebidas-alcoholicas-pensiones-2/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ecuador/
EC,Ecuador,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no general offence of procuring. Selling, lending, profiting from or exchanging another person to carry out sexual acts, for one's own or a third party's benefit, is sexual exploitation (13 to 16 years; 16 to 19 if the victim is vulnerable). Forcing, imposing, promoting or inducing someone against their will into sexual acts is forced prostitution (13 to 16 years).","COIP, arts. 91, 100, 101",medium,2026-10-30,Text checked in the COIP as last modified on 17 February 2021; later reforms (including the 2023 trafficking law) may have changed related articles.,ec-coip,https://www.defensa.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2021/03/COIP_act_feb-2021.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ecuador/
EC,Ecuador,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Organising, promoting or offering sex tourism and child sexual-abuse material are offences, and the October 2026 trafficking reform adds prevention duties in the digital environment, including detection of deceptive offers.","COIP, art. 102",low,2026-10-30,Media and communication law and platform rules were not reviewed; the absence of an adult-advertising rule is unconfirmed.,ec-coip | ec-universo-2026,https://www.defensa.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2021/03/COIP_act_feb-2021.pdf | https://www.eluniverso.com/politica/asamblea-nacional/asamblea-aprueba-reformas-ley-contra-trata-personas-endurece-penas-tipifica-delito-matrimonio-forzoso-nota/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ecuador/
EG,Egypt,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Anyone who habitually practises debauchery or prostitution is punishable by three months to three years in prison and/or a fine of 25 to 300 Egyptian pounds (Article 9(c)). A person caught may be sent for a medical examination, and the court may order placement in a special reformatory after the sentence, for up to three years; this is mandatory for a repeat offence.",Law No. 10/1961 art. 9(c) | Law No. 10/1961 art. 13,high,2026-10-30,"Read from the 1961 Official Gazette text; later amendments to the fine amounts, if any, were not checked. Case law is taken from a digest of Court of Cassation principles, not from judgments opened individually.",eg-law10 | eg-cassation | eg-escwa,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://www.laweg.net/Default.aspx?action=LawEg&Type=4&PFIID=13119&PPFIID=13837 | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/egypt.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/egypt/
EG,Egypt,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Law No. 10 of 1961 contains no offence of paying for sex; its offences target the person who habitually practises prostitution and third parties.,Law No. 10/1961,medium,2026-10-30,Whether clients are prosecuted under other provisions (for example adultery of a married person on the spouse's complaint) was not checked.,eg-law10,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/egypt/
EG,Egypt,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Opening or managing a place for debauchery or prostitution, or helping to manage it, carries one to three years and a fine of 100 to 300 pounds, with closure and confiscation (Article 8). Renting out premises run for prostitution, or habitually facilitating it in furnished rooms or places open to the public, carries three months to three years (Article 9). A place habitually used for others' prostitution is a brothel even if one person works there (Article 10).",Law No. 10/1961 art. 8 | Law No. 10/1961 art. 9(a)–(b) | Law No. 10/1961 art. 10,high,2026-10-30,,eg-law10,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/egypt/
EG,Egypt,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting, assisting or facilitating a person's prostitution, or employing, enticing or luring a person for it, is punishable by one to three years and a fine of 100 to 300 pounds (Article 1). Helping a woman to practise prostitution, even financially, or exploiting a person's prostitution by any means carries six months to three years (Article 6). Coercion, deceit and minors aggravate the penalties.",Law No. 10/1961 art. 1 | Law No. 10/1961 art. 2 | Law No. 10/1961 art. 6,high,2026-10-30,,eg-law10,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/egypt/
EG,Egypt,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Announcing by any means of advertisement an invitation that entices to debauchery or prostitution, or draws attention to it, is punishable by up to three years and/or a fine of up to 100 pounds (Article 14).",Law No. 10/1961 art. 14 | Law No. 175/2018 art. 25,high,2026-10-30,The text of Law No. 175 of 2018 itself was not opened; its use is reported by Human Rights Watch.,eg-law10 | eg-hrw-2025,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/09/10/egypt-mass-crackdown-targets-online-content-creators,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/egypt/
SV,El Salvador,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling one's own sexual services is not a criminal offence; the Penal Code's prostitution offences target those who coerce others into prostitution (Art. 170), offer the services of another person, or demand prostitution services (Art. 170-A).",Arts. 170 y 170-A Código Penal (D.L. 1030/1997),medium,2026-10-30,Municipal ordinances and the Ley Marco para la Convivencia Ciudadana y Contravenciones Administrativas were not reviewed for administrative offences on street soliciting.,sv-cp,https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/A2598AEF-FBC2-4D3E-A855-2C12EA7A4D52.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/el-salvador/
SV,El Salvador,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 8 years,"Art. 170-A, second paragraph: 'the mere demand or solicitation of prostitution services' is punishable by four to eight years' imprisonment. The provision is not limited to minors. Paying or promising to pay a person under 18 for sexual or erotic acts is a separate offence carrying three to eight years (Art. 169-A).",Art. 170-A inc. 2 Código Penal | Art. 169-A Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,"The statutory text is clear, but the 2003 reform was aimed at child sexual exploitation and no case law or prosecution data on adult clients was found; secondary sources often describe paying for sex with adults as unpunished in practice.",sv-cp,https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/A2598AEF-FBC2-4D3E-A855-2C12EA7A4D52.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/el-salvador/
SV,El Salvador,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence is aimed at adult venues as such (the premises offence in Art. 169 concerns minors), but a venue that offers the sexual services of the people working there commits the Art. 170-A offence of offering 'the prostitution services of another' (four to eight years).",Art. 170-A inc. 1 Código Penal | Art. 169 inc. 2 Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Application to venues is an inference from the text of Art. 170-A; no case law was reviewed.,sv-cp,https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/A2598AEF-FBC2-4D3E-A855-2C12EA7A4D52.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/el-salvador/
SV,El Salvador,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing a person, through coercion or abuse of their state of need, to engage or remain in prostitution carries six to ten years, eight to twelve if the victim is under 18, with up to a third more where the offender exploits a relationship of superiority (Art. 170). Offering another person's prostitution services is punishable by four to eight years (Art. 170-A).",Art. 170 Código Penal (reformado por D.L. 210/2003) | Art. 170-A inc. 1 Código Penal,high,2026-10-30,"Consolidated text published by the Legislative Assembly, with amendments indexed up to March 2023.",sv-cp,https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/A2598AEF-FBC2-4D3E-A855-2C12EA7A4D52.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/el-salvador/
SV,El Salvador,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Advertising another person's sexual services is the 'mere offer of the prostitution services of another', punishable by four to eight years (Art. 170-A). Self-advertising by a sex worker is not expressly covered by that paragraph, but an advertisement inviting clients to solicit services sits close to the demand offence in the same article.",Art. 170-A Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,No case law on online advertisements or on the liability of websites hosting them was found.,sv-cp,https://www.asamblea.gob.sv/sites/default/files/documents/decretos/A2598AEF-FBC2-4D3E-A855-2C12EA7A4D52.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/el-salvador/
ER,Eritrea,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the 2015 Penal Code makes selling sex an offence. General petty offences apply to sexual acts in public (Article 312) and to sexual intercourse by or with a married person outside the marriage (adultery, Article 323, one to six months or a fine).",Penal Code 2015 art. 312 | Penal Code 2015 art. 323,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the 2015 English edition published by the Ministry of Justice (Refworld copy via the Internet Archive). The US State Department's 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report describes the 2015 Code as not yet formally implemented; that page returned HTTP 403 and the statement was confirmed only from a search-result extract, so which code courts apply in practice was not verified.",er-pc2015 | er-tip2026,https://web.archive.org/web/20150918231843/https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55a51ccc4.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2026-trafficking-in-persons-report/eritrea,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eritrea/
ER,Eritrea,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the 2015 Penal Code makes paying for sex an offence. A married client, or a client who knows the other person is married, may commit adultery, a Class 2 petty offence (Article 323).",Penal Code 2015 art. 323,medium,2026-10-30,Same caveat as for selling on whether the 2015 Code is applied in practice.,er-pc2015,https://web.archive.org/web/20150918231843/https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55a51ccc4.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eritrea/
ER,Eritrea,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel falls under procuring, promoting or aiding the prostitution of another for gain, a Class 1 petty offence of six to twelve months' imprisonment or a fine (Article 314). Keeping women or young persons in a disorderly house to let them out to prostitution, for gain or to gratify others, is a serious offence of five to seven years (Article 315(b)).",Penal Code 2015 art. 314 | Penal Code 2015 art. 315,medium,2026-10-30,The Code has no brothel-specific offence; the classification applies Article 314's general wording. Implementation caveat as above.,er-pc2015,https://web.archive.org/web/20150918231843/https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55a51ccc4.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eritrea/
ER,Eritrea,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A person who, for gain, procures, promotes or aids the prostitution of another person commits a Class 1 petty offence: six to twelve months or 20,001–50,000 nakfa (Article 314). Inducing women, infants or young persons into prostitution, even with consent, is trafficking with five to seven years (Article 315), seven to ten years when aggravated (Article 316). The trafficking provisions do not cover adult men.",Penal Code 2015 arts. 314–318,medium,2026-10-30,The US State Department reported no anti-trafficking prosecutions in the 2025 reporting period. Implementation caveat as above.,er-pc2015 | er-tip2025,https://web.archive.org/web/20150918231843/https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55a51ccc4.pdf | https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/2130572.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eritrea/
ER,Eritrea,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically addresses advertising sexual services. Advertising the prostitution of another for gain would fall within ""promotes or aids"" in Article 314 (petty offence). Publicly distributing or displaying obscene or grossly indecent material is a Class 1 petty offence (Article 313). A person advertising only their own services is not covered by a specific offence.",Penal Code 2015 art. 313 | Penal Code 2015 art. 314,low,2026-10-30,"Classification inferred from general provisions; no case law or guidance found. Eritrea's media and internet environment is under tight state control, which was not examined here.",er-pc2015,https://web.archive.org/web/20150918231843/https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55a51ccc4.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eritrea/
EE,Estonia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex as an adult is not an offence. The Penal Code's prostitution offences target procurers, traffickers and buyers of sex from minors, not the person selling.",§ 133² KarS,high,2026-10-30,,ee-kars,https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/109072026028,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/estonia/
EE,Estonia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. Sexual intercourse or another sexual act with a person under 18 in exchange for money or any other benefit is punishable by up to five years, and up to eight years if the person is under 14.",§ 145¹ KarS,high,2026-10-30,,ee-kars,https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/109072026028,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/estonia/
EE,Estonia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning or managing a brothel, assisting prostitution in one, or renting premises for keeping a brothel is procuring, punishable by a fine or up to five years. Repeat offences or those committed for large proprietary gain carry one to five years; legal persons can be fined.",§ 133² KarS,high,2026-10-30,,ee-kars,https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/109072026028,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/estonia/
EE,Estonia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Arranging a meeting between a person engaged in prostitution and a client, or influencing someone to begin or continue prostitution, is procuring where the conduct does not amount to trafficking. It carries a fine or up to five years.",§ 133² KarS | § 133 KarS,high,2026-10-30,,ee-kars,https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/109072026028,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/estonia/
EE,Estonia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Advertising services offered for sexual gratification, including prostitution, or advertising that refers to such services, is prohibited, as is advertising that facilitates mediation of prostitution. Commissioning, producing or publishing such an advert is a misdemeanour: up to 300 fine units for individuals and up to EUR 400,000 for legal persons.",§ 25 RekS | § 34 RekS | § 36 RekS,high,2026-10-30,We did not find enforcement statistics on prostitution adverts.,ee-reks,https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/106032026008,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/estonia/
SZ,Eswatini,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Loitering in any thoroughfare or public place ""for the purpose of prostitution or solicitation"" carries a fine of up to E100 or six months (Crimes Act s. 49(1)(e)), and the accused must prove another purpose. Soliciting immoral acts ""by words, signs, cards or in any other way"" carries a fine of E600 or two years (s. 47(a)).","Crimes Act 1889 s. 47(a) | s. 48(1)(b) | s. 49(1)(e), (2)",medium,2026-10-30,"The Crimes Act was read from EswatiniLII's version as at 1 December 1998, through the Internet Archive's copy because EswatiniLII blocks automated access. The SODV Act 2018 repealed only the Girls' and Women's Protection Act 1920 but takes precedence over inconsistent laws; whether any Crimes Act provision has been treated as superseded was not checked.",sz-crimes | sz-salc-2019,https://eswatinilii.org/akn/sz/act/1889/6/eng@1998-12-01 | https://www.southernafricalitigationcentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SALC-Sex-workers-rights-pamphlet_eSwatini-draft-5_POLICE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eswatini/
SZ,Eswatini,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no client offence as such. The Southern Africa Litigation Centre reads the SODV Act as criminalising neither sex workers nor clients, but third parties who benefit. The loitering and soliciting offences in the Crimes Act (ss. 47, 49) can apply to anyone.","SODV Act 2018 s. 13(2) | Crimes Act 1889 ss. 47, 49",low,2026-10-30,"The SODV text read is an unsigned assent copy, not a gazetted version. The client question rests on one NGO reading plus the statutory wording.",sz-sodv | sz-salc-2019 | sz-crimes,https://eswatiniminorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/THE-SEXUAL-OFFENCES-AND-DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE-ACT-2018-1.pdf | https://www.southernafricalitigationcentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SALC-Sex-workers-rights-pamphlet_eSwatini-draft-5_POLICE.pdf | https://eswatinilii.org/akn/sz/act/1889/6/eng@1998-12-01,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eswatini/
SZ,Eswatini,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, controlling or managing a brothel, or assisting in its management, carries a fine of up to E50,000 and/or up to 15 years (SODV Act s. 18). Section 19 deems others to keep a brothel, including residents, landlords who knowingly let premises and anyone found there who refuses to name the keeper. Residents and keepers' spouses are sentenced at the court's discretion (s. 18(2)). The Crimes Act 1889 also has a brothel offence (s. 32, up to three years).",SODV Act 2018 ss. 18–21 | Crimes Act 1889 ss. 31–33,medium,2026-10-30,SODV text from an unsigned assent copy hosted by an NGO; the government's own PDF (gov.sz) could not be reached.,sz-sodv | sz-crimes,https://eswatiniminorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/THE-SEXUAL-OFFENCES-AND-DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE-ACT-2018-1.pdf | https://eswatinilii.org/akn/sz/act/1889/6/eng@1998-12-01,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eswatini/
SZ,Eswatini,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"For reward, inviting or inducing a person to allow sexual acts with others, offering or engaging them for that purpose, or facilitating such acts is ""commercial sexual exploitation"": up to E100,000 and/or 20 years (SODV Act s. 13). Procuring a person to engage in prostitution carries up to 15 years (s. 15). So does receiving any reward from sexual acts by another person (s. 16). Living wholly or partly on such rewards carries up to 10 years (s. 17).","SODV Act 2018 ss. 13, 15–17 | Crimes Act 1889 s. 48",medium,2026-10-30,SODV text from an unsigned assent copy; section numbers match those cited in the 2019 SALC guide.,sz-sodv | sz-salc-2019,https://eswatiniminorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/THE-SEXUAL-OFFENCES-AND-DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE-ACT-2018-1.pdf | https://www.southernafricalitigationcentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SALC-Sex-workers-rights-pamphlet_eSwatini-draft-5_POLICE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eswatini/
SZ,Eswatini,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Printing or publishing ""in any manner"" information intended to promote or facilitate commercial sexual exploitation carries a fine of up to E50,000 or up to 10 years (SODV Act s. 14(a)). Commercial sexual exploitation is defined broadly enough to cover arranging paid sex for others, so third-party adverts and ad platforms are exposed. A sex worker's own advert could fall under the 1889 offence of soliciting immoral acts ""by words, signs, cards or in any other way"" (Crimes Act s. 47(a)).",SODV Act 2018 s. 14(a) | Crimes Act 1889 s. 47(a),medium,2026-10-30,"A reading of the statutory texts; no prosecutions of publishers, websites or individual advertisers were found.",sz-sodv | sz-crimes,https://eswatiniminorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/THE-SEXUAL-OFFENCES-AND-DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE-ACT-2018-1.pdf | https://eswatinilii.org/akn/sz/act/1889/6/eng@1998-12-01,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/eswatini/
ET,Ethiopia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Under the petty-offence book, a person who in the street or a public place incites another to sexual intercourse by improper soliciting, or who by engaging in prostitution is a nuisance to the occupiers of a dwelling or the neighbourhood, is punishable with a fine or arrest of up to one month (Article 846).",Criminal Code 2004 art. 846,high,2026-10-30,Petty offences are part of the Criminal Code (Book on petty offences). A 2016 Canadian IRB review found reports of street sweeps around major events in Addis Ababa but no documented prosecutions of sex workers.,et-cc2004 | et-irb2016,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et011en.html | https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/1396626.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ethiopia/
ET,Ethiopia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes paying for sex an offence. A client who molests a person in public or incites another to intercourse by improper soliciting in a public place falls under the general petty offence of Article 846, which is not specific to clients.",Criminal Code 2004 art. 846,high,2026-10-30,,et-cc2004,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et011en.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ethiopia/
ET,Ethiopia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Maintaining a brothel as a landlord or keeper is punishable with simple imprisonment and a fine (Article 634). Keeping a woman or minor in a brothel to let her out to prostitution, for gain or to gratify another, carries rigorous imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to 10,000 birr (Article 635(b)). Juridical persons can be liable (Article 638).",Criminal Code 2004 art. 634 | Criminal Code 2004 art. 635 | Criminal Code 2004 art. 638,high,2026-10-30,,et-cc2004,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et011en.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ethiopia/
ET,Ethiopia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever, for gain, makes a profession of or lives by procuring or on the prostitution of another is punishable with simple imprisonment and a fine (Article 634). Inducing women or minors into prostitution, even with their consent, carries up to five years (Article 635), rising to three to ten years where the victim is a minor, a relative or dependant, or force, fraud or abuse of distress is used (Article 636). Organising such procurement is a separate offence (Article 637).",Criminal Code 2004 arts. 634–637,high,2026-10-30,,et-cc2004,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et011en.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ethiopia/
ET,Ethiopia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever, to encourage debauchery or satisfy the sexual urge of others, publicly advertises by any means that debauchery may be enjoyed at a particular place is punishable with a fine or arrest (Article 847, a petty offence). Making known how obscene objects may be procured is a crime of at least six months' simple imprisonment (Article 640(1)(b)).",Criminal Code 2004 art. 847 | Criminal Code 2004 art. 640,medium,2026-10-30,No case law was found on whether Article 847 or Article 634 has been applied to websites carrying sex-work advertisements; the classification rests on the statutory text.,et-cc2004,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et011en.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ethiopia/
FJ,Fiji,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,FJD 500 fine,"Selling sex in private is not named as an offence, but loitering in a public place to offer sex for payment, soliciting for immoral purposes in a public place, and soliciting for an immoral purpose 'by any communication whatsoever' are summary offences: a fine of FJ$500 for a first offence, then up to three months' imprisonment or FJ$1,000, or both. Persistently soliciting in public is a separate offence under s. 230(1)(b).","s. 231(1)(a), (b) and (f) Crimes Act 2009 | s. 230(1)(b) Crimes Act 2009",medium,2026-10-30,Status 'illegal' reflects that s. 231(1)(f) reaches offers made by any means of communication; the private act itself is not an offence. How courts read 'immoral purpose' and 'any communication' was not researched.,fj-crimes-s231 | fj-crimes-s230,https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S231 | https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S230,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/fiji/
FJ,Fiji,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,FJD 500 fine,"A client commits a summary offence by seeking or using the services of a sex worker in a public place, or by making arrangements with a sex worker, or with a person offering a sex worker's services, to use them 'by any communication whatsoever' (fine of FJ$500, then up to three months or FJ$1,000, or both).","s. 231(1)(c), (d) and (e) Crimes Act 2009",high,2026-10-30,The penalty amounts were substituted by Act 31 of 2016 (the 2009 Gazette text used penalty units).,fj-crimes-s231,https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S231,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/fiji/
FJ,Fiji,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be used as a brothel are summary offences punishable by up to five years' imprisonment or a FJ$10,000 fine, or both.",s. 233 Crimes Act 2009 | s. 232 Crimes Act 2009 (search warrant for suspected premises),high,2026-10-30,,fj-crimes-s233,https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S233,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/fiji/
FJ,Fiji,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries six months' imprisonment, with a presumption against anyone who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker or controls their movements. Procuring or attempting to procure any person to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or Fiji to work in a brothel, carries two years; consent is no defence.",s. 230(1)(a) and (2) Crimes Act 2009 | s. 217(1)(b)-(d) and (2) Crimes Act 2009,high,2026-10-30,,fj-crimes-s230 | fj-crimes-s217,https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S230 | https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S217,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/fiji/
FJ,Fiji,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no advertising-specific offence, but soliciting for an immoral purpose 'by any communication whatsoever' (s. 231(1)(f)) and arranging a sex worker's services 'by any communication whatsoever' (s. 231(1)(e)) appear wide enough to cover a sex worker's own online or telephone advertising and the clients who answer it. A site that publishes others' ads could also face the brothel or living-on-earnings offences if it profits from them.",s. 231(1)(e) and (f) Crimes Act 2009,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the statutory wording; no case law, prosecution data or guidance on advertising or platform liability was found. The Online Safety Act 2018 and Cybercrime Act 2021 were not reviewed.",fj-crimes-s231,https://www.laws.gov.fj/api/retrieve_html/LOF.CAP17.CRAFJ09.S231,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/fiji/
FI,Finland,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,in public: €100 fine,Selling sex is legal in private. Offering sexual services for payment in a public place is prohibited by the Public Order Act and sanctioned with a petty fine (rikesakko).,§ 7 järjestyslaki 612/2003 | § 16 järjestyslaki 612/2003,high,2026-10-30,,fi-jl,https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/2003/612,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/finland/
FI,Finland,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,in public: €100 fine,"Buying sex from an adult is legal in private, but an offence in a public place (petty fine) and an offence if the seller is a victim of procuring or trafficking (fine or up to six months), including where the buyer had reason to suspect this. Paying for a sexual act with someone under 18 carries up to two years.",RL 20:8 | RL 20:9 | § 7 järjestyslaki 612/2003,high,2026-10-30,,fi-rl | fi-jl | fi-rl-723-2022,https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1889/39 | https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/2003/612 | https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/2022/723,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/finland/
FI,Finland,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Arranging a room or other space for paid sex in order to obtain financial benefit is procuring, punishable by a fine or up to three years. Accommodating a person who sells sex as an established part of one's business, and thereby substantially promoting it, is also covered.",RL 20:10(1) items 1 and 2 | RL 20:11,high,2026-10-30,,fi-rl,https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1889/39,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/finland/
FI,Finland,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring for financial gain, by arranging premises, accommodating as part of a business, marketing, otherwise exploiting or enticing someone into selling sex, carries a fine or up to three years. Aggravated procuring, for example for considerable financial gain or in a particularly methodical way, carries four months to six years.",RL 20:10 | RL 20:11,high,2026-10-30,,fi-rl,https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1889/39,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/finland/
FI,Finland,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"A sex worker advertising their own services is not a specific offence. A third party who, to obtain financial benefit, markets someone's paid sex by passing on contact details or otherwise, knowing that this substantially promotes it, commits procuring.",RL 20:10(1) item 3,medium,2026-10-30,The procuring provision was verified. That no separate advertising ban applies to sex workers themselves is based on our reading of the Criminal Code and the Public Order Act; we did not review case law on ad platforms.,fi-rl,https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1889/39,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/finland/
FR,France,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Prostitution itself is not an offence for the person who sells sex. Loi n° 2016-444 repealed the offence of public soliciting, including passive soliciting (former art. 225-10-1 Code pénal, created in 2003), and treats people who sell sex as victims of the 'prostitution system', with access to an exit programme.",Art. 15 loi n° 2016-444 (repeal of art. 225-10-1 Code pénal) | Art. L. 121-9 Code de l'action sociale et des familles,high,2026-10-30,,lf-loi-2016-444 | lf-loi-2003-239 | lf-cp-proxenetisme | cass-2022-caming,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000412199 | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070719/LEGISCTA000006165301/ | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/juri/id/JURITEXT000045823016,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,"€1,500 fine","Soliciting, accepting or obtaining sexual relations from a person who engages in prostitution in exchange for payment or a benefit is a fifth-class contravention (fine up to €1,500); a repeat offence is a délit with a €3,750 fine. Buying from a minor or a particularly vulnerable person carries 5 years and €75,000, raised to 7 years and €100,000 with aggravating factors such as contact through an online ad, and to 10 years and €150,000 for a child under 15.",Art. 611-1 Code pénal | Art. 225-12-1 Code pénal | Art. 225-12-2 Code pénal | Art. 20 loi n° 2016-444 | Art. 21 loi n° 2016-444 (awareness course),high,2026-10-30,"Article text checked against codes.droit.org (built from Légifrance data, last change 2026-08-26) because Légifrance could not be opened for automated checks on 2026-10-30; Légifrance remains the canonical source. The 2016 law's article numbers were checked against the Assemblée nationale's final adopted text.",lf-cp-611-1 | lf-cp-225-12-1 | lf-cp-225-12-2 | codes-droit-cp | lf-loi-2016-444 | an-ta-716-2016 | cc-2018-761 | cc-2018-761-site | echr-ma-france | onvf-lettre-27,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000032398661 | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043409275 | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043409260 | https://codes.droit.org/PDF/Code%20p%C3%A9nal.pdf | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/ta/ta0716.asp | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000038087452 | https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/decision/2019/2018761QPC.htm | https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?library=ECHR&id=003-8007995-11178092&filename=Judgment+M.A.+and+Others+v.+France+-+Criminalisation+of+the+purchase+of+sexual+acts+is+not+a+violation+of+the+Convention.pdf | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Holding, managing, running, directing or financing a 'prostitution establishment' is punished by 10 years' imprisonment and €750,000. The same penalty applies to operators of premises open to the public who habitually tolerate prostitution there, and to anyone who provides non-public premises or vehicles knowing they will be used for prostitution.",Art. 225-10 Code pénal | Art. 225-12 Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,"Article text checked against codes.droit.org (built from Légifrance data, last change 2026-08-26) because Légifrance could not be opened for automated checks on 2026-10-30; Légifrance remains the canonical source.",lf-cp-proxenetisme | codes-droit-cp | onvf-lettre-27,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070719/LEGISCTA000006165301/ | https://codes.droit.org/PDF/Code%20p%C3%A9nal.pdf | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no exception for sex workers who work together. Making premises available to a person knowing they will be used for prostitution is an offence under art. 225-10 3°, and helping or assisting another person's prostitution is procuring under art. 225-5 1°. Both can in principle reach a sex worker who shares or sublets a flat to another.",Art. 225-5 1° Code pénal | Art. 225-10 3° Code pénal,medium,2026-10-30,"This is a reading of the statute's text. It is not based on reported prosecutions of sex workers who share premises, which were not verified for this profile. Article text checked against codes.droit.org (built from Légifrance data, last change 2026-08-26) because Légifrance could not be opened for automated checks on 2026-10-30; Légifrance remains the canonical source.",lf-cp-proxenetisme | codes-droit-cp,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070719/LEGISCTA000006165301/ | https://codes.droit.org/PDF/Code%20p%C3%A9nal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (proxénétisme) covers helping, assisting or protecting another person's prostitution, profiting from it or receiving money from someone who habitually engages in it, and recruiting or pressuring someone into it: 7 years and €150,000. Acting as an intermediary and certain related conduct count as procuring. Aggravating factors, including using an electronic network to reach an undetermined public, raise the penalty to 10 years and €1.5 million.",Art. 225-5 Code pénal | Art. 225-6 Code pénal | Art. 225-7 Code pénal | Art. 225-7-1 Code pénal | Art. 225-8 Code pénal | Art. 225-9 Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,"Article text checked against codes.droit.org (built from Légifrance data, last change 2026-08-26) because Légifrance could not be opened for automated checks on 2026-10-30; Légifrance remains the canonical source.",lf-cp-proxenetisme | codes-droit-cp | cass-2022-caming | igas-evaluation-2019 | onvf-lettre-27,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070719/LEGISCTA000006165301/ | https://codes.droit.org/PDF/Code%20p%C3%A9nal.pdf | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/juri/id/JURITEXT000045823016 | https://igas.gouv.fr/sites/igas/files/2024-04/%C3%89valuation%20de%20la%20loi%20du%2013%20avril%202016%20visant%20%C3%A0%20renforcer%20la%20lutte%20contre%20le%20syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel%20et%20%C3%A0%20accompagner%20les%20personnes%20prostitu%C3%A9es.pdf | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision of the Code pénal's procuring section specifically bans advertising prostitution, and since the 2016 repeal of soliciting a sex worker's own ad is not an offence. A third party who writes, posts or publishes ads for someone else's prostitution can be prosecuted for procuring (aiding or profiting), with the electronic-network aggravation when the ad is online.",Art. 225-5 1° and 2° Code pénal | Art. 225-7 10° Code pénal,medium,2026-10-30,"The statement that no specific advertising offence exists is based on a review of the Code pénal's procuring section and the 2016 law, not on an exhaustive search of all French legislation (for example media or consumer law). It is not established how far a sex worker's self-placed ad on a paid platform exposes the platform rather than the worker. Article text checked against codes.droit.org (built from Légifrance data, last change 2026-08-26) because Légifrance could not be opened for automated checks on 2026-10-30; Légifrance remains the canonical source.",lf-cp-proxenetisme | codes-droit-cp | lf-loi-2016-444 | onvf-lettre-27,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070719/LEGISCTA000006165301/ | https://codes.droit.org/PDF/Code%20p%C3%A9nal.pdf | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Sites that profit from or facilitate prostitution ads risk prosecution for procuring: in 2018 the Paris prosecutor opened a judicial investigation for aggravated procuring into Vivastreet's erotic-ads sections. Hosting providers must help fight content constituting procuring and report notified procuring activity to the authorities (LCEN art. 6), alongside the DSA. Paid webcam sites are not procuring under 2022 case law.",Art. 6 IV loi n° 2004-575 (LCEN) | Art. 225-5 and 225-7 10° Code pénal | Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (DSA),medium,2026-10-30,"The Vivastreet investigation is sourced from news reporting and its outcome is unknown. The adopted text of the loi intégrale (T.A. n° 356) was not yet published in full text when this profile was written; Art. 25 is described from the adopted government amendment n° 1274. The current wording of LCEN art. 6 (part IV, the version dated 26 August 2026, and its penalties) could not be re-checked on Légifrance on 2026-10-30; the 2016 hosting duties are confirmed by the 2019 evaluation.",lf-lcen-art6 | lf-loi-2016-444 | igas-evaluation-2019 | franceinfo-vivastreet-2018 | cass-2022-caming | an-amdt-1274 | an-tc-3190,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/article_lc/LEGIARTI000045292730 | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://igas.gouv.fr/sites/igas/files/2024-04/%C3%89valuation%20de%20la%20loi%20du%2013%20avril%202016%20visant%20%C3%A0%20renforcer%20la%20lutte%20contre%20le%20syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel%20et%20%C3%A0%20accompagner%20les%20personnes%20prostitu%C3%A9es.pdf | https://www.franceinfo.fr/societe/prostitution/le-site-vivastreet-suspend-sa-rubrique-rencontres_2809871.html | https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/juri/id/JURITEXT000045823016 | https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/amendements/3190/AN/1274 | https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/textes/l17b3190_texte-adopte-commission,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,legal,Legal,none,,Street-based selling and soliciting are no longer offences at national level since the 2016 repeal of racolage. Buying on the street is an offence; the 2019 evaluation found the buying offence was sometimes enforced to deal with public-order problems in particular areas. The 2019 government evaluation found that some cities kept municipal orders on the use of public space that specifically target prostitution.,Art. 15 loi n° 2016-444 | Art. 611-1 Code pénal,medium,2026-10-30,No current national inventory of municipal orders aimed at street prostitution was found; the IGAS finding dates from 2019.,lf-loi-2016-444 | igas-evaluation-2019,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://igas.gouv.fr/sites/igas/files/2024-04/%C3%89valuation%20de%20la%20loi%20du%2013%20avril%202016%20visant%20%C3%A0%20renforcer%20la%20lutte%20contre%20le%20syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel%20et%20%C3%A0%20accompagner%20les%20personnes%20prostitu%C3%A9es.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no registration, licensing or mandatory health-check regime for sex workers. The state's administrative engagement runs through the voluntary exit programme: a prefect decides on entry after an opinion from the departmental commission, for 6 months renewable up to 24 months.",Art. L. 121-9 Code de l'action sociale et des familles,medium,2026-10-30,"The absence of a registration regime is inferred from the legislation reviewed; no single provision states it. The December 2025 renaming of the commissions is reported only in the national observatory's foreword; the implementing décret was not located, and the observatory's own text still uses the old name.",lf-loi-2016-444 | onvf-lettre-24 | onvf-lettre-27,https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000032396046 | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2025-04/Lettre%2024%20de%20l'Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_VF.pdf | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Income from prostitution is taxable as non-commercial profits (bénéfices non commerciaux, art. 92 Code général des impôts), according to the tax administration's official guidance and Conseil d'État case law. Tax owed by people who leave prostitution to retrain is to be remitted, and people in an exit programme are presumed to meet the hardship condition for remission.",Art. 92 Code général des impôts | Art. L. 247 Livre des procédures fiscales | BOI-BNC-CHAMP-10-10-20-40 § 580-590,high,2026-10-30,Social-security registration (for example as self-employed) was not verified for this profile.,bofip-bnc-prostitution,https://bofip.impots.gouv.fr/bofip/2824-PGP.html/identifiant=BOI-BNC-CHAMP-10-10-20-40-20230628,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
FR,France,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence for foreign nationals either, but general immigration rules apply. Foreign nationals in an exit programme may receive a temporary residence permit of at least six months without having to cooperate with a prosecution, and those who file a complaint for procuring or trafficking are entitled to a temporary residence card unless they pose a public-order threat.","CESEDA, residence provisions for victims of procuring and trafficking (former art. L. 316-1 and L. 316-1-1)",medium,2026-10-30,The CESEDA was recodified in 2021; the current article numbers of these residence provisions were not verified for this profile. The loi intégrale bill adopted at first reading on 13 October 2026 contains further residence provisions for victims whose final wording was not available.,igas-evaluation-2019 | onvf-lettre-27,https://igas.gouv.fr/sites/igas/files/2024-04/%C3%89valuation%20de%20la%20loi%20du%2013%20avril%202016%20visant%20%C3%A0%20renforcer%20la%20lutte%20contre%20le%20syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel%20et%20%C3%A0%20accompagner%20les%20personnes%20prostitu%C3%A9es.pdf | https://arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-04/Lettre%2027_syst%C3%A8me%20prostitutionnel_Observatoire%20national%20des%20violences%20faites%20aux%20femmes_web_V0409.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/france/
GA,Gabon,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 years,"No article makes selling sex as such an offence. Publicly soliciting persons of either sex, on the public highway or by gestures, words, writing or any other means, with a view to provoking debauchery is punishable by up to two years and a fine of up to 2 million francs (Article 263). Public-morals offences under Article 212 have also been applied to women selling sex.",Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 263 | Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 212,high,2026-10-30,,ga-cp2020 | ga-union-2025,https://journal-officiel.ga/code-penal | https://www.union.sonapresse.com/index.php/fr/placement-et-proxenetisme-des-peines-de-12-et-3-mois-pour-les-auteurs,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/gabon/
GA,Gabon,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code penalises paying for sex with an adult. The procuring offence covers those who ""remunerate"" another person's prostitution only where they act as, or deal with, an intermediary, and the trafficking and child-protection offences apply in their own terms.",Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 260,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the consolidated text on the Journal Officiel site; the absence of a client offence is inferred from the text, not from a court ruling.",ga-cp2020,https://journal-officiel.ga/code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/gabon/
GA,Gabon,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel-keeping article in the 2020 code, but running a venue falls within procuring: knowingly aiding, assisting or protecting another person's prostitution, profiting from it, or keeping a person, even an adult and with consent, for prostitution is punishable by up to ten years and a fine of up to 20 million francs (Article 260).",Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 260,medium,2026-10-30,"The pre-2019 code had a specific offence of financing or managing an establishment of prostitution; no equivalent article was found in the 2020 text, so the classification rests on Article 260.",ga-cp2020,https://journal-officiel.ga/code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/gabon/
GA,Gabon,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring covers aiding, assisting or protecting another's prostitution or soliciting, profiting from or sharing its proceeds, recruiting, training or keeping a person even with consent, living with a person who habitually sells sex without sufficient means of one's own, and acting as intermediary. Penalty: up to ten years and 20 million francs; 15 years if a minor is involved or in an organised gang; 30 years with torture.",Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 260 | Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 34-2,high,2026-10-30,,ga-cp2020 | ga-union-2025,https://journal-officiel.ga/code-penal | https://www.union.sonapresse.com/index.php/fr/placement-et-proxenetisme-des-peines-de-12-et-3-mois-pour-les-auteurs,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/gabon/
GA,Gabon,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind in whatever terms, is punishable by up to two years and/or a fine of up to 2 million francs (Article 212(3)). Soliciting ""by writing or any other means"" is also an offence (Article 263), and a platform or group organiser that helps another's prostitution can be charged with procuring (Article 260).",Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 212 | Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 263 | Code pénal (Law No. 006/2020) art. 260,high,2026-10-30,,ga-cp2020 | ga-union-2025,https://journal-officiel.ga/code-penal | https://www.union.sonapresse.com/index.php/fr/placement-et-proxenetisme-des-peines-de-12-et-3-mois-pour-les-auteurs,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/gabon/
GE,Georgia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,Prostitution is an administrative offence punished by a warning or a fine of up to half the minimum wage unit; a repeat within one year of a penalty brings a fine of half to one unit. Trafficking victims and people involved in prostitution through the crime in Article 253 of the Criminal Code are exempt. The Constitutional Court upheld the provision in April 2026.,Art. 172³ საქართველოს ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსი,high,2026-10-30,,ge-aoc | ge-constcourt-1354,https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/28216 | https://www.constcourt.ge/ka/judicial-acts?legal=19492,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/georgia/
GE,Georgia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision expressly penalises paying for sex with an adult. Article 172³ does not define prostitution, so commentators note it could in principle reach the buyer, but in practice only the seller is fined.",Art. 172³ საქართველოს ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსი,medium,2026-10-30,"Enforcement practice rests on an academic article (Gegelia, 2022); we found no official statistics on who is fined.",ge-aoc | ge-gegelia-2022,https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/28216 | https://constcourt.ge/files/4/5)%20Gegelia%20ENG%202022.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/georgia/
GE,Georgia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Providing a place or dwelling for prostitution is a crime punishable by a fine or two to four years, four to seven if committed by a group, repeatedly, against a pregnant woman or a dependant, and longer where minors are involved. Legal persons can be fined, deprived of the right to operate or liquidated.",Art. 254(2)-(5) საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი,high,2026-10-30,,ge-cc,https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/16426,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/georgia/
GE,Georgia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Persuading a person to engage in prostitution, or any other non-violent act that facilitates a person's participation in it, carries a fine or up to two years. Involving a person in prostitution by threatening to destroy property, blackmail or deceit carries two to five years, by violence four to ten, with longer terms for aggravated forms and fifteen to twenty years or life where the offender knew the victim was a minor.",Art. 253 საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი | Art. 254(1) საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი,high,2026-10-30,,ge-cc,https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/16426,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/georgia/
GE,Georgia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"No provision specifically banning adverts for sexual services was found. The Law on Advertising regulates 'sex-related products' (no radio or television advertising, nor on front pages and magazine covers) but does not mention prostitution. A third party placing adverts could fall under Article 254(1) of the Criminal Code as a non-violent act facilitating prostitution.",Art. 8¹ რეკლამის შესახებ კანონი | Art. 254(1) საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი,low,2026-10-30,Applying Article 254(1) to adverts or ad sites is our reading; no case law or enforcement practice was found. The person selling sex commits the Article 172³ offence regardless of advertising.,ge-adv | ge-cc,https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/31840 | https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/16426,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/georgia/
DE,Germany,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Selling sexual services is legal for adults (18+). Before starting, a sex worker must register in person with the competent authority and attend a health counselling session; working without registration is an administrative offence (fine up to EUR 1,000). Agreements for paid sexual services create an enforceable claim to the agreed fee.","§§ 1–2 ProstG | §§ 3, 5, 10 ProstSchG | § 33(1) no. 1, (3) ProstSchG",high,2026-10-30,,prostg | prostschg | prostschg-33,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostg/BJNR398310001.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Buying sexual services from an adult is legal. Clients must ensure a condom is used (fine up to EUR 50,000). It is a crime to pay for sex with a victim of trafficking or forced prostitution while exploiting their predicament, including where the client recklessly fails to recognise it, and to pay for sex with anyone under 18.","§ 32(1), § 33(1) no. 3 ProstSchG | § 232a(6) StGB | § 182(2) StGB",high,2026-10-30,,prostschg-32 | prostschg-33 | stgb-232a | stgb-182 | btd-21-6584,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__32.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__232a.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__182.html | https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/065/2106584.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Running a brothel, escort agency, prostitution vehicle or sex event requires a permit (§ 12 ProstSchG) with a business concept, reliability checks and minimum standards for rooms. Operating without a permit can be fined up to EUR 10,000. Keeping sex workers in personal or economic dependence in such a business is a crime (§ 180a StGB). About 2,260 businesses held permits at the end of 2025.","§§ 2, 12–18, 24–28 ProstSchG | § 33(2) no. 1, (3) ProstSchG | § 180a StGB",high,2026-10-30,,prostschg | prostschg-33 | stgb-180a | wd7-031-20 | kfn-summary | destatis-2026,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__180a.html | https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/691780/WD-7-031-20-pdf.pdf | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/resource/blob/276632/b9a6eb00836838acf147ef50439c9f93/zusammenfassung-der-evaluation-zum-prostschg-data.pdf | https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2026/08/PD26_301_228.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"A sex worker working alone in her own flat needs only personal registration. Once someone rents rooms out specifically for prostitution, steers their use and profits from others' work, the flat is a 'prostitution venue' needing a permit. North Rhine-Westphalia's guidance says equal co-tenants who work independently and only share rent are not a business, but a partnership or one worker running the flat is.",§ 2(3)–(4) ProstSchG | § 12 ProstSchG,medium,2026-10-30,"Based on the federal definition plus one Land's administrative guideline (NRW, 2020); practice in other Länder was not checked.",prostschg | nrw-rl-prostschg-gewerbe,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.kreis-kleve.de/system/files/2024-03/richtlinie_zum_vollzug_des_prostschg_25.03.2020.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Profiting from another person's prostitution is lawful in a permitted business. Criminal law covers exploitative or controlling pimping (6 months to 5 years), commercially arranging encounters in a way that impairs the worker's independence (up to 3 years), exploitation in a business, and trafficking and forced prostitution (generally up to 10 years, up to 15 in aggravated cases of forced prostitution).","§ 180a StGB | § 181a StGB | §§ 232, 232a, 233a StGB | § 38(2) StGB",high,2026-10-30,,stgb-180a | stgb-181a | stgb-232 | stgb-232a | btd-21-6584 | stgb-233a | stgb-38,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__180a.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__181a.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__232.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__232a.html | https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/065/2106584.pdf | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__233a.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__38.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Advertising sexual services is legal in principle. § 32(3) ProstSchG bans ads that refer to sex without a condom or with pregnant women, even in veiled form, or that by their presentation, content or medium concretely endanger the public, especially youth protection. Breaches can be fined up to EUR 10,000 and the material confiscated. Grossly offensive ads are also an offence under § 119 OWiG.","§ 32(3) ProstSchG | § 33(2) no. 14, (3) ProstSchG | § 33a ProstSchG | § 119 OWiG",high,2026-10-30,,prostschg-32 | prostschg-33 | owig-119 | owig-120 | wd7-031-20 | bgh-kontaktanzeigen,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__32.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/owig_1968/__119.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/owig_1968/__120.html | https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/691780/WD-7-031-20-pdf.pdf | https://www.wettbewerbszentrale.de/bundesgerichtshof-kontaktanzeigen-prostituierter-in-zeitungen-wettbewerbsrechtlich-zulaessig-14-07-2006/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"No statute targets ad platforms specifically. On the statute's wording, a site that makes a non-compliant ad publicly accessible could be fined up to EUR 10,000, subject to the DSA hosting rules; no such fine has been reported. NRW guidance treats sites that broker sex workers to clients and profit indirectly, e.g. from ads, as agencies needing a permit. The 2025 evaluation recommended considering platform regulation; the expert commission has made them a focus.","§ 32(3) sentence 2 ProstSchG | § 33(2) no. 14 ProstSchG | § 2(3) no. 4, (7) ProstSchG | § 12 DDG | Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (DSA)",medium,2026-10-30,"How the advertising ban and the agency permit apply to ad platforms has not, as far as found, been settled by a court; the agency reading rests on one Land's administrative guideline (NRW, 2020).",prostschg-32 | prostschg-33 | prostschg | nrw-rl-prostschg-gewerbe | ddg-12 | dsa | kfn-summary | bmbfsfj-commission | btd-21-6584 | stgb-181a,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__32.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.kreis-kleve.de/system/files/2024-03/richtlinie_zum_vollzug_des_prostschg_25.03.2020.pdf | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ddg/__12.html | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/resource/blob/276632/b9a6eb00836838acf147ef50439c9f93/zusammenfassung-der-evaluation-zum-prostschg-data.pdf | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/bmbfsfj/themen/gleichstellung/frauen-vor-gewalt-schuetzen/prostituiertenschutzgesetz/evaluation-und-prostituiertenschutz-kommission-186940 | https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/065/2106584.pdf | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__181a.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Street prostitution is legal where no local ban applies. Land governments may ban prostitution in whole towns of up to 50,000 inhabitants, in parts of towns over 20,000 and on public streets regardless of size, also by time of day (Art. 297 EGStGB). A breach is an administrative offence (§ 120 OWiG); persistent breach is a crime punishable by up to 6 months or a fine (§ 184f StGB), which a 2026 bill would abolish.",Art. 297 EGStGB | § 120 OWiG | § 17(1) OWiG | § 184f StGB | § 184g StGB,high,2026-10-30,,egstgb-297 | owig-120 | owig-17 | owig-119 | stgb-184f | btd-21-6584 | stgb-184g | muenchen-sperrbezirk | prostschg,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgbeg/art_297.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/owig_1968/__120.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/owig_1968/__17.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/owig_1968/__119.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__184f.html | https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/065/2106584.pdf | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__184g.html | https://stadt.muenchen.de/rathaus/stadtrecht/vorschrift/A15/version1/0.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Sex workers must register in person before starting work and receive a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung), optionally also an alias certificate, to carry while working. It is valid two years (one year under 21) and nationwide unless a Land rules otherwise. Health counselling, not a medical examination, is required before registration and then yearly (every six months under 21). Registration data are passed to the tax office.","§§ 3–7, 10, 11 ProstSchG | § 34(8) ProstSchG | § 33(1) no. 1 ProstSchG",high,2026-10-30,,prostschg | prostschg-33 | kfn-summary,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/__33.html | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/resource/blob/276632/b9a6eb00836838acf147ef50439c9f93/zusammenfassung-der-evaluation-zum-prostschg-data.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Income from prostitution is taxable: the Federal Fiscal Court held in 2013 that self-employed sex workers earn business income, so income tax, VAT (subject to the small-business threshold) and trade tax can apply. Several Länder use the 'Düsseldorf procedure', in which business operators collect a flat daily advance payment from each worker and pass it to the tax office. Employment with social insurance is possible under the Prostitution Act.",§ 15 EStG (per BFH GrS 1/12) | § 34(8) ProstSchG | § 3 ProstG,medium,2026-10-30,"The Düsseldorf procedure has no statutory basis and no official list of participating Länder or current daily rates was found; the NRW information sheet consulted predates 2025 changes to small-business VAT thresholds, so no thresholds are given here.",bfh-grs-1-12 | nrw-tax-leaflet | prostschg | prostg | kfn-summary,https://www.bundesfinanzhof.de/en/entscheidungen/entscheidungen-online/decision-detail/STRE201310105/ | https://www.mkjfgfi.nrw/system/files/media/document/file/info_finanz_prostschg.pdf | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostg/BJNR398310001.html | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/resource/blob/276632/b9a6eb00836838acf147ef50439c9f93/zusammenfassung-der-evaluation-zum-prostschg-data.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
DE,Germany,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"EU citizens can register and work on the same terms as Germans. Non-EU nationals without free-movement rights must prove at registration that their residence status allows employment or self-employment; otherwise they cannot register lawfully. Most registered sex workers are foreign nationals: at the end of 2025, 82% were non-German, led by Romanians (35%), Bulgarians (11%) and Spaniards (9%).",§ 4(2) ProstSchG,high,2026-10-30,,prostschg | kfn-summary | destatis-2026,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html | https://www.bmbfsfj.bund.de/resource/blob/276632/b9a6eb00836838acf147ef50439c9f93/zusammenfassung-der-evaluation-zum-prostschg-data.pdf | https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2026/08/PD26_301_228.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/germany/
GH,Ghana,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: fine,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. A person who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place or in sight of one for the purpose of prostitution commits an offence: a fine for a first offence and a misdemeanour for a second or later one (s. 276). A prosecution needs the consent of a superior police officer, though arrest and remand do not.",Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 276 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 279,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the WIPO Lex copy of the Act as amended to 2003, which gives the first-offence fine as ¢500,000 (old cedis); later sources give the cap as 25 penalty units. The official Judicial Service e-library and the Ghana Legal Information Institute (GhaLII) copies could not be opened. The section numbering in that copy's table of contents (275 for keeping a brothel, 276 for offences by prostitutes) differs from its body text, which is used here.",gh-act29,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh010en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ghana/
GH,Ghana,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex was found in Act 29. A client who persistently solicits in or near a public place may fall under the general offence of soliciting for immoral purposes (s. 275(b)), and sex with a child under 16 is defilement whatever the consent (s. 101).",Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 275 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 101,medium,2026-10-30,Whether s. 275(b) is used against clients in practice was not checked.,gh-act29,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh010en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ghana/
GH,Ghana,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel, and an owner, tenant or landlord knowingly letting premises be used as one, is a misdemeanour (s. 277). A brothel is any premises, room or set of rooms kept for prostitution (s. 279). Letting a child under 16 live in or frequent a brothel is a separate misdemeanour (s. 273).",Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 277 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 273 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 279,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the WIPO Lex copy amended to 2003. The definition covers any premises kept for prostitution, so on its face it could reach two sex workers sharing a room; no case law on that was checked.",gh-act29 | gh-gbc-2025,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh010en.pdf | https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/police-arrest-42/2025/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ghana/
GH,Ghana,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution, or controlling, directing or influencing a sex worker's movements for gain, is a misdemeanour (s. 274); a person habitually living with a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings. Soliciting in public to obtain clients for a sex worker (s. 275) and procuring a person to become a sex worker in Ghana or abroad or to join a brothel (s. 107) are also misdemeanours.",Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 274 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 275 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 107,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the WIPO Lex copy amended to 2003. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is a separate offence under the Human Trafficking Act 2005 (Act 694), which was not opened.",gh-act29,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh010en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ghana/
GH,Ghana,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. Soliciting to obtain clients for a sex worker is an offence only in or within sight of a public place (s. 275). Publishing, selling, distributing or advertising obscene matter is a misdemeanour (ss. 280–281), and displaying indecent matter visible from a public place is fined (s. 282).",Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) s. 275 | Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) ss. 280–282,low,2026-10-30,"Inferred from general provisions. Whether online adverts count as public soliciting, and whether a website hosting them could be treated as living on earnings or soliciting for clients, was not found in any source. The Electronic Communications and Cybersecurity Acts were not checked.",gh-act29,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh010en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ghana/
GR,Greece,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Legal only with a professional certificate and a licence for specific premises, plus compulsory medical checks every 15 days. Selling without a certificate or medical checks, or in unlicensed premises, is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and a fine.","Law 2734/1999 arts. 1, 2, 5",medium,2026-10-30,"Cited from the Lawspot reproduction of the law as published in 1999; it shows no amendments, but the official consolidated text with any later amendments could not be opened (e-nomothesia.gr returned 403, kodiko.gr is paywalled).",gr-law-2734-1999,https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/nomos-2734-1999,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/greece/
GR,Greece,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Buying sexual services from an adult is not an offence. A client who knowingly performs a sexual act with a trafficking victim commits an offence punishable by at least three years' imprisonment and a fine (Penal Code art. 323A(6)).,Penal Code (Law 4619/2019) art. 323A(6),high,2026-10-30,,gr-pc-323a | gr-law-2734-1999,https://www.lawspot.gr/nomothesia/n-4619-2019/arthro-323a-poinikos-kodikas-nomos-4619-2019-emporia/ | https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/nomos-2734-1999,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/greece/
GR,Greece,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Only individual licensed premises are lawful. The licence is personal to the certified sex worker, valid for two years, one per building, at least 200 m from churches, schools, hospitals and similar sites. Group premises are banned; the holder may let up to two other certified persons use the premises at different hours. Unlicensed premises are closed and sealed.","Law 2734/1999 arts. 3, 4, 5, 6 | Penal Code art. 349(3)",medium,2026-10-30,Later amendments to Law 2734/1999 could not be ruled out from an official consolidated text (see selling).,gr-law-2734-1999 | gr-law-2734-1999-art3 | gr-pc-349,https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/nomos-2734-1999 | https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/n-2734-1999/arthro-3-nomos-2734-1999-egkatastasi-prosopon-ekdidomenon | https://www.lawspot.gr/node/264817,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/greece/
GR,Greece,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who, professionally or for profit, promotes, pushes or forces another person into prostitution, or exploits the income from another's prostitution, is punishable by at least 18 months' imprisonment and a fine (art. 349(3)), outside the cases covered by the trafficking offence in art. 323A.",Penal Code (Law 4619/2019) art. 349(3) | Penal Code art. 323A,high,2026-10-30,,gr-pc-349 | gr-pc-323a,https://www.lawspot.gr/node/264817 | https://www.lawspot.gr/nomothesia/n-4619-2019/arthro-323a-poinikos-kodikas-nomos-4619-2019-emporia/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/greece/
GR,Greece,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"No specific offence of advertising adult sexual services was found in Law 2734/1999 or the Penal Code. Advertising unlicensed services documents an offence under art. 5 of Law 2734/1999, and third parties who profit from others' prostitution, including through ads, risk prosecution for procuring under art. 349(3).",Law 2734/1999 art. 5 | Penal Code art. 349(3),low,2026-10-30,Absence of an advertising offence is inferred from the texts reviewed; no case law on ad sites was located.,gr-law-2734-1999 | gr-pc-349,https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/nomos-2734-1999 | https://www.lawspot.gr/node/264817,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/greece/
GD,Grenada,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 months,"A person who 'in any place loiters about or solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution' is liable to up to three months' imprisonment or a $1,000 fine, or both. A tenant, lessee or occupier who uses premises for their own prostitution commits the brothel offence (up to ten years on indictment).","s. 137(1)(a) and (29) Criminal Code, Cap. 72A, as substituted by Act 29 of 2012 | s. 188B(c) Criminal Code, Cap. 72A, inserted by Act 29 of 2012",medium,2026-10-30,"The consolidation on laws.gov.gd lists amendments up to 2007; the 2012 amending Act was read separately. Later amendments other than Act 34 of 2013 (which does not touch these sections) were not found. The 2012 Act substitutes paragraph (29) of s. 137, while the consolidation shows the older soliciting offence as paragraph (30); the penalty in s. 137(1)(a) covers paragraphs (28) to (30).",gd-cca2012 | gd-cc,https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/acts/704-act-no-29-of-2012-criminal-code-amendment-act/download | https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/chapters/c-39a-75d/1107-cap72a-criminal-code/download,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/grenada/
GD,Grenada,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying for sex was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) ('solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution') is not limited to sellers and could reach a client who solicits.,"s. 137(29) Criminal Code, Cap. 72A",medium,2026-10-30,The consolidation on laws.gov.gd lists amendments up to 2007; the 2012 amending Act was read separately. Later amendments other than Act 34 of 2013 (which does not touch these sections) were not found.,gd-cca2012,https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/acts/704-act-no-29-of-2012-criminal-code-amendment-act/download,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/grenada/
GD,Grenada,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or acting as or assisting the person in charge of one; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution, or using them for their own prostitution; and a lessor or landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used each carry up to ten years on indictment.","s. 188B Criminal Code, Cap. 72A, inserted by Act 29 of 2012",high,2026-10-30,,gd-cca2012,https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/acts/704-act-no-29-of-2012-criminal-code-amendment-act/download,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/grenada/
GD,Grenada,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring any person to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or Grenada to frequent a brothel, carries up to ten years on indictment. A person who for gain controls a sex worker's movements so as to aid, abet or compel their prostitution ('trading in prostitution') also faces up to ten years.","s. 188(1)(b)-(d) Criminal Code, Cap. 72A, as substituted by Act 29 of 2012 | s. 188A Criminal Code, Cap. 72A, inserted by Act 29 of 2012",high,2026-10-30,No separate 'living on the earnings' offence was found in the consolidated Code or the 2012 Act.,gd-cca2012,https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/acts/704-act-no-29-of-2012-criminal-code-amendment-act/download,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/grenada/
GD,Grenada,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) applies 'in any place' and to soliciting 'any person', which may be wide enough to cover a sex worker's own advertising; a site that profits from others' ads could face s. 188A.","s. 137(29) Criminal Code, Cap. 72A | s. 188A Criminal Code, Cap. 72A",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability. Whether 'solicits' covers published advertisements has not been tested in any case found.",gd-cca2012,https://laws.gov.gd/index.php/acts/704-act-no-29-of-2012-criminal-code-amendment-act/download,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/grenada/
GT,Guatemala,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not a criminal offence. A sex workers' organisation reports that the 2009 reform removed the last reference to prostitution as a 'dangerous state' from the Penal Code, and that a 2012 HIV regulation ended the duty to show police a health booklet, although some departments reportedly still ask for it.",,medium,2026-10-30,The absence of a selling offence was checked against the 2009 reform text; the health-code and police-practice points come from an NGO report (2020) and were not checked against the regulations themselves.,gt-redtrasex-2020 | gt-dto-9-2009,https://redtrasex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mapeo_de_leyes_guatemala_rts2020.pdf | https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/es/legislation/gtm/decreto_9_-_2009_ley_contra_la_violencia_sexual_exploitacion_y_trata_de_personas/titulo_iii/articulo_35_-_49/articulo_35_-_49.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guatemala/
GT,Guatemala,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,via third party: 5 years,"Paying an adult directly for sex is not an offence. Giving or promising a benefit to a third person in exchange for a sexual act with an adult is punishable by three to five years (Art. 193 Bis), and paying for the activities of a trafficking victim by six to eight years (Art. 202 Quáter). Any paid sexual act with a minor carries five to eight years (Art. 193).","Art. 193 Código Penal (Decreto 17-73), reformado por Art. 38 Decreto 9-2009 | Art. 193 Bis Código Penal, adicionado por Art. 39 Decreto 9-2009 | Art. 202 Quáter Código Penal, adicionado por Art. 48 Decreto 9-2009",high,2026-10-30,Text taken from the decree as enacted (UNODC SHERLOC copy); later amendments to these articles were not found but not exhaustively checked.,gt-dto-9-2009,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/es/legislation/gtm/decreto_9_-_2009_ley_contra_la_violencia_sexual_exploitacion_y_trata_de_personas/titulo_iii/articulo_35_-_49/articulo_35_-_49.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guatemala/
GT,Guatemala,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a venue where others sell sex falls under Art. 191: the exploitation of an adult through promoting, facilitating or favouring their prostitution carries five to ten years and a fine of Q50,000–100,000, increased by a third where there is violence or abuse of authority (Art. 192). Clients who pay the venue commit the Art. 193 Bis offence.","Arts. 191, 192 y 193 Bis Código Penal (Decreto 17-73), según Decreto 9-2009",medium,2026-10-30,"Art. 191 turns on 'explotación', which the article does not define; how courts treat venues where adults work voluntarily was not researched.",gt-dto-9-2009,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/es/legislation/gtm/decreto_9_-_2009_ley_contra_la_violencia_sexual_exploitacion_y_trata_de_personas/titulo_iii/articulo_35_-_49/articulo_35_-_49.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guatemala/
GT,Guatemala,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Exploiting an adult by promoting, facilitating or favouring their prostitution is punishable by five to ten years and a fine of Q50,000–100,000 (Art. 191). Recruiting, transporting, holding or receiving a person for 'the prostitution of others' is trafficking, punishable by eight to eighteen years, and the victim's consent is never taken into account (Art. 202 Ter).","Art. 191 Código Penal, reformado por Art. 36 Decreto 9-2009 | Art. 202 Ter Código Penal, adicionado por Art. 47 Decreto 9-2009",high,2026-10-30,,gt-dto-9-2009,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/es/legislation/gtm/decreto_9_-_2009_ley_contra_la_violencia_sexual_exploitacion_y_trata_de_personas/titulo_iii/articulo_35_-_49/articulo_35_-_49.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guatemala/
GT,Guatemala,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting advertisements for adult sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of a third party could amount to 'promoting' their prostitution under Art. 191; the advertising offences added in 2009 (Arts. 195 Bis, 195 Quáter) concern minors.","Arts. 191, 195 Bis y 195 Quáter Código Penal",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the 2009 reform; media, telecommunications and municipal rules were not reviewed.",gt-dto-9-2009,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/es/legislation/gtm/decreto_9_-_2009_ley_contra_la_violencia_sexual_exploitacion_y_trata_de_personas/titulo_iii/articulo_35_-_49/articulo_35_-_49.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guatemala/
GN,Guinea,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code contains no offence of selling sex and no soliciting offence for the person selling. Public sexual acts can fall under the general offence of public indecency (Articles 275 and 276: three months to two years and a fine of 500,000 to 1,000,000 Guinean francs).",Code pénal 2016 art. 275 | Code pénal 2016 art. 276,medium,2026-10-30,Read in a transcription of the 2016 Code; whether later amendments touched these articles was not checked.,gn-cp | gn-guinee7-2025,https://droitguineen.com/lois/code-l-2016-059-an-code-penal | https://www.guinee7.com/2025/05/05/prostitution-proxenetisme-tenue-vestimentaire-ce-que-disent-les-lois-guineennes/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea/
GN,Guinea,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Penal Code; a legal consultant interviewed by Guinee7 in 2025 described paying for sex as unpunished.,,medium,2026-10-30,Read in a transcription of the 2016 Code; later amendments were not checked.,gn-cp | gn-guinee7-2025,https://droitguineen.com/lois/code-l-2016-059-an-code-penal | https://www.guinee7.com/2025/05/05/prostitution-proxenetisme-tenue-vestimentaire-ce-que-disent-les-lois-guineennes/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea/
GN,Guinea,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Holding, managing, running or financing a prostitution establishment; habitually accepting or tolerating prostitution or the seeking of clients in any establishment open to the public; or knowingly selling or providing private premises or vehicles of any kind to people who will use them for prostitution carries five to ten years and a fine of 10 to 50 million Guinean francs (Article 351). Attempt is punishable (Article 352).",Code pénal 2016 art. 351 | Code pénal 2016 art. 352,high,2026-10-30,The premises limb can catch a landlord who knowingly rents a flat to a sex worker.,gn-cp,https://droitguineen.com/lois/code-l-2016-059-an-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea/
GN,Guinea,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, lives with such a person without justifying their own resources, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: two to five years and 2 to 10 million Guinean francs (Article 347).",Code pénal 2016 art. 346 | Code pénal 2016 art. 347 | Code pénal 2016 art. 348 | Code pénal 2016 art. 349 | Code pénal 2016 art. 350,high,2026-10-30,,gn-cp,https://droitguineen.com/lois/code-l-2016-059-an-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea/
GN,Guinea,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. Advertising one's own services is not identified as an offence, but a third party who knowingly aids, assists or protects another person's prostitution or soliciting commits procuring (Article 347(1)), which can cover publishing ads for others.",Code pénal 2016 art. 347(1),low,2026-10-30,This is a reading of the statutory text; no case or guidance on advertising or websites was found.,gn-cp,https://droitguineen.com/lois/code-l-2016-059-an-code-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea/
GW,Guinea-Bissau,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex an offence for an adult. Publicly importuning another person with sexual acts falls under the general offence of sexual exhibitionism (Article 135: up to three years or a fine).,Código Penal art. 135,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 1993 Code as transcribed by Equipo Nizkor and a 2019 World Bank compilation of the law in force. Later amendments to the Code were not checked in full.,gw-cp | gw-wb-2019,https://www.derechos.org/intlaw/doc/gnb1.html | https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/215511630345368083/pdf/Annex.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea-bissau/
GW,Guinea-Bissau,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Sexual acts with children are covered by the sexual abuse offences (Article 134).,Código Penal art. 134,medium,2026-10-30,Later amendments to the Code were not checked in full.,gw-cp,https://www.derechos.org/intlaw/doc/gnb1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea-bissau/
GW,Guinea-Bissau,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence names brothels as such, but running premises where others sell sex is covered by Article 136, which punishes anyone who, for profit or as a way of life, promotes, facilitates or in any way contributes to another person's prostitution: up to three years or a fine.",Código Penal art. 136,medium,2026-10-30,No case law applying Article 136 to venues was found.,gw-cp,https://www.derechos.org/intlaw/doc/gnb1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea-bissau/
GW,Guinea-Bissau,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting, facilitating or contributing to another's prostitution with intent to profit or as a way of life carries up to three years or a fine (Article 136(1)); attempt is punishable. Exploiting abandonment or economic need, using violence, serious threats or coercion, or moving the victim abroad carries two to ten years (Article 136(2)).",Código Penal art. 136 | Lei n.º 12/2011,high,2026-10-30,,gw-cp | gw-wb-2019,https://www.derechos.org/intlaw/doc/gnb1.html | https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/215511630345368083/pdf/Annex.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea-bissau/
GW,Guinea-Bissau,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A person advertising their own services commits no identified offence; a third party who does so for profit or as a livelihood could fall under Article 136 as facilitating another person's prostitution.,Código Penal art. 136,low,2026-10-30,This is a reading of the statutory text; no case or guidance on advertising or websites was found.,gw-cp,https://www.derechos.org/intlaw/doc/gnb1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guinea-bissau/
GY,Guyana,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 18 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but loitering about or importuning any person in a street or public place for the purpose of prostitution is a summary offence: a fine of GYD 15,000 to 30,000 or 18 months on first conviction, three years on a second.","Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:02, s. 166(c)",high,2026-10-30,How the police apply this and other public-order provisions in practice was not checked.,gy-sjoa,https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_guy_summ.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guyana/
GY,Guyana,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision in the two main penal statutes makes paying an adult for sex an offence. Section 166(b) punishes a man who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place for immoral purposes, which could reach kerb-crawling.","Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:02, s. 166(b)",medium,2026-10-30,Whether s. 166(b) is applied to clients was not checked.,gy-sjoa | gy-cloa,https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_guy_summ.pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/guy204765.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guyana/
GY,Guyana,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, and letting premises knowing they will be used as one are summary offences (fine or 18 months; three years on a second conviction). Keeping a common bawdy house is also a misdemeanour carrying two years under the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.","Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:02, s. 165 | Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:01, s. 356",high,2026-10-30,,gy-sjoa | gy-cloa,https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_guy_summ.pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/guy204765.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guyana/
GY,Guyana,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure a woman to become a ""common prostitute"" (the statute's term), or to leave Guyana or her usual home to become a brothel inmate, is a misdemeanour carrying ten years. A man who knowingly lives wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution faces a fine or 18 months, then three years plus liability to whipping or flogging.","Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:01, s. 73 | Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:02, ss. 166(a), 167, 168",high,2026-10-30,,gy-cloa | gy-sjoa,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/guy204765.pdf | https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_guy_summ.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guyana/
GY,Guyana,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting for prostitution is an offence, and the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act separately punishes circulating obscene objects; advertising a brothel could also support the brothel offences.","Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap. 8:02, ss. 157, 165, 166",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the general offences; online advertising, cybercrime and telecommunications law were not reviewed.",gy-sjoa,https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_guy_summ.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/guyana/
HT,Haiti,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of selling sex was found in the 1835 Penal Code, and the 2020 code, according to its press coverage, does not punish prostitution. A Haitian lawyer quoted in a 2022 legal explainer nevertheless says adult prostitution is not recognised and can be treated as an offence against public decency.",Art. 283 Code pénal de 1835 (outrage public à la pudeur),low,2026-10-30,The text of the 2020 code itself was not opened; the 1835 code was consulted through WIPO Lex. Enforcement practice was not researched.,ht-cp-1835 | ht-odelpa-2022 | ht-nouvelliste-2020,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/7928 | https://www.odelpa.org/post/que-dit-la-l%C3%A9gislation-ha%C3%AFtienne-sur-la-profession-du-sexe | https://lenouvelliste.com/article/219558/nouveau-code-penal-la-prostitution-nest-pas-punie-le-proxenetisme-oui,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/haiti/
HT,Haiti,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence on the texts checked. Anyone who obtains or tries to obtain sexual services from a person knowing that they are a trafficking victim commits a crime punishable by imprisonment ('réclusion') and a fine of 50,000–100,000 gourdes (2014 trafficking law, Art. 12).",Art. 12 al. 2 Loi CL/2014-0010 sur la lutte contre la traite des personnes,medium,2026-10-30,The 2020 Penal Code reportedly adds an offence of paying minors for sex; its client provisions for adults were not verified.,ht-traite-2014 | ht-odelpa-2022,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2014_loisurlaluttecontrelatraite_hti.pdf | https://www.odelpa.org/post/que-dit-la-l%C3%A9gislation-ha%C3%AFtienne-sur-la-profession-du-sexe,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/haiti/
HT,Haiti,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed at venues employing adults was found in the 1835 code. Housing or receiving a person by threats, force, fraud, deception or abuse of vulnerability for the exploitation of their prostitution is trafficking (seven to fifteen years), and the 2020 code, if in force, punishes those who assist or profit from another's prostitution.",Art. 1.1.1 et art. 12 Loi CL/2014-0010,low,2026-10-30,"Brothel-specific provisions of the 2020 code and their article numbers could not be verified, and the code's legal status is contested.",ht-traite-2014 | ht-nouvelliste-2020,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2014_loisurlaluttecontrelatraite_hti.pdf | https://lenouvelliste.com/article/219558/nouveau-code-penal-la-prostitution-nest-pas-punie-le-proxenetisme-oui,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/haiti/
HT,Haiti,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Under the 2014 trafficking law, recruiting, transporting, housing or receiving a person by coercion, fraud or abuse of vulnerability for 'the exploitation of the prostitution of others or procuring' is a crime punishable by seven to fifteen years and a fine of 200,000–1,500,000 gourdes; consent is invalid where those means were used. The 2020 code punishes helping, protecting, profiting from, recruiting for or pressuring someone into prostitution.","Arts. 1.1.1 et 12 Loi CL/2014-0010 | Art. 281 Code pénal de 1835 (décret du 6 juillet 2005), mineurs",low,2026-10-30,Whether non-coercive procuring of adults is an offence depends on whether the 2020 code is in force. The 1835 provision on inciting the debauchery of young people (numbered 281 or 282 depending on the edition) concerns only people under 18 since the 2005 decree.,ht-traite-2014 | ht-nouvelliste-2020 | ht-cp-1835,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2014_loisurlaluttecontrelatraite_hti.pdf | https://lenouvelliste.com/article/219558/nouveau-code-penal-la-prostitution-nest-pas-punie-le-proxenetisme-oui | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/7928,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/haiti/
HT,Haiti,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence specifically targeting advertisements for sexual services was found in the texts checked. Advertising that forms part of recruiting a person by coercive or fraudulent means for exploitation would fall under the 2014 trafficking law.,,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a provision; the 2020 Penal Code's text and media laws were not reviewed.,ht-traite-2014,https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2014_loisurlaluttecontrelatraite_hti.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/haiti/
HN,Honduras,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Selling sex is not a crime. Municipalities, with the health and interior ministries, may regulate prostitution to protect health, order and security, 'without registration of any kind' (Art. 85 Police Law). Art. 99 of the same law lists 'prostitutas ambulantes' (itinerant prostitutes) among the people considered and sanctioned as vagrants.",Arts. 85 y 99 Ley de Policía y de Convivencia Social (Decreto 226-2001),medium,2026-10-30,The Police Law was read from an OCR of the Tribunal Superior de Cuentas copy marked 'actualizada-07'; later amendments and municipal ordinances (a Tegucigalpa ordinance on closed venues is reported by a sex workers' organisation) were not checked.,hn-lpcs | hn-cp-2019,https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Ley%20de%20Policia%20y%20de%20Convivencia%20Social%20(actualizada-07).pdf | https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Decreto_130-2017.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/honduras/
HN,Honduras,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the 2019 Penal Code. Promoting, favouring or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a person under 18, or knowingly benefiting from it, is punishable by six to eight years (Art. 259).",Art. 259 Código Penal (Decreto 130-2017),medium,2026-10-30,The Law against Trafficking in Persons (Decree 59-2012) was not reviewed for a client offence.,hn-cp-2019,https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Decreto_130-2017.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/honduras/
HN,Honduras,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"The Police Law says that keeping, running, financing or knowingly renting premises for a brothel is to be punished under Art. 149 of the old Penal Code (Art. 87), but the 2019 Penal Code repealed that code and has no equivalent offence for adults outside forced exploitation (Art. 258). The Police Law also lists the supervision of 'casas de prostitución' among police functions.",Arts. 4 y 87 Ley de Policía y de Convivencia Social | Arts. 258 y 634 Código Penal (Decreto 130-2017),low,2026-10-30,"Whether courts treat the Police Law's references to repealed articles as still enforceable, or apply other offences to venues, was not established; amendments to the 2019 Code after publication were searched for but not found.",hn-lpcs | hn-cp-2019,https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Ley%20de%20Policia%20y%20de%20Convivencia%20Social%20(actualizada-07).pdf | https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Decreto_130-2017.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/honduras/
HN,Honduras,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Promoting, favouring or facilitating the forced sexual exploitation of an adult, through violence, intimidation, deception, abuse of a position or any means that overrides the victim's will, is punishable by five to eight years and a fine of 100–500 day-units (Art. 258), aggravated by up to a third for organised groups or endangered victims (Art. 260). Trafficking for forced sexual exploitation is a separate crime (Art. 219).","Arts. 219, 257, 258 y 260 Código Penal (Decreto 130-2017) | Art. 86 Ley de Policía y de Convivencia Social",medium,2026-10-30,"Based on the code as published in La Gaceta No. 34,940 of 10 May 2019; later reforms (2026 reforms touched other articles) were not found to amend Arts. 257–260.",hn-cp-2019 | hn-lpcs,https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Decreto_130-2017.pdf | https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Ley%20de%20Policia%20y%20de%20Convivencia%20Social%20(actualizada-07).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/honduras/
HN,Honduras,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting advertisements for adult sexual services was found in the 2019 Penal Code. Advertising that promotes or facilitates forced exploitation, or the exploitation of minors, falls under Arts. 258 and 259.",Arts. 258 y 259 Código Penal (Decreto 130-2017),low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision; media, telecommunications and municipal rules were not reviewed.",hn-cp-2019,https://www.tsc.gob.hn/web/leyes/Decreto_130-2017.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/honduras/
HK,Hong Kong,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not an offence. A single person selling sex from their own premises is lawful, because premises are a ""vice establishment"" only when used by two or more people for prostitution. Soliciting in public and displaying advertising signs are offences, and visitors who sell sex may breach their conditions of stay.",s. 117(3) Cap. 200 | s. 147 Cap. 200,high,2026-10-30,,hk-cap200 | hk-lcq5-2015,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200 | https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201510/28/P201510280666.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HK,Hong Kong,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Part XII of the Crimes Ordinance addresses third parties, premises, soliciting and signs, not clients.",Part XII Cap. 200,high,2026-10-30,,hk-cap200 | hk-lcq5-2015,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200 | https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201510/28/P201510280666.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HK,Hong Kong,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or being in charge of a vice establishment is punishable by up to 3 years on summary conviction and 10 years on indictment. Owners or tenants who let premises knowing they will be used as a vice establishment, or who permit that use, face up to 7 years.",s. 139 Cap. 200 | s. 143 Cap. 200 | s. 144 Cap. 200,high,2026-10-30,,hk-cap200 | hk-lcq5-2015,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200 | https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201510/28/P201510280666.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HK,Hong Kong,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Harbouring or exercising control, direction or influence over a person for their prostitution carries up to 14 years; procuring a person to become a sex worker up to 10 years; knowingly living wholly or partly on another person's earnings from prostitution up to 10 years.",s. 130 Cap. 200 | s. 131 Cap. 200 | s. 137 Cap. 200,high,2026-10-30,,hk-cap200,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HK,Hong Kong,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Publicly displaying a sign that advertises, or may reasonably be understood to advertise, the services of a sex worker or of someone who organises prostitution is punishable by 12 months. A sign is publicly displayed if it can be seen from a public place or from a common part of a building. Police may remove such signs.",s. 147A Cap. 200 | ss. 147B–147F Cap. 200,medium,2026-10-30,The statutory text on signs is clear; how online advertising and advertising websites are treated in practice was not verified.,hk-cap200,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HK,Hong Kong,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Soliciting, or loitering for the purpose of soliciting, for any immoral purpose in a public place or in view of the public is punishable by a fine at level 3 and 6 months' imprisonment.",s. 147 Cap. 200,high,2026-10-30,,hk-cap200 | hk-lcq5-2015,https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap200 | https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201510/28/P201510280666.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hong-kong/
HU,Hungary,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,protected zones: 60 days,"Legal for people aged 18 or over who hold the medical certificate prescribed by the health minister's decree (§ 9 Act LXXV of 1999). Soliciting or providing services is banned in protected zones, for example within 300 m of listed public and institutional buildings, and services may not be provided in shared areas of apartment buildings or in vehicles (§ 7). Breaching these rules is a petty offence (§ 172 Act II of 2012).","§§ 4, 7-9 1999. évi LXXV. törvény | § 172 2012. évi II. törvény",high,2026-10-30,,hu-1999-lxxv | hu-szabs,https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=99900075.tv | https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a1200002.tv,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hungary/
HU,Hungary,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,protected zones: ≈€550 fine,"Buying sex from an adult is legal outside protected zones. Inviting someone in a protected zone to provide sexual services for payment, or accepting such an offer there, is banned (§ 10 Act LXXV of 1999) and is a petty offence (§ 184 Act II of 2012). Giving payment for a sexual act with a person under 18 is a crime (§ 203(2) Criminal Code).",§ 10 1999. évi LXXV. törvény | § 184 2012. évi II. törvény | § 203 (2) Btk.,high,2026-10-30,,hu-1999-lxxv | hu-szabs | hu-btk,https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=99900075.tv | https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a1200002.tv | https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a1200100.tv,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hungary/
HU,Hungary,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running or managing a brothel, or funding its operation, is a crime (§ 201(3) Criminal Code, one to five years). Making a building or other premises available for prostitution is also an offence under § 201(1), punishable by up to three years. A notary may temporarily close a business linked to procuring or related offences (§ 5 Act LXXV of 1999).",§ 201 Btk. | § 5 1999. évi LXXV. törvény,high,2026-10-30,,hu-btk | hu-1999-lxxv,https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a1200100.tv | https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=99900075.tv,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hungary/
HU,Hungary,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a person for sexual acts with another for profit (kerítés, § 200 Criminal Code) carries up to three years, two to eight years if commercial. Persuading another person into prostitution is facilitation (§ 201(1), up to three years). Being supported wholly or partly by a sex worker (kitartottság, § 202) carries up to three years. Higher penalties apply where minors are involved.",§ 200 Btk. | § 201 Btk. | § 202 Btk.,high,2026-10-30,,hu-btk,https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a1200100.tv,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hungary/
HU,Hungary,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"It is banned to offer or advertise another person's sexual services, or to take part in doing so, in writing or through image, sound or other recordings or devices (§ 11 Act LXXV of 1999). A press, information or media service provider that takes part in such advertising can be fined HUF 500,000 to 1,000,000 per advertisement; repeat breaches can lead to the medium being stripped of its unlawful content or destroyed (§ 12).",§ 11 1999. évi LXXV. törvény | § 12 1999. évi LXXV. törvény,high,2026-10-30,,hu-1999-lxxv,https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=99900075.tv,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/hungary/
IS,Iceland,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence. Article 206 was rewritten by Act No. 61/2007, in force on 4 April 2007, and no longer contains the earlier offence of engaging in prostitution as a means of livelihood.",Art. 206 General Penal Code No. 19/1940,high,2026-10-30,Article text read in the government's English translation; the Icelandic consolidated text on althingi.is could not be opened from our environment.,is-hgl-en,"https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-of-Justice/Generlal%20Penal%20Code,%20No.19%201940.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iceland/
IS,Iceland,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Paying, or promising payment or other consideration, for prostitution is punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison, and by up to two years where the person selling is under 18. Under the Prosecutor General's guidance, a first offence is usually closed with a police fine of ISK 200,000.",Art. 206 first and second paragraphs General Penal Code No. 19/1940,high,2026-10-30,"The ISK 200,000 figure comes from the draft bill as reported by Vísir; we did not open the Prosecutor General's instruction itself.",is-hgl-en | is-samrad-2026 | is-visir-2026-09,"https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-of-Justice/Generlal%20Penal%20Code,%20No.19%201940.pdf | https://island.is/samradsgatt/mal/4324 | https://www.visir.is/g/20262937238d/vill-thyngja-hamarksrefsingu-fyrir-ad-kaupa-vaendi-af-barni",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iceland/
IS,Iceland,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Deriving income from the prostitution of others, for example by renting out premises, or basing one's livelihood on it, is punishable by up to four years' imprisonment (a fine or up to one year in mitigating circumstances). This covers running a brothel.",Art. 206 third and sixth paragraphs General Penal Code No. 19/1940,high,2026-10-30,Paragraph numbering follows the government's English translation.,is-hgl-en,"https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-of-Justice/Generlal%20Penal%20Code,%20No.19%201940.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iceland/
IS,Iceland,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Using deception, encouragement or mediation to get others to have sex for payment, or to derive income from their prostitution, carries up to four years. Arranging for someone to move to or from Iceland to support themselves through prostitution is punished the same way.","Art. 206 third, fifth and sixth paragraphs General Penal Code No. 19/1940",high,2026-10-30,,is-hgl-en,"https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-of-Justice/Generlal%20Penal%20Code,%20No.19%201940.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iceland/
IS,Iceland,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Offering, arranging or seeking sexual intercourse for payment in a public advertisement is punishable by a fine or up to six months in prison. The offence applies to sellers, buyers and intermediaries alike.",Art. 206 seventh paragraph General Penal Code No. 19/1940,medium,2026-10-30,The advertising offence itself is clear in the text. Its application to online ad platforms is our reading of the statute; we did not find case law on it.,is-hgl-en,"https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-of-Justice/Generlal%20Penal%20Code,%20No.19%201940.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iceland/
IN,India,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. It becomes one in premises within 200 metres of a place of public worship, educational institution, hospital, nursing home or other notified public place, or in an area the State has notified (up to three months' imprisonment), and when soliciting in or within sight of a public place (up to six months or a fine of up to 500 rupees on a first conviction).",s. 7(1) ITPA | s. 8 ITPA,high,2026-10-30,"The official India Code text (indiacode.nic.in) did not respond, so the provisions were read from the copy of the Act published by Punjab Police. That copy matches the statute's section structure.",in-itpa | in-sc-2022,https://barnala.punjabpolice.gov.in/uploads/pdf-legal-corner/023-The-Immoral-Traffic-Prevention-Act-1956.pdf | https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2007/37388/37388_2007_5_20_35996_Order_19-May-2022.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/india/
IN,India,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,near schools: 3 months,"Paying an adult for sex is not a general offence. Section 7(1) applies to ""the person with whom such prostitution is carried on"", so a buyer commits an offence in premises within 200 metres of the listed public places or in a notified area. Buying sex from a child or minor carries heavy penalties.",s. 7(1) ITPA | s. 7(1-A) ITPA,high,2026-10-30,Offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 against engaging trafficked persons for sexual exploitation were not checked against the official text.,in-itpa,https://barnala.punjabpolice.gov.in/uploads/pdf-legal-corner/023-The-Immoral-Traffic-Prevention-Act-1956.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/india/
IN,India,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in doing so, carries one to three years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine on first conviction. Tenants, occupiers and landlords who knowingly allow premises to be used as a brothel are also liable. A ""brothel"" includes a place used for the mutual gain of two or more sex workers.",s. 2(a) ITPA | s. 3 ITPA | s. 18 ITPA,high,2026-10-30,,in-itpa | in-sc-2022,https://barnala.punjabpolice.gov.in/uploads/pdf-legal-corner/023-The-Immoral-Traffic-Prevention-Act-1956.pdf | https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2007/37388/37388_2007_5_20_35996_Order_19-May-2022.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/india/
IN,India,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Any person over 18 who knowingly lives wholly or partly on another person's earnings from prostitution faces up to two years' imprisonment or a fine. Living with a sex worker, controlling her movements or acting as a tout or pimp creates a rebuttable presumption of the offence. Procuring or inducing a person into prostitution, even with consent, carries three to seven years' rigorous imprisonment.",s. 4 ITPA | s. 5 ITPA,high,2026-10-30,,in-itpa,https://barnala.punjabpolice.gov.in/uploads/pdf-legal-corner/023-The-Immoral-Traffic-Prevention-Act-1956.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/india/
IN,India,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"The ITPA has no offence aimed at advertising as such. Section 8 punishes attracting attention or soliciting for prostitution in or within sight of a public place, by words, gestures or ""otherwise"". Third parties who publish offers on behalf of sex workers risk the procuring and living-on-earnings offences.",s. 8 ITPA | s. 4 ITPA | s. 5 ITPA,low,2026-10-30,"Whether section 8 reaches online advertisements was not established; the Act defines a public place as one ""intended for use by, or accessible to, the public"". The Information Technology Act 2000 (obscenity offences and website blocking) could not be opened on an official portal and is not assessed here.",in-itpa,https://barnala.punjabpolice.gov.in/uploads/pdf-legal-corner/023-The-Immoral-Traffic-Prevention-Act-1956.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/india/
ID,Indonesia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"National law has no specific offence of selling sex, but sex outside marriage is zina under Article 411 KUHP (up to one year), prosecutable only on complaint by the spouse, a parent or a child. Regional bylaws, for example in Jakarta, prohibit being a commercial sex worker; in Aceh zina is caned.",Pasal 411 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 42(2) Perda DKI Jakarta 8/2007 | Pasal 33 Qanun Aceh 6/2014,medium,2026-10-30,The official KUHP text on the government portals could not be fetched; it was read in the Wikisource transcription and checked against the Law Minister's statement reported by ANTARA.,id-kuhp2023 | id-antara2026 | id-perda-jkt | id-qanun-aceh,https://id.wikisource.org/wiki/Undang-Undang_Republik_Indonesia_Nomor_1_Tahun_2023/Buku_Kedua | https://jogja.antaranews.com/berita/793123/menkum-sebut-yang-bisa-adukan-kumpul-kebo-hanya-pasangan-sah-dan-ortu | https://pasal.id/peraturan/perda/perda-provinsi-dki-jakarta-no-8-tahun-2007 | https://dsi.acehprov.go.id/media/2023.07/qanun_aceh_nomor_6_tahun_2014_tentang_hukum_jinayat1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/indonesia/
ID,Indonesia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"There is no national offence of paying for sex, but the zina offence in Article 411 KUHP applies to both parties on complaint by a spouse, parent or child. Jakarta's bylaw bans using the services of a commercial sex worker, and Aceh's Qanun punishes both parties to zina.",Pasal 411 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 42(2)(c) Perda DKI Jakarta 8/2007,medium,2026-10-30,Official KUHP text read via Wikisource transcription.,id-kuhp2023 | id-antara2026 | id-perda-jkt,https://id.wikisource.org/wiki/Undang-Undang_Republik_Indonesia_Nomor_1_Tahun_2023/Buku_Kedua | https://jogja.antaranews.com/berita/793123/menkum-sebut-yang-bisa-adukan-kumpul-kebo-hanya-pasangan-sah-dan-ortu | https://pasal.id/peraturan/perda/perda-provinsi-dki-jakarta-no-8-tahun-2007,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/indonesia/
ID,Indonesia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Connecting or facilitating others to commit obscene acts is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, increased by one third when done habitually or as a livelihood (Articles 420–421 KUHP), which reaches brothel-keeping. Jakarta's bylaw also bans providing buildings for immoral acts.",Pasal 420 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 421 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 43 Perda DKI Jakarta 8/2007,medium,2026-10-30,That Articles 420–421 are applied to brothel-keeping is an inference from their wording; no case law under the new code was reviewed.,id-kuhp2023 | id-perda-jkt,https://id.wikisource.org/wiki/Undang-Undang_Republik_Indonesia_Nomor_1_Tahun_2023/Buku_Kedua | https://pasal.id/peraturan/perda/perda-provinsi-dki-jakarta-no-8-tahun-2007,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/indonesia/
ID,Indonesia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Facilitating obscene acts by others for profit is punishable under Articles 420–421 KUHP. Moving, placing or handing over a child to others for prostitution carries up to nine years (Article 422); trafficking is covered by the separate anti-trafficking law.",Pasal 420 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 421 KUHP (UU 1/2023) | Pasal 422 KUHP (UU 1/2023),medium,2026-10-30,Official KUHP text read via Wikisource transcription; Law 21/2007 on trafficking was not reviewed.,id-kuhp2023,https://id.wikisource.org/wiki/Undang-Undang_Republik_Indonesia_Nomor_1_Tahun_2023/Buku_Kedua,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/indonesia/
ID,Indonesia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The Pornography Law prohibits providing pornographic services that offer or advertise sexual services, directly or indirectly, punishable with six months to six years and a fine of IDR 250 million to 3 billion. In Aceh, promoting zina is a separate offence.",Pasal 4(2)(d) UU 44/2008 tentang Pornografi | Pasal 30 UU 44/2008 tentang Pornografi | Pasal 33(3) Qanun Aceh 6/2014,medium,2026-10-30,Pornography Law read via Wikisource transcription. Liability of websites under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law and its content-moderation rules was not reviewed.,id-uu44-2008 | id-qanun-aceh,https://id.wikisource.org/wiki/Undang-Undang_Republik_Indonesia_Nomor_44_Tahun_2008 | https://dsi.acehprov.go.id/media/2023.07/qanun_aceh_nomor_6_tahun_2014_tentang_hukum_jinayat1.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/indonesia/
IR,Iran,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"Paid sex is zina, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other (Art. 221). The hadd punishment is 100 lashes if the offender is not muhsan (Art. 230) and stoning if muhsan (Art. 225), with the death penalty in the cases listed in Art. 224. Acts short of intercourse, such as kissing, carry up to 99 lashes (Art. 637).","Arts. 221, 224-226, 230 Islamic Penal Code (2013) | Art. 637 Islamic Penal Code, Book Five (1996)",medium,2026-10-30,The official Persian texts (Majlis Research Center portals) could not be opened; this uses the English translation by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. Enforcement practice was not examined.,ir-ipc | ir-ipc-5,https://iranhrdc.org/english-translation-of-books-i-ii-of-the-new-islamic-penal-code/ | https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iran/
IR,Iran,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"There is no client-specific offence, but zina is committed by both the man and the woman, so a client faces the same hadd punishments as the seller: 100 lashes if not muhsan, stoning if muhsan (Arts. 221, 225 and 230).","Arts. 221, 225, 230 Islamic Penal Code (2013)",medium,2026-10-30,Based on an unofficial English translation; the official Persian text could not be opened.,ir-ipc,https://iranhrdc.org/english-translation-of-books-i-ii-of-the-new-islamic-penal-code/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iran/
IR,Iran,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who establishes or directs a place of immorality or prostitution is sentenced to one to ten years' imprisonment, and the court may close the premises temporarily (Art. 639(A), Book Five). If the act also amounts to procuring, the hadd punishment for procuring is added.","Art. 639 Islamic Penal Code, Book Five (1996)",medium,2026-10-30,The Law on Reduction of Ta'zir Imprisonment Sentences (2020) changed sentencing rules for many ta'zir offences; its effect on Art. 639 was not verified.,ir-ipc-5,https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iran/
IR,Iran,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (qavvadi) means connecting two or more people for zina or sodomy; one act suffices (Art. 242). The hadd is 75 lashes; a man's second offence adds banishment for up to one year (Art. 243). If no zina follows, or for procuring minors, the penalty is 31 to 74 lashes and sixth-degree imprisonment (Arts. 242 Note 1, 244). Facilitating or encouraging prostitution: one to ten years (Art. 639(B)).","Arts. 242-244 Islamic Penal Code (2013) | Art. 639(B) Islamic Penal Code, Book Five (1996)",medium,2026-10-30,Based on an unofficial English translation; the official Persian text could not be opened.,ir-ipc | ir-ipc-5,https://iranhrdc.org/english-translation-of-books-i-ii-of-the-new-islamic-penal-code/ | https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iran/
IR,Iran,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who facilitates or encourages people to immorality or prostitution faces one to ten years (Art. 639(B)). Displaying, producing or keeping for distribution writings, pictures, advertisements or anything else that violates public prudency and morality, or advertising to promote such material, carries three months to one year, a fine and up to 74 lashes (Art. 640).","Art. 639(B) Islamic Penal Code, Book Five (1996) | Art. 640 Islamic Penal Code, Book Five (1996)",medium,2026-10-30,No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found; the Computer Crimes Law (2009) was not checked.,ir-ipc-5,https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iran/
IQ,Iraq,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 7 years,"Anyone who engages in prostitution is punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine of IQD 3 to 5 million (Art. 4 as replaced in 2024). Prostitution is defined as repeated zina with more than one person, with or without payment (Art. 1). Before 2024, a woman proven to have engaged in prostitution was placed in a reform home for three months to two years.",Art. 1 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 2 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 4 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024),medium,2026-10-30,"The official gazette and the Iraqi legal databases could not be opened. The 2024 wording is taken from the text as passed by parliament, published by Ultra Iraq, and the 1988 wording from the Dorar Al-Iraq reproduction of the gazette text. The 2025 correction notice to Law No. 15 of 2024 was not examined.",iq-2024-text | iq-1988,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9 | http://wiki.dorar-aliraq.net/iraqilaws/law/7416.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IQ,Iraq,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Neither the 1988 law nor its 2024 amendment contains an offence aimed at clients; the offences target the person who engages in prostitution, pimps, brothel keepers and promoters.",,low,2026-10-30,"The law applies the Penal Code's general rules on participation (Art. 8), and the Penal Code was not checked for offences that could reach clients, such as adultery. Treat 'legal' as 'no specific offence found'.",iq-2024-text | iq-1988,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9 | http://wiki.dorar-aliraq.net/iraqilaws/law/7416.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IQ,Iraq,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning or managing a brothel, defined as a place set aside for prostitution or sexual deviance or for facilitating them, carries imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of IQD 5 to 10 million, and the property used is confiscated (Art. 3 as replaced in 2024).",Art. 1 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 3 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024),medium,2026-10-30,Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.,iq-2024-text,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IQ,Iraq,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Pimping (samsara) covers mediating between two people to facilitate prostitution, including incitement and exploiting another's prostitution with or without consent. A pimp or accomplice, and a venue operator who uses people in prostitution to attract customers, face up to seven years and IQD 5 to 10 million (Art. 3). Holding a person for prostitution by deception or force: up to ten years, fifteen under 18 (Art. 5).",Art. 1 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 3 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 5 Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024),medium,2026-10-30,Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.,iq-2024-text,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IQ,Iraq,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting prostitution or homosexuality by any means, or assisting in it in any way, is punishable by at least seven years' imprisonment and a fine of IQD 10 to 15 million, and any means used for the promotion is confiscated (Art. 6(2), added in 2024). Organisations that promote prostitution are banned (Art. 2(4)).",Art. 6(2) Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 2(4) Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024),medium,2026-10-30,Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.,iq-2024-text | iq-rudaw-ratify,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9 | https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/270620242,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IQ,Iraq,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,The 2024 amendment obliges the Communications and Media Commission and the Ministry of Communications to take the necessary measures to prevent the promotion of homosexuality and the publication of pornographic or indecent material (Art. 2(5)). A site hosting sex-work ads would be exposed to the offence of promoting prostitution by any means or assisting in it (Art. 6(2)).,Art. 2(5) Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024) | Art. 6(2) Law No. 8 of 1988 (as amended 2024),low,2026-10-30,Applying Art. 6(2) to ad-site operators is our reading of the text; no prosecution was checked.,iq-2024-text,https://ultrairaq.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%B0-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%B5-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1%C2%A0%C2%A0/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/iraq/
IE,Ireland,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence. In 2017 the paragraph of the 1993 Act that defined offering one's own services as soliciting was deleted, so the street-soliciting offence in section 7 no longer applies to the person selling.","s. 1(2), s. 7, s. 8 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 | s. 25(a) Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017",high,2026-10-30,,ie-csoa-1993 | ie-csoa-2017,https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1993/act/20/revised/en/html | https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/act/2/enacted/en/print,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ireland/
IE,Ireland,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,€500 fine,"Paying, giving, offering or promising money or any other consideration to engage in sexual activity with a person who sells sex is a summary offence: a class E fine for a first offence and a class D fine for any later offence. Paying for sex with a trafficked person is a separate, more serious offence.",s. 7A Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 | s. 5(2A) Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008,high,2026-10-30,,ie-csoa-1993 | ie-csoa-2017 | ie-irishlegal-2025,https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1993/act/20/revised/en/html | https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/act/2/enacted/en/print | https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/sex-purchase-ban-difficult-to-enforce-and-measure,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ireland/
IE,Ireland,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel is an offence, as is knowingly letting or permitting premises to be used as a brothel. Penalties reach 12 months' imprisonment on summary conviction or 5 years on indictment.",s. 11 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993,medium,2026-10-30,The statutory text was read on the revised Act. The case-law definition of a brothel was not checked against a judgment for this entry.,ie-csoa-1993,https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1993/act/20/revised/en/html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ireland/
IE,Ireland,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Controlling or directing a person's prostitution for gain, organising the prostitution of more than one person, or compelling someone into prostitution carries up to 10 years on indictment. Knowingly living on the earnings of another person's prostitution while aiding and abetting it is a separate summary offence.",s. 9 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 | s. 10 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993,high,2026-10-30,,ie-csoa-1993,https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1993/act/20/revised/en/html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ireland/
IE,Ireland,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publishing, distributing or causing the publication of an advertisement for a brothel or for prostitution in the State is an offence, explicitly including advertising on a computer screen. Fines reach EUR 2,500 on summary conviction and EUR 25,000 on indictment.",s. 23 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994,high,2026-10-30,We found no reported prosecution of an online advertising platform under section 23.,ie-cjpoa-1994 | ie-irishtimes-2026,https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1994/act/2/revised/en/html | https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/04/22/escort-website-makes-a-mockery-of-irelands-law-criminalising-purchase-of-sex/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ireland/
IL,Israel,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence. The 2019 law punishes only the consumer, and the Penal Law's prostitution chapter targets third parties: those who live on the earnings, induce, keep or rent out a place, or advertise.",Penal Law 5737-1977 ss. 199–205D,high,2026-10-30,"Statutes read on Hebrew Wikisource, which transcribes the official texts; the Knesset's own portal (fs.knesset.gov.il) was geo-blocked from where this was checked.",il-penal | il-consumption,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F | https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A8_%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%AA_%D7%96%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%28%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%AA_%D7%A9%D7%A2%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%94%29,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IL,Israel,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,≈€570 fine,"Consuming a sexual act of prostitution, including an attempt, or being in a place used wholly or partly for prostitution in order to consume it, is an administrative offence with a fixed fine of 2,000 shekels, doubled for a repeat offence. A person in a place used mainly for prostitution is presumed to be there for that purpose unless shown otherwise. Regulations allow an educational programme instead of the fine.","Prohibition of Consumption of Prostitution Law ss. 2–5, 8 | Penal Law s. 203C",high,2026-10-30,Read on Hebrew Wikisource; the official Knesset text was geo-blocked.,il-consumption | il-penal | il-brookdale-2024,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A8_%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%AA_%D7%96%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%28%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%AA_%D7%A9%D7%A2%D7%94_%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%94%29 | https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F | https://brookdale.jdc.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Eng_Report_RR-025-24.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IL,Israel,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a place, including a vehicle or vessel, for prostitution is punishable by five years (Penal Law s. 204). Renting out a place knowing it will be used for prostitution, or not ending the lease once known, is punishable by six months (s. 205).",Penal Law s. 204 | Penal Law s. 205,high,2026-10-30,,il-penal | il-ynet-2026,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F | https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syeoqccqzx,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IL,Israel,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Living wholly or partly on the earnings of a person engaged in prostitution, or knowingly receiving payment for another's act of prostitution, is punishable by five years (s. 199). Bringing a person to an act of prostitution carries five years (s. 201) and bringing a person to engage in prostitution seven years (s. 202), with up to 16 years where force, threats or deceit are used (s. 203).",Penal Law ss. 199–203,high,2026-10-30,,il-penal,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IL,Israel,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publishing an advertisement about the provision of prostitution services by an adult is punishable by three years or a fine, doubled for a corporation (s. 205C). Publishing an offer to engage in prostitution carries three years (s. 205D), and information about prostitution services by a minor five years (s. 205A). Publication for a legitimate purpose, such as fair reporting, is a defence (s. 214B).",Penal Law s. 205A | Penal Law s. 205C | Penal Law s. 205D | Penal Law s. 214B,high,2026-10-30,,il-penal,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IL,Israel,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Under the 2017 Powers for the Prevention of Offences through an Internet Site Law, a district court judge may, on a prosecutor's application, order access to a website restricted, its listing in search services blocked, or, where hosted in Israel, its removal, if this is essential to stop offences that include inducing prostitution and publishing prostitution advertisements (ss. 202, 205A, 205C(a), 205D).",Powers for the Prevention of Offences through an Internet Site Law 5777-2017 ss. 1–5,high,2026-10-30,How often such orders have been sought against prostitution-advertising sites was not checked.,il-websites | il-penal,https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%A1%D7%9E%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%9C%D7%A9%D7%9D_%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%AA_%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A2_%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%91%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%90%D7%AA%D7%A8_%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%98 | https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9F,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/israel/
IT,Italy,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,soliciting: €93 fine,"Selling sex is not an offence. Inviting people to 'libertinaggio' in a public place in a scandalous or harassing manner, or following people in the street to do so, is an administrative offence (decriminalised in 1999). Local ordinances add street bans in many towns.",Art. 5 L. 75/1958 | Art. 7 L. 75/1958,high,2026-10-30,,it-l75-1958,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1958-02-20;75,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/italy/
IT,Italy,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"No national law makes it an offence for an adult to buy sex from another adult. Many municipal ordinances, however, ban clients from negotiating paid sex on specified streets, and drivers who stop or manoeuvre dangerously to make contact can be fined under traffic rules.",L. 75/1958 (no client offence) | Art. 54(4) D.Lgs. 267/2000 (ordinances),high,2026-10-30,,it-l75-1958 | it-tuel | it-rimini-2025,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1958-02-20;75 | https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:2000-08-18;267~art54 | https://www.rimininotizie.net/2025/05/16/rimini-da-lunedi-26-maggio-torna-lordinanza-contro-la-prostituzione-su-strada-pene-fino-a-500-euro-alle-prostitute/74020/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/italy/
IT,Italy,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running brothels ('case di prostituzione') is prohibited. Owning, running, managing or financing one, letting premises for one, or habitually tolerating prostitution in a hotel, bar, club or other venue open to the public is punished with two to six years' imprisonment and a fine.",Art. 1 L. 75/1958 | Art. 3(1) nos. 1-3 L. 75/1958,high,2026-10-30,,it-l75-1958,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1958-02-20;75,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/italy/
IT,Italy,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Recruiting a person for prostitution, inducing or facilitating it, procuring, and 'in any way' aiding (favoreggiamento) or exploiting the prostitution of others are crimes (two to six years, doubled with aggravating factors). In judgment 141/2019 the Constitutional Court upheld recruitment and aiding as offences even where the prostitution is voluntary.",Art. 3(1) nos. 4-8 L. 75/1958 | Art. 4 L. 75/1958,high,2026-10-30,,it-l75-1958 | it-cc-141-2019,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1958-02-20;75 | https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/vediMenuHTML?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2019-06-12&atto.codiceRedazionale=T-190141&tipoSerie=corte_costituzionale&tipoVigenza=originario,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/italy/
IT,Italy,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Procuring ('atti di lenocinio') through the press 'or any other means of advertising' is a crime. Sex workers advertising their own services is not an offence in itself. The Court of Cassation has held that merely publishing escort ads on a website is not aiding, but active help in preparing the ads can be.",Art. 3(1) no. 5 L. 75/1958 | Art. 3(1) no. 8 L. 75/1958,medium,2026-10-30,The Cassation case law is cited from a third-party transcription (civile.it) and a legal news report (NJus.it). The official Italgiure texts were not checked. Case law here is fact-specific and not uniform; platform liability turns on how far the operator goes beyond publication.,it-l75-1958 | it-cass-4443-2012 | it-njus-2024,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:legge:1958-02-20;75 | https://www.civile.it/internet/visual.php?num=80537 | https://www.njus.it/news/8747/favoreggiamento-della-prostituzione-la-mera-pubblicazione-degli-annunci-non-rileva-penalmente/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/italy/
JM,Jamaica,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,"soliciting: JMD 1,000 fine","Selling sex is not itself an offence, but loitering in a public place and soliciting any person for prostitution is a summary offence under the Towns and Communities Act (fine up to J$1,000 in the text checked), and persistently soliciting or importuning for immoral purposes in any place is an offence under s. 23(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act.",s. 3 Towns and Communities Act | s. 23(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act 2009,medium,2026-10-30,"The Towns and Communities Act was read from a FAOLEX copy of the revised text (amended in 1995); the Ministry of Justice laws portal returned an error, so later amendments, including to the fine, were not checked.",jm-tca | jm-soa-2009,"https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/jam110879.pdf | https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jamaica/
JM,Jamaica,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The soliciting offences in s. 23(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act and s. 3 of the Towns and Communities Act are not limited to sellers and can apply to a client who solicits in the way described.,s. 23(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act 2009,medium,2026-10-30,The Child Care and Protection Act and the Trafficking in Persons Act were not reviewed for client offences.,jm-soa-2009 | jm-tca,"https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/jam110879.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jamaica/
JM,Jamaica,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone running a brothel who lives on its earnings commits the s. 23 offence (up to ten years in the Circuit Court). A judge may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution and arrest anyone there living on the earnings, and detaining a person in a 'house of prostitution' by withholding clothing or property is an offence (s. 21).",s. 21 Sexual Offences Act 2009 | s. 23(1)(a) and (2) Sexual Offences Act 2009,medium,2026-10-30,No free-standing brothel-keeping offence was found in the Sexual Offences Act; disorderly-house provisions in other statutes and the common law were not reviewed.,jm-soa-2009,"https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jamaica/
JM,Jamaica,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure any person to become a sex worker, to leave Jamaica for that purpose, or to leave home to frequent a house of prostitution is an offence (s. 18). Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution carries up to J$500,000 or three years summarily, or up to ten years in the Circuit Court; living with or controlling a sex worker raises a presumption of guilt (s. 23).",s. 18 Sexual Offences Act 2009 | s. 23(1)(a) and (3) Sexual Offences Act 2009,high,2026-10-30,Text as passed by Parliament in 2009; later amendments were not checked.,jm-soa-2009,"https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jamaica/
JM,Jamaica,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting advertisements for sexual services was found. Advertising for another person can amount to procuring (s. 18) or be evidence of living on the earnings (s. 23), and the s. 23(1)(b) offence of persistently soliciting 'in any place, whether public or private' is broadly worded.",ss. 18 and 23 Sexual Offences Act 2009,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision; the Cybercrimes Act, broadcasting rules and case law on online soliciting were not reviewed.",jm-soa-2009,"https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Sexual%20Offences%20Act,%202009.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jamaica/
JP,Japan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,none,,"Selling sex (paid intercourse with an unspecified partner) is prohibited by Art. 3 of the Prostitution Prevention Act, but the Act sets no penalty for the act itself. The seller commits a crime only by soliciting or advertising in public (Art. 5). Paid sexual services that stop short of intercourse fall outside the Act's definition.",Art. 2 Prostitution Prevention Act | Art. 3 Prostitution Prevention Act,high,2026-10-30,Statute text read in Japanese on e-Gov; the English renderings are our own translation.,ppa | women-support-act | moj-report-2026,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/504AC0100000052 | https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001471143.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,none,,"Buying sex from an adult is prohibited by Art. 3 but not punished, and soliciting by a buyer is not an offence either. Buying any sexual act from a person under 18 is a crime under the 1999 Child Prostitution and Pornography Act (up to five years' imprisonment or a ¥3 million fine). In 2026 a Justice Ministry study group recommended a new offence for buyers' soliciting.",Art. 3 Prostitution Prevention Act | Art. 4 Act No. 52 of 1999 (child prostitution),high,2026-10-30,Prefectural youth-protection ordinances also punish sexual acts with minors; they are not covered here.,ppa | child-prostitution-act | moj-report-2026 | moj-press-2026-02-10,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/411AC0100000052 | https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001471143.pdf | https://www.moj.go.jp/hisho/kouhou/hisho08_00691.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Venues where intercourse is sold are criminal: providing premises for prostitution as a business carries up to seven years, and keeping people on premises to make them sell sex up to ten years. Venues offering other sexual services, such as soaplands and 'fashion health' shops, are legal once notified to the prefectural Public Safety Commission, subject to zoning, opening-hour and under-18 rules.","Arts. 11–14 Prostitution Prevention Act | Arts. 2(6), 27, 28, 49 Entertainment Business Act",high,2026-10-30,,ppa | fueiho | npa-2025 | moj-report-2026,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122 | https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/safetylife/080423huzokukankeitoukei.pdf | https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001471143.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision deals with sex workers sharing premises. Anyone who knowingly provides a place where prostitution takes place commits an offence (Art. 11(1), up to three years), which on its wording could cover one worker letting another use her room for paid intercourse. Working together in non-coital services is treated as running a business that has to be notified.",Art. 11(1) Prostitution Prevention Act | Art. 53(5) Entertainment Business Act,medium,2026-10-30,"This reads the wording of the statute. We found no case law or official guidance on sex workers sharing premises, and the police statistics do not separate such cases.",ppa | fueiho,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Arranging prostitution, causing someone to sell sex by deception, pressure, family influence or force, taking their earnings, advance loans, contracts to make someone sell sex and running a prostitution business are all crimes (Arts. 6–13). Scouts who recruit women for sex work can be prosecuted for job placement into 'harmful work'. Since June 2025 sex businesses may not pay scouts referral fees.","Arts. 6–14 Prostitution Prevention Act | Art. 63(ii) Employment Security Act | Arts. 22-2, 28(13), 31-3, 53 Entertainment Business Act",high,2026-10-30,,ppa | employment-security-act | fueiho | fueiho-pre-2025 | npa-2025 | moj-report-2026,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322AC0000000141 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122/20250601_504AC0000000068 | https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/safetylife/080423huzokukankeitoukei.pdf | https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001471143.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Advertising prostitution is a crime: a seller who entices customers 'by advertising or similar means' faces up to six months or a ¥20,000 fine (Art. 5), and a third party who advertises in order to arrange prostitution up to two years (Art. 6(2)). Notified sex businesses may advertise services other than intercourse, subject to rules on signs, flyers and under-18s; unnotified businesses may not advertise at all.","Arts. 5(iii), 6(2)(iii) Prostitution Prevention Act | Arts. 27-2, 28(5)–(9), 31-2-2, 31-3, 54 Entertainment Business Act",high,2026-10-30,Statute text read in Japanese on e-Gov; the English renderings are our own translation.,ppa | fueiho | npa-2025,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122 | https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/safetylife/080423huzokukankeitoukei.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No statute deals specifically with websites that host sex-work ads. Advertising for notified sex businesses is lawful, and the Entertainment Business Act's advertising ban covers only unnotified operators. A site carrying ads for paid intercourse risks liability for advertising in order to arrange prostitution. Dating sites must notify the police and remove posts that solicit children.","Arts. 27-2, 31-2-2, 31-7, 31-8 Entertainment Business Act | Art. 6(2)(iii) Prostitution Prevention Act | Arts. 6, 7, 12, 33 Act No. 83 of 2003",medium,2026-10-30,"We found no published court decision on whether an ad site that publishes ads for third parties is liable as an arranger under Art. 6 or as an accomplice. That liability is our reading of the statute, not settled law.",fueiho | ppa | dating-site-act,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/415AC0000000083,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Street soliciting by the seller is a crime: soliciting in public, blocking or following passers-by, or waiting for customers in public carries up to six months' imprisonment or a ¥20,000 fine (Art. 5). Buyers who solicit or cruise are not punished. Street soliciting, which the Justice Ministry calls a social problem, prompted the 2026 review, which kept the seller offence.",Art. 5 Prostitution Prevention Act | Art. 16 Prostitution Prevention Act,high,2026-10-30,The study group report does not name the districts concerned; it heard officials from an area where street prostitution has become a social problem. The NPA report does not break the soliciting figures down by sex or location.,ppa | npa-2025 | moj-report-2026 | jiji-2026-08-24,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/331AC0000000118 | https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/safetylife/080423huzokukankeitoukei.pdf | https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001471143.pdf | https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2026082400340&g=soc,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Individuals are not registered. Sex businesses notify (届出) the prefectural Public Safety Commission per premises or per office, giving the trade names used in advertising and their contact numbers. They must not employ or serve under-18s. Operating without notification carries up to six months and/or ¥1 million. The Entertainment Business Act requires no health checks.","Arts. 27, 29–30, 31-2–31-5, 53 Entertainment Business Act",high,2026-10-30,,fueiho | npa-2025,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/323AC0000000122 | https://www.npa.go.jp/publications/statistics/safetylife/080423huzokukankeitoukei.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,tax,Tax and social security,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"Income is taxable whether or not the activity that produced it is lawful (National Tax Agency circular 36-1). In June 2025 the Supreme Court upheld, by 4 to 1, the exclusion of sex businesses from the COVID-19 'sustainability' and rent-support grants paid to other small firms.",Income Tax Act Art. 36; NTA basic circular 36-1,medium,2026-10-30,"The Supreme Court ruling is cited from press reports (Tokyo Shimbun), not the judgment text. We did not find official guidance on how individual sex workers are classified for income tax or social insurance.",nta-36-1 | tokyo-np-2025-06-16,https://www.nta.go.jp/law/tsutatsu/kihon/shotoku/05/01.htm | https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/412148,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JP,Japan,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Foreign nationals who engage in prostitution or its arranging, soliciting or premises, or other work directly connected with it, can be refused entry and deported, except trafficking victims. Students and others with general permission for side jobs may not work in the sex or hostess industry.","Arts. 5(1)(vii), 24(iv)(nu) Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act | Art. 19(5)(i) Enforcement Regulations",high,2026-10-30,We did not find official figures on deportations under Art. 24(iv)(nu).,immigration-act | immigration-regs,https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/326CO0000000319 | https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/356M50000010054,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/japan/
JO,Jordan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Any person, male or female, who habitually practises prostitution is punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of 200 dinars (Penal Code Article 312(3)).",Penal Code art. 312(3),low,2026-10-30,"The official legislation portal could not be used; the text was read from a law firm's consolidation stated to include amendments to 2026, and is consistent with the UN ESCWA 2024 review.",jo-pc | jo-escwa,https://jordan-lawyer.com/2017/04/05/jordan-criminal-law/ | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/jordan.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jordan/
JO,Jordan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code contains no offence of paying for sex, and the UN's 2024 gender-justice review states that Jordanian law does not criminalise the person asking for sexual services. The adultery provisions (Articles 282–284) can be prosecuted only on a complaint, which the UN review says may come from a spouse or a legal guardian.",Penal Code art. 282–284,low,2026-10-30,Based on an unofficial consolidation and a UN review; whether clients are prosecuted under other provisions in practice was not checked.,jo-escwa | jo-pc,https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/jordan.pdf | https://jordan-lawyer.com/2017/04/05/jordan-criminal-law/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jordan/
JO,Jordan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Setting up, managing, working in or helping to manage a brothel is punishable by at least one year and a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 dinars (Article 312(2)). A tenant or owner who knowingly allows premises to be used as a brothel faces up to two years and a fine of 200 to 500 dinars (Article 312(1)). A brothel is any premises where two or more women live or meet to practise prostitution, or where one woman is visited by more than one man (Article 309).",Penal Code art. 309 | Penal Code art. 312(1)–(2) | Penal Code art. 313,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation; the official text could not be opened.,jo-pc,https://jordan-lawyer.com/2017/04/05/jordan-criminal-law/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jordan/
JO,Jordan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Leading or attempting to lead a woman into prostitution, in Jordan or abroad, is punishable by six months to three years and a fine of 200 to 500 dinars (Article 310). A man living wholly or partly on a woman's earnings from prostitution faces six months to two years (Article 315), and a woman who controls another woman's prostitution up to two years (Article 316).",Penal Code art. 310 | Penal Code art. 311 | Penal Code art. 315 | Penal Code art. 316,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial consolidation; the official text could not be opened.,jo-pc,https://jordan-lawyer.com/2017/04/05/jordan-criminal-law/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jordan/
JO,Jordan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Using an information network, information technology or information system, or creating a website, to facilitate, promote, incite, assist or urge prostitution and debauchery, or to offend public morals, is punishable by at least six months and a fine of 9,000 to 15,000 dinars (Cybercrime Law No. 17 of 2023, Article 14(a)). Where minors or persons with a mental disability are exploited, the penalty is temporary hard labour (Article 14(b)).",Cybercrime Law No. 17/2023 art. 14,low,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial legal database; the Official Gazette text was not opened.,jo-cyber,https://mohaymeed.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D9%8A/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%85-17-%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A9-2023,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/jordan/
KZ,Kazakhstan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,soliciting: fine,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Importuning (""persistent approaching"") in public places for prostitution or other sexual services is punishable by a warning or a fine of 5 MCI. A repeat within a year carries 10 MCI, up to 20 hours of community work or up to five days' arrest. A foreign national faces 5 MCI, up to five days' arrest or administrative expulsion.",ст. 449 КоАП РК,high,2026-10-30,,kz-koap,https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000235,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kazakhstan/
KZ,Kazakhstan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Obtaining prostitution or another sexual service from a person known to be a minor is a crime punishable by three to six years' imprisonment.,ст. 122 ч. 2 УК РК,high,2026-10-30,,kz-uk | kz-koap,https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000226 | https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000235,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kazakhstan/
KZ,Kazakhstan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping a brothel for prostitution or other sexual services is punishable by up to five years' imprisonment with confiscation of property. Knowingly providing premises for prostitution is an administrative offence fined at 100 MCI for individuals, up to 1,000 MCI for large businesses, with suspension of activity for up to three months.",ст. 309 УК РК | ст. 450 КоАП РК,high,2026-10-30,,kz-uk | kz-koap,https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000226 | https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000235,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kazakhstan/
KZ,Kazakhstan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Pimping (сводничество) for gain carries up to five years' imprisonment, rising to three to seven years if committed repeatedly, in a group, through telecommunications networks including the internet, or by promoting or advertising sexual services. Drawing a person into prostitution by violence, threats, blackmail, deception or advertising carries up to three years.",ст. 308 УК РК | ст. 309 УК РК,high,2026-10-30,,kz-uk,https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000226,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kazakhstan/
KZ,Kazakhstan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Advertising prostitution is not a standalone offence, but it aggravates both criminal offences: drawing a person into prostitution ""by propaganda and/or advertising"", and keeping a brothel or pimping by advertising (three to seven years). Advertising is defined as distributing or placing information about the person, price, method or place of obtaining sexual services, which describes the content of escort and ad sites.",ст. 134 (примечание) УК РК | ст. 308 ч. 1 УК РК | ст. 309 ч. 2 пп. 3-4 УК РК | ст. 6 п. 7 Закона «О рекламе»,high,2026-10-30,"No case law was checked on whether a sex worker's own advertisement, without a third party, is treated as an offence.",kz-uk | kz-ad,https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000226 | https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z030000508_,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kazakhstan/
KE,Kenya,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not itself a Penal Code offence, but soliciting is. A common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, or any person soliciting in public for immoral purposes, is an idle and disorderly person: up to one month or a KES 100 fine for a first offence, up to one year for a later one (s. 182). Persistent soliciting in public by a male person is a felony (s. 153(1)(b)). County by-laws prohibit loitering or importuning for prostitution.","Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 182(a), (f) | Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 153(1)(b) | Nairobi General Nuisance By-laws 2007 s. 19(m) | Mombasa Municipal Council By-laws 2003 s. 258(m)",high,2026-10-30,"The by-law provisions are cited from a 2016 KELIN briefing, which calls them former municipal by-laws still used by council officers and police; the by-law texts themselves were not opened, and whether each county has since re-enacted them was not checked.",ke-penal-code | ke-kelin-2016,https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1930/10/eng@2023-12-11 | https://www.kelinkenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PUNITIVE-LAWS-AFFECTING-SEX-WORKERS.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kenya/
KE,Kenya,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code or the Sexual Offences Act makes paying for sex with a consenting adult an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 182(f) applies to ""every person"" and the persistent-soliciting felony in s. 153(1)(b) to any male person, so a client who solicits in a public place can in principle be charged under them.",Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 153(1)(b) | Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 182(f),medium,2026-10-30,How often the soliciting provisions are used against clients was not checked.,ke-penal-code | ke-kelin-2016,https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1930/10/eng@2023-12-11 | https://www.kelinkenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PUNITIVE-LAWS-AFFECTING-SEX-WORKERS.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kenya/
KE,Kenya,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, assisting in its management, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, or letting premises knowing they are to be used as one is a felony (s. 156). A magistrate may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution and to arrest anyone living on its earnings or controlling the sex worker (s. 155).",Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 155 | Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 156,high,2026-10-30,"Sections 153, 154 and 156 classify the offences as felonies without stating a term of imprisonment; press reports of a maximum of three years could not be matched to the text of the Code.",ke-penal-code,https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1930/10/eng@2023-12-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kenya/
KE,Kenya,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, and a woman who does so or controls a sex worker's movements for gain, commit felonies; living with or habitually accompanying a sex worker raises a rebuttable presumption (ss. 153–154). Intentionally causing a person to become a prostitute and controlling their prostitution for gain carries at least five years or a KES 500,000 fine, or both (Sexual Offences Act s. 17).",Penal Code (Cap. 63) ss. 153–154 | Sexual Offences Act 2006 s. 17,high,2026-10-30,,ke-penal-code | ke-soa,https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1930/10/eng@2023-12-11 | https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2006/3/eng@2024-04-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kenya/
KE,Kenya,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Soliciting in public is an offence (ss. 153(1)(b), 182(f)), trading in or publicly exhibiting obscene matter is an offence (s. 181), and inducing a person to be a client of a child through media or advertisements is child prostitution (Sexual Offences Act s. 15(c)). Whether a site carrying adult escort ads lives on the earnings of prostitution is untested.",Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 181 | Penal Code (Cap. 63) s. 182(f) | Sexual Offences Act 2006 s. 15(c),low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018 and media regulation were not reviewed.,ke-penal-code | ke-soa,https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1930/10/eng@2023-12-11 | https://kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2006/3/eng@2024-04-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kenya/
KI,Kiribati,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. Any person who solicits for immoral purposes in a public place, and any 'common prostitute' behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, is an idle and disorderly person liable to two months or a $20 fine.",s. 167(c) and (f) Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 1977 Revised Edition (copy hosted by VERTIC); no official consolidated text was found outside PacLII, which refused automated access, so later amendments were not checked.",ki-pc,https://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kiribati/
KI,Kiribati,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offences apply to 'any person' and could reach clients; a man persistently soliciting in public for immoral purposes commits a misdemeanour under s. 145(1)(b).,s. 145(1)(b) Penal Code | s. 167(f) Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 1977 Revised Edition (copy hosted by VERTIC); no official consolidated text was found outside PacLII, which refused automated access, so later amendments were not checked.",ki-pc,https://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kiribati/
KI,Kiribati,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are misdemeanours, punishable by up to two years and a fine under the general misdemeanour penalty.",s. 148 Penal Code | s. 147 Penal Code (search warrant),medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 1977 Revised Edition (copy hosted by VERTIC); no official consolidated text was found outside PacLII, which refused automated access, so later amendments were not checked.",ki-pc,https://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kiribati/
KI,Kiribati,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure any woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, carries two years (corroboration required). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, presumed if he lives with or controls a sex worker, and a woman who controls a sex worker for gain, commit misdemeanours.",s. 136(1)(b)-(d) Penal Code | s. 145(1)(a) and (2) Penal Code | s. 146 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 1977 Revised Edition (copy hosted by VERTIC); no official consolidated text was found outside PacLII, which refused automated access, so later amendments were not checked.",ki-pc,https://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kiribati/
KI,Kiribati,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings or control offences.,s. 145 Penal Code | s. 146 Penal Code,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",ki-pc,https://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Penal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kiribati/
XK,Kosovo,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,€900 or 60 days,"Being involved in a sexual act of prostitution is a minor offence punishable by a fine of EUR 100–900 or up to 60 days' imprisonment. Prostitution is defined as performing sexual acts for material benefit, in money or other equivalent value.",neni 3 dhe neni 7 Ligji Nr. 03/L-142,high,2026-10-30,,xk-ljrqp,https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=2651,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kosovo/
XK,Kosovo,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,€900 or 60 days,"Article 7 applies to ""anyone"" involved in a sexual act of prostitution, so on its wording the buyer is liable to the same fine of EUR 100–900 or up to 60 days. Using the sexual services of a trafficking victim is a crime punishable by six months to five years.",neni 7 Ligji Nr. 03/L-142 | neni 228 Kodi Penal,medium,2026-10-30,"The reading that Article 7 covers buyers rests on its wording (""kushdo që përfshihet""); enforcement practice against buyers was not checked.",xk-ljrqp | xk-kp,https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=2651 | https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=18413,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kosovo/
XK,Kosovo,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly providing premises to another person for prostitution, as owner, landlord, tenant, operator or responsible person, is punishable by a fine and up to four years; six months to five years within 350 metres of a school or other place used by children.",neni 235 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,xk-kp,https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=18413,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kosovo/
XK,Kosovo,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Recruiting, organising, assisting, keeping, hiding or controlling another person for prostitution is punishable by a fine and six months to four years; one to five years within 350 metres of a school, and more where the person is under 18.",neni 234 Kodi Penal,high,2026-10-30,,xk-kp,https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=18413,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kosovo/
XK,Kosovo,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of another person could fall within ""assisting"" or ""organising"" prostitution under Article 234, and an adult advertising their own services would be evidence of the minor offence in Article 7.",neni 234 Kodi Penal,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a specific provision; media and electronic communications law was not reviewed.,xk-kp | xk-ljrqp,https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=18413 | https://gzk.rks-gov.net/ActDocumentDetail.aspx?ActID=2651,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kosovo/
KW,Kuwait,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 3 years,"There is no prostitution-specific offence for the seller. A woman aged 21 or over who consents to sex with a man she is not married to is punishable, like the man, by six months to three years if caught in the act (Art. 194). Publicly inciting prostitution in a public place is a separate offence (Art. 204).",Art. 194 Penal Code | Art. 195 Penal Code | Art. 204 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"The official legislation portals could not be opened; the text was read on Sada Al-Qanun, a non-governmental site that reproduces each article with its amendment history. Translations are ours. Enforcement practice (arrests, deportation of migrants) was not examined.",kw-penal,https://sadaalqanun.com/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kuwait/
KW,Kuwait,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 3 years,"No offence targets clients as such, but a man who has consensual sex with a woman aged 21 or over who is not a prohibited relative is punishable by six months to three years if caught in the act (Art. 194). A married client commits adultery, which carries up to five years and/or a fine (Art. 195).",Art. 194 Penal Code | Art. 195 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,Text read on a non-governmental reproduction of the Penal Code; the official portals could not be opened.,kw-penal,https://sadaalqanun.com/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kuwait/
KW,Kuwait,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who establishes or runs a place for debauchery and prostitution, or helps in any way to establish or run one, is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of up to KWD 7,000 (Art. 203, as amended by Law No. 106 of 1994).",Art. 203 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,Text read on a non-governmental reproduction of the Penal Code; the official portals could not be opened.,kw-penal,https://sadaalqanun.com/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kuwait/
KW,Kuwait,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting a man or woman to debauchery and prostitution, or helping them in any way, carries up to one year and/or a fine of up to KWD 75, or up to two years under 18 (Art. 200). Coercion, threats or trickery: up to five years, seven under 18 (Art. 201). Living wholly or partly on another's prostitution through influence or control, or taking money as protection, carries up to two years (Art. 202).",Art. 200 Penal Code | Art. 201 Penal Code | Art. 202 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,"Fine amounts are those converted from rupees to dinars by Law No. 9 of 1985, as shown in the reproduction used; the official portals could not be opened.",kw-penal,https://sadaalqanun.com/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kuwait/
KW,Kuwait,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who publicly incites debauchery and prostitution in a public place is punishable by up to three years and/or a fine of up to KWD 3,000; the same penalty applies to printing, selling, distributing or displaying pictures or other items that offend modesty (Art. 204, as amended in 1994). Inciting a person by any means is also covered by Art. 200.",Art. 204 Penal Code | Art. 200 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,No Penal Code provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Kuwait's cybercrime law (Law No. 63 of 2015) was not checked.,kw-penal,https://sadaalqanun.com/%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kuwait/
KG,Kyrgyzstan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,up to 7 days,Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of 200 calculation units or administrative arrest of three to seven days. Taking part in paid sexual live streams through a webcam platform is a separate offence fined at 100 calculation units.,ст. 109-2 Кодекса о правонарушениях | ст. 109-1 Кодекса о правонарушениях,high,2026-10-30,"Both articles carry the note ""in the wording of Law No. 153 of 29 July 2024"". Whether that law created the prostitution offence or reworded an earlier one was not confirmed from the amending law itself.",kg-kop,https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-36/edition/60031/ru,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
KG,Kyrgyzstan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the Code of Offences or the Criminal Code; the provisions on prostitution target the seller, organisers, pimps and those who draw others in.",,medium,2026-10-30,Checked by searching the current consolidated texts on the Ministry of Justice database for references to prostitution.,kg-kop | kg-uk,https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-36/edition/60031/ru | https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-38/edition/56638/ru,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
KG,Kyrgyzstan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping a brothel for prostitution is punishable by a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 calculation units or up to seven years' imprisonment, with or without confiscation of property; seven to fifteen years where children are used.",ст. 160 УК КР,high,2026-10-30,,kg-uk,https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-38/edition/56638/ru,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
KG,Kyrgyzstan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring for debauchery (сводничество) and pimping (сутенерство) carry the same penalty as brothel keeping. Drawing or forcing a person into prostitution by non-life-threatening violence, threats, damage to property, blackmail or deception carries a fine or up to five years. Organising or facilitating paid sexual live streams through a webcam studio carries a fine or up to three years.",ст. 159 УК КР | ст. 160 УК КР | ст. 160-1 УК КР,high,2026-10-30,,kg-uk,https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-38/edition/56638/ru,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
KG,Kyrgyzstan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed at advertising sexual services was found in either code. A third party who publishes offers to connect clients with sex workers risks the pimping and procuring offence in Article 160, and the seller the prostitution offence. Advertising pornographic material is a separate offence.",ст. 160 УК КР | ст. 109 Кодекса о правонарушениях | ст. 161 УК КР,low,2026-10-30,"The Law on Advertising was not checked. Applying Article 160 to ad publishers is an inference from its wording, not a reported case.",kg-uk | kg-kop,https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-38/edition/56638/ru | https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/3-36/edition/60031/ru,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
LA,Laos,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Engaging in prostitution is a criminal offence: three months to one year of imprisonment or re-education without deprivation of liberty, and a fine of LAK 500,000–3,000,000.",Article 260 para. 1 Penal Code 2017,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the English translation published by the Lao Official Gazette, which is marked as unofficial; the Lao text was not compared.",la-pc2017,https://laoofficialgazette.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/1Oct2020_Lao%20Penal%20Code_English%20version.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/laos/
LA,Laos,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"A person who purchases sexual services is ""punished under the same charge"" as the person engaging in prostitution, that is, three months to one year or re-education and a fine.",Article 260 para. 3 Penal Code 2017,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation; the applicable fine range for buyers is unclear from the text.,la-pc2017,https://laoofficialgazette.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/1Oct2020_Lao%20Penal%20Code_English%20version.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/laos/
LA,Laos,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel offence in the translation reviewed, but running premises for prostitution falls under procuring the prostitution of others for income (Article 254) and assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260).",Article 254 Penal Code 2017 | Article 260 para. 2 Penal Code 2017,medium,2026-10-30,Inference: no provision naming brothels was found in the unofficial English translation.,la-pc2017,https://laoofficialgazette.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/1Oct2020_Lao%20Penal%20Code_English%20version.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/laos/
LA,Laos,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,Generating income by procuring the prostitution of another in any manner is punished with six months to three years and a fine of LAK 10–20 million; three to seven years and LAK 20–100 million when done on a regular basis or when a person under the offender's guardianship is forced into prostitution.,Article 254 Penal Code 2017 | Article 215 Penal Code 2017,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,la-pc2017,https://laoofficialgazette.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/1Oct2020_Lao%20Penal%20Code_English%20version.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/laos/
LA,Laos,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising for others would amount to assisting or facilitating prostitution (Article 260); advertising child sex tourism is a specific offence (Article 262), and disseminating pornographic material through computer systems is punishable under Article 169.",Article 169 Penal Code 2017 | Article 260 para. 2 Penal Code 2017 | Article 262 Penal Code 2017,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from general provisions; media, internet and advertising regulations were not reviewed.",la-pc2017,https://laoofficialgazette.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/1Oct2020_Lao%20Penal%20Code_English%20version.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/laos/
LV,Latvia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"Legal for adults who hold a health card and have a monthly check-up, and only in a home the person owns or rents, not within 100 m of a school or church, with no minor present and no objection from co-residents. People with HIV or listed infections may not sell sex. Breaches carry no sanction at present: administrative liability lapsed with the Administrative Violations Code on 1 July 2020.","Points 2-10, 13, 15 MK noteikumi Nr. 32 (2008) | Section 163 Krimināllikums (repealed 2013)",medium,2026-10-30,"The regulation was read in its original publication in Latvijas Vēstnesis (2008); the consolidated version on likumi.lv could not be opened (connection refused), so later amendments, if any, were not checked. The absence of a sanction rests on Interior Ministry and government statements reported by LETA.",lv-mk32 | lv-kl-prok | lv-tv3-2024 | lv-nra-cedaw,https://www.vestnesis.lv/ta/id/169772 | https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/file/39369588.pdf | https://tv3.lv/zinas/latvija/politika/prostituciju-regulejosais-likumprojekts-nav-prioritate-atzist-iekslietu-ministrija/ | https://nra.lv/politika/529521-latvija-atzistas-ano-lidz-galam-netiekam-gala-ar-prostituciju.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/latvia/
LV,Latvia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. Using the prostitution of a minor carries up to five years, and knowingly using the prostitution of a trafficking victim is covered by Section 164(2) of the Criminal Law. The Ombudsman has proposed banning the purchase of sex, but no bill to that effect was found.","Section 164(2), (3.1) Krimināllikums",medium,2026-10-30,Criminal Law text read in the Prosecutor's Office 2025 edition (amendments promulgated to 19 December 2024); amendments after that date were not checked.,lv-kl-prok | lv-nra-cedaw,https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/file/39369588.pdf | https://nra.lv/politika/529521-latvija-atzistas-ano-lidz-galam-netiekam-gala-ar-prostituciju.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/latvia/
LV,Latvia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Setting up, maintaining, managing or financing a brothel, defined as an unauthorised place where prostitution services are organised and provided, is punishable by up to three years, short-term imprisonment, probation supervision, community work or a fine. Managers of entertainment venues must ensure no sexual services are offered there, and groups of sex workers may not work together.",Section 163.1 Krimināllikums | Points 6-7 MK noteikumi Nr. 32 (2008),medium,2026-10-30,Criminal Law text as consolidated to 19 December 2024 (Prosecutor's Office edition); likumi.lv could not be opened.,lv-kl-prok | lv-mk32,https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/file/39369588.pdf | https://www.vestnesis.lv/ta/id/169772,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/latvia/
LV,Latvia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Involving a person in prostitution is punishable by up to three years; coercion, deceit or abuse of dependency, up to five years. Pimping (sutenerisms), defined as exploiting a person engaged in prostitution for the purpose of enrichment, carries up to five years, rising to eight or fifteen years for groups, organised groups or offences against minors. Point 12 of the regulation bans any third-party activity that promotes prostitution.",Section 164 Krimināllikums | Section 165 Krimināllikums | Section 165.1 Krimināllikums | Point 12 MK noteikumi Nr. 32 (2008),medium,2026-10-30,Criminal Law text as consolidated to 19 December 2024 (Prosecutor's Office edition); later amendments not checked.,lv-kl-prok | lv-mk32,https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/file/39369588.pdf | https://www.vestnesis.lv/ta/id/169772,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/latvia/
LV,Latvia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,none,,"Cabinet Regulation No. 32 bans offering and advertising sexual services on the internet, in the press and in other mass media, except erotic publications, and through intermediaries. Since 1 July 2020 no administrative penalty attaches to the ban. Police say they monitor such adverts for signs of pimping, involvement in prostitution or trafficking.",Point 11 MK noteikumi Nr. 32 (2008),medium,2026-10-30,"The ban is in force but currently unenforceable administratively according to the Interior Ministry; platform liability is our reading, not established case law.",lv-mk32 | lv-tvnet-2023 | lv-tv3-2024,https://www.vestnesis.lv/ta/id/169772 | https://www.tvnet.lv/7866966/policija-kars-un-migracijas-radijusas-parmainas-prostitucijas-joma | https://tv3.lv/zinas/latvija/politika/prostituciju-regulejosais-likumprojekts-nav-prioritate-atzist-iekslietu-ministrija/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/latvia/
LB,Lebanon,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Anyone who practises secret prostitution or facilitates it is punishable by one month to one year in prison and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 Lebanese pounds (Penal Code Article 523, paragraph 2). ""Secret"" prostitution is prostitution outside the licensing system of the 1931 law, under which no licences are reported to have been issued since 1975.",Penal Code art. 523 para. 2,medium,2026-10-30,Text from a Ministry of Justice page showing fines as amended in 1993; a 2014 amendment to Article 523 (aggravation within the family) was not checked. The 1975 date comes from news reporting.,lb-pc-moj | lb-army-2016 | lb-fp-2012,http://ahdath.justice.gov.lb/law-nearby-punishments.htm | https://lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A | https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/02/09/sex-for-sale-in-beirut/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lebanon/
LB,Lebanon,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision of the Penal Code found for this overview makes paying for sex an offence; Articles 523 to 527 target those who practise or facilitate secret prostitution and third parties. Adultery by a married person is a separate offence (Articles 487–489).,Penal Code art. 487–489,low,2026-10-30,Whether clients are prosecuted as accomplices or under other provisions was not checked.,lb-army-2016 | lb-escwa,https://lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/lebanon.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lebanon/
LB,Lebanon,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"On paper the 1931 law allows licensed houses run by women over 25, with governor's permits, police registration and twice-weekly medical examinations. Licences are reported not to have been issued since 1975, so brothels operate outside the law and facilitating secret prostitution is an offence under Article 523. Governors may close hotels, cafés or nightclubs that facilitate indecency.",Law of 1931 on prostitution | Penal Code art. 523,medium,2026-10-30,The 1931 law itself was not opened; its content is taken from a 2016 article by a lawyer in the Lebanese Army's official magazine. Sources differ on its date (6 February or 6 December 1931).,lb-army-2016 | lb-fp-2012 | lb-gs-visa | lb-pc-moj,https://lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A | https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/02/09/sex-for-sale-in-beirut/ | https://www.general-security.gov.lb/en/posts/48 | http://ahdath.justice.gov.lb/law-nearby-punishments.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lebanon/
LB,Lebanon,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Luring or taking away a woman or girl under 21, even with her consent, or an older woman by deceit, violence, threat or abuse of influence, to satisfy another's desires carries at least a year and a fine (Article 524). Holding a person in a brothel against their will, including over a debt, carries two months to two years (Article 525), and living off another's prostitution six months to two years (Article 527).",Penal Code art. 524 | Penal Code art. 525 | Penal Code art. 527 | Penal Code art. 529,medium,2026-10-30,Articles 525 to 529 are taken from the 2016 Army magazine article rather than a statute text.,lb-pc-moj | lb-army-2016 | lb-escwa,http://ahdath.justice.gov.lb/law-nearby-punishments.htm | https://lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/lebanon.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lebanon/
LB,Lebanon,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Habitually facilitating public solicitation for profit, or using public means to attract people to debauchery, is punishable by one month to one year and a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 Lebanese pounds (Penal Code Article 526, as described in a 2016 legal article). No specific provision on online advertising was found.",Penal Code art. 526,low,2026-10-30,"The statute text of Article 526 was not opened, and the UN ESCWA 2024 review summarises Articles 526 and 527 differently (forced prostitution and living off others' prostitution). Lebanon has no general cybercrime law according to the same review.",lb-army-2016,https://lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/content/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lebanon/
LS,Lesotho,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision expressly makes it an offence to sell sex. A person who ""persistently importunes others in a public place with the intention of engaging in sexual intercourse"" commits an offence (s. 55(3)). This applies to sex workers and clients alike. Because s. 55 is not listed in the penalty schedule, the court sets the penalty (s. 109(3)).","Penal Code Act 2010 s. 55(1), (3) | s. 109(3)",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from LesothoLII's text as published in Government Gazette No. 30 of 9 March 2012, through the Internet Archive's copy because LesothoLII blocks automated access. Later amendments were not checked. Press and NGO accounts disagree on whether selling is illegal; no court ruling on s. 55 was found.",ls-pc,https://lesotholii.org/akn/ls/act/2012/6/eng@2012-03-09,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lesotho/
LS,Lesotho,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no client-specific offence. Section 55(2) punishes a person who ""incites, instigates or engages or procures another to engage"" in prostitution. On one reading ""engages"" could cover a client who pays a sex worker; on another it covers only third parties who recruit or employ. Persistent public importuning for sex (s. 55(3)) applies to clients too.","Penal Code Act 2010 s. 55(2), (3)",low,2026-10-30,The statutory wording is ambiguous and no case law or official guidance on clients was found.,ls-pc,https://lesotholii.org/akn/ls/act/2012/6/eng@2012-03-09,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lesotho/
LS,Lesotho,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The Code has no offence named ""keeping a brothel"". Running premises where others sell sex would fall under engaging or procuring others to engage in prostitution (s. 55(2)), and under controlling sex workers for commercial gain (s. 55(4)). Detaining a person against their will in premises used for prostitution is a separate offence (s. 55(5)).","Penal Code Act 2010 s. 55(2), (4), (5)",medium,2026-10-30,An inference from the statutory text; no prosecution of a brothel operator was found. Whether colonial-era brothel legislation survives alongside the 2010 Code was not checked.,ls-pc,https://lesotholii.org/akn/ls/act/2012/6/eng@2012-03-09,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lesotho/
LS,Lesotho,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting, instigating, engaging or procuring another person to engage in prostitution, in Lesotho or elsewhere, is an offence (s. 55(2)). So is living or habitually associating with a sex worker, or controlling her movements, in a way that shows aiding or compelling prostitution for commercial gain (s. 55(4)). The court sets the penalty (s. 109(3)).","Penal Code Act 2010 s. 55(2), (4) | s. 109(3)",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 2012 gazetted text, via the Internet Archive.",ls-pc,https://lesotholii.org/akn/ls/act/2012/6/eng@2012-03-09,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lesotho/
LS,Lesotho,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services. A third party who places adverts could be charged with inciting or procuring others to engage in prostitution (s. 55(2)), or with aiding prostitution for gain (s. 55(4)). Importuning applies only to a public place (s. 55(3)).",Penal Code Act 2010 s. 55(2)–(4),low,2026-10-30,A reading of the statutory text only; no prosecutions concerning adverts or websites were found.,ls-pc,https://lesotholii.org/akn/ls/act/2012/6/eng@2012-03-09,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lesotho/
LR,Liberia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,≈€450 fine,"A person commits the infraction of prostitution if they reside in a house of prostitution, engage in sexual activity there or otherwise as a business, or solicit another person with the purpose of being hired for sexual activity (§ 18.4). Loitering in a public place to solicit, in circumstances likely to cause offence or alarm, is a separate infraction (§ 18.9). The maximum fine is US$500 or double the gain (§ 50.9).",Penal Law § 18.4 | Penal Law § 18.6 | Penal Law § 18.9 | Penal Law § 50.1 | Penal Law § 50.9,high,2026-10-30,"Classed as 'administrative' here because the Penal Law itself defines an infraction as non-criminal; it is a court-imposed penal-law fine, not a municipal sanction.",lr-pl,https://www.liberlii.org/lr/legis/codes/plt26lcolr367/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liberia/
LR,Liberia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,≈€450 fine,"A person who hires a sex worker to engage in sexual activity with them, or who enters or remains in a house of prostitution for the purpose of sexual activity, commits an infraction (§ 18.5): a fine of up to US$500 or double the gain, with no imprisonment.",Penal Law § 18.5 | Penal Law § 50.9,high,2026-10-30,,lr-pl,https://www.liberlii.org/lr/legis/codes/plt26lcolr367/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liberia/
LR,Liberia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Operating a prostitution business or a house of prostitution is a first-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.1(a)): up to one year in prison and a fine of up to US$1,000 or double the gain. Knowingly letting or permitting a place one controls to be regularly used for prostitution is a second-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.2(c)): up to thirty days.",Penal Law § 18.1(a) | Penal Law § 18.2(c) | Penal Law § 18.6 | Penal Law § 50.7,high,2026-10-30,,lr-pl,https://www.liberlii.org/lr/legis/codes/plt26lcolr367/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liberia/
LR,Liberia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing another to engage in sexual activity as a business, or procuring a sex worker for a prostitution business, is a first-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.1); procuring a sex worker for a client, or inducing someone to remain one, a second-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.2). Being supported by a sex worker's earnings raises a presumption of the latter. Force, threats, a family or care relationship, or a person under 16 make it a third-degree felony (§ 18.3).","Penal Law § 18.1(b)–(c) | Penal Law § 18.2(b), (d) | Penal Law § 18.3",high,2026-10-30,,lr-pl,https://www.liberlii.org/lr/legis/codes/plt26lcolr367/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liberia/
LR,Liberia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No advertising-specific offence exists, but soliciting covers it: a sex worker who solicits to be hired commits an infraction (§ 18.4(b)), and anyone who knowingly solicits a person to patronise a sex worker commits a second-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.2(a)). Disseminating obscene material, which includes advertising it, is a separate first-degree misdemeanour (§ 18.7).",Penal Law § 18.2(a) | Penal Law § 18.4(b) | Penal Law § 18.7,medium,2026-10-30,Whether written or online advertisements count as 'soliciting' has not been tested in any case found.,lr-pl,https://www.liberlii.org/lr/legis/codes/plt26lcolr367/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liberia/
LY,Libya,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging + up to 5 years,Any woman who makes prostitution her means of livelihood and gain is punished by detention of at least one year (Penal Code Article 417 bis (a)). Selling sex also exposes both parties to the zina offence under Law No. 70 of 1973 (100 lashes) and to Article 407(4) (up to five years for consensual intercourse).,Penal Code art. 417 bis (a) | Penal Code art. 407(4) | Law No. 70/1973 arts. 1–2,medium,2026-10-30,Penal Code read in DCAF's unofficial English translation. Article 417 bis (c) says the preceding prostitution articles apply only in areas covered by a Cabinet decree issued on the approval of the competent province (a 1956 provision from the federal era); how this is read today was not checked.,ly-cp | ly-law70 | ly-undp,https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/penal-code/ | https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/law-no-70-of-1973-on-establishing-the-hudud-punishment-for-illicit-sex-and-amending-certain-provisions-of-the-penal-code/ | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/libya-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/libya/
LY,Libya,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging + up to 5 years,"There is no specific offence of paying for sex, but a client commits zina under Law No. 70 of 1973, punished with 100 lashes and optionally imprisonment, and the Penal Code offence of consensual intercourse, punishable for both partners by up to five years (Article 407(4)).",Law No. 70/1973 arts. 1–2 | Penal Code art. 407(4),medium,2026-10-30,Law No. 70 was read in Arabic on the DCAF database; the operative words are translated here.,ly-law70 | ly-cp,https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/law-no-70-of-1973-on-establishing-the-hudud-punishment-for-illicit-sex-and-amending-certain-provisions-of-the-penal-code/ | https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/penal-code/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/libya/
LY,Libya,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Opening or managing a house of indecency or prostitution, or assisting in its management, is punished by at least one year and a fine of 100 to 300 dinars, with closure and confiscation (Article 417 bis (a)). Knowingly renting out premises for prostitution, or regularly facilitating it in furnished rooms or shops open to the public, carries at least three months (Article 417 bis (b)).",Penal Code art. 417 bis (a) | Penal Code art. 417 bis (b),medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation; see the note on Article 417 bis (c) under selling.,ly-cp,https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/penal-code/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/libya/
LY,Libya,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone whose livelihood depends wholly or partly on a woman's earnings from prostitution is punished by at least one year's detention and a fine of up to 200 dinars (Article 417). Luring a minor or a person into prostitution to satisfy another's lust carries at least one year (Article 415), and compelling a person by force carries three to six years (Article 416).",Penal Code art. 415 | Penal Code art. 416 | Penal Code art. 417,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,ly-cp,https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/penal-code/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/libya/
LY,Libya,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Inciting passers-by to indecency by gestures, words or acts is punished by one to six months (Article 420 bis), and distributing, exhibiting or offering for sale indecent letters, pictures or other articles by up to one year or a fine (Article 421).",Penal Code art. 420 bis | Penal Code art. 421,low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; online advertising and Libya's cybercrime legislation were not checked.,ly-cp,https://security-legislation.ly/latest-laws/penal-code/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/libya/
LI,Liechtenstein,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not an offence in itself. Under § 210 StGB, whoever offers themselves for prostitution faces up to six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to 720 daily rates, but only where the offering is done in a way liable to cause justified public annoyance (Abs. 2). There is no registration or licensing scheme for sex workers.",§ 210 StGB,medium,2026-10-30,"The statute was read in the consolidated version of 1 August 2026. Whether trade, police or foreign-nationals law restricts sex work in practice could not be verified; secondary sources describe prostitution as illegal but tolerated in nightclubs, which the StGB alone does not support.",li-stgb,https://www.gesetze.li/konso/pdf/1988.37,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liechtenstein/
LI,Liechtenstein,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,The Criminal Code has no general offence of paying an adult for sex. Arranging sexual contacts with minors for money (§ 214) and exploiting the prostitution of minors (§ 215a) are crimes.,§ 214 StGB | § 215a StGB,medium,2026-10-30,No client offence was found in the StGB; other laws were not checked.,li-stgb,https://www.gesetze.li/konso/pdf/1988.37,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liechtenstein/
LI,Liechtenstein,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"No law licenses or expressly bans brothels. Providing a venue is not named as an offence, but an operator who exploits a sex worker with the aim of a regular income commits § 216 StGB, and soliciting in a publicly offensive way is caught by § 210.",§ 216 StGB | § 210 StGB,low,2026-10-30,"How the courts apply §§ 215-216 to venue operators was not verified, and no official statement on whether venues are permitted was found.",li-stgb,https://www.gesetze.li/konso/pdf/1988.37,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liechtenstein/
LI,Liechtenstein,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Exploiting another person's prostitution with the aim of a regular income is a crime (Zuhälterei, § 216: up to two years; up to three years for intimidating the person, dictating the terms of work or exploiting several people; six months to five years if the person is under 18). Bringing a person into prostitution (§ 215, up to two years) and cross-border recruitment (§ 217) are separate offences.",§ 215 StGB | § 216 StGB | § 217 StGB,high,2026-10-30,,li-stgb,https://www.gesetze.li/konso/pdf/1988.37,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liechtenstein/
LI,Liechtenstein,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence targets advertising sexual services as such. § 210(2) StGB defines offering as any conduct aimed at initiating contacts for prostitution, so an advertisement can fall under § 210 if it is done in a way liable to cause justified public annoyance. No rule on the liability of websites hosting ads was found.",§ 210 Abs. 2 StGB,medium,2026-10-30,No case law was found on whether online advertisements meet the public-annoyance test.,li-stgb,https://www.gesetze.li/konso/pdf/1988.37,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/liechtenstein/
LT,Lithuania,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,€140 fine,"Engaging in prostitution (vertimasis prostitucija) is an administrative offence: a fine of EUR 90 to 140, or EUR 140 to 300 if repeated, and possibly an order to attend a programme. A person drawn into prostitution while dependent, by physical or psychological coercion or deceit, as a minor, or who is a recognised trafficking victim, is not held liable.",Art. 487(1)-(4) ANK,medium,2026-10-30,"The official consolidated text on e-tar.lt sits behind a Cloudflare challenge and could not be opened; the wording was read on rekvi.lt, which reproduces the e-TAR consolidated version, and the fines are confirmed by a Seimas press release of 9 April 2026.",lt-ank-487 | lt-seimas-2026-04,https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/ank/487 | https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=35435&p_k=1&p_t=294511,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lithuania/
LT,Lithuania,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,€140 fine,"Paying for prostitution services (atlygintinis naudojimasis prostitucijos paslaugomis) carries the same fine as selling: EUR 90 to 140, or EUR 140 to 300 if repeated. Bill XVP-1218 would raise the buyer's fine to EUR 1,000 to 1,600 (EUR 1,600 to 3,500 if repeated), leaving sellers' fines unchanged.",Art. 487(1)-(2) ANK,medium,2026-10-30,Official e-TAR text could not be opened (Cloudflare challenge). We found no report of a final vote on XVP-1218 after June 2026; the reproduction of Article 487 we read still shows the old fines.,lt-ank-487 | lt-seimas-2026-04 | lt-lrt-2026-06,https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/ank/487 | https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=35435&p_k=1&p_t=294511 | https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2953042/vyriausybe-palaiko-siulyma-desimt-kartu-didinti-baudas-seksualiniu-paslaugu-pirkejams,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lithuania/
LT,Lithuania,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel falls under the Criminal Code's offences of organising prostitution (up to six years) and directing it (one to seven years); legal persons are also liable. Separately, providing premises for debauchery (ištvirkauti) is an administrative offence with a fine of EUR 60 to 120.","Art. 307(2)-(3), (5) BK | Art. 486(1) ANK",medium,2026-10-30,The Criminal Code has no brothel-specific article; applying 'organising' and 'directing' prostitution to a venue is our reading. Texts read on rekvi.lt because e-TAR could not be opened.,lt-bk-307 | lt-ank-486,https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/bk/307 | https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/ank/486,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lithuania/
LT,Lithuania,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Deriving income from another person's prostitution or procuring for prostitution (sąvadavimas) is punishable by a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest or up to five years; organising prostitution or transporting a consenting person into or out of Lithuania for it, up to six years; directing prostitution, one to seven years. Involving a person in prostitution carries up to five years, two to eight with coercion or dependence.",Art. 307 BK | Art. 308 BK,medium,2026-10-30,Both articles were amended by Law No. XIV-3060 of 7 November 2024; text read on rekvi.lt because e-TAR could not be opened.,lt-bk-307 | lt-bk-308,https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/bk/307 | https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/bk/308,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lithuania/
LT,Lithuania,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,,,"Public information media may not publish information that promotes or advertises sexual services (Article 19(1)(4) of the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public, as amended in force from 1 February 2021). The ban covers online media. Placing an advert for someone else's services may also amount to procuring under the Criminal Code.",Art. 19(1)(4) Visuomenės informavimo įstatymas,low,2026-10-30,Statute read on rekvi.lt (e-TAR blocked by a Cloudflare challenge). The sanction for breaching the ban and its enforcement were not verified.,lt-vii-19,https://rekvi.lt/istatymai/visuomenes-informavimo-istatymas/19,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/lithuania/
LU,Luxembourg,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is legal. Publicly soliciting another person ""by gestures, words, writings or any other means"" with a view to debauchery is an offence (Art. 382 Code pénal: eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 5,000). Since 2018, a victim of procuring or trafficking is not criminally liable for soliciting (Art. 71-2, third paragraph).",Art. 382 Code pénal | Art. 71-2 al. 3 Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,,lu-cp | lu-loi-2018,https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/code/penal/20251219/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-code-penal-20251219-fr-html.html | https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/loi/2018/02/28/a170/jo/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-loi-2018-02-28-a170-jo-fr-html.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/luxembourg/
LU,Luxembourg,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Buying sex from a consenting adult is legal, with exceptions added in 2018. Soliciting, accepting or obtaining paid sex from a victim of procuring or trafficking is punished by eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000 (Art. 382-6). From a minor, or from a person whose particular vulnerability is apparent or known, it carries one to five years and a fine (Art. 382-7).",Art. 382-6 Code pénal | Art. 382-7 Code pénal | Art. 382-8 Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,,lu-loi-2018 | lu-cp,https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/loi/2018/02/28/a170/jo/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-loi-2018-02-28-a170-jo-fr-html.html | https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/code/penal/20251219/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-code-penal-20251219-fr-html.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/luxembourg/
LU,Luxembourg,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, managing, directing or operating a ""maison de débauche ou de prostitution"", directly or through a front, is a crime (Art. 379bis 3°: one to five years and a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000). So is letting or making premises available, or tolerating their use, knowing they serve the exploitation of the prostitution of others (Art. 379bis 4°). Courts may order a venue closed (Art. 379ter, 379septies).",Art. 379bis 3° et 4° Code pénal | Art. 379ter Code pénal | Art. 379septies Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,,lu-cp,https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/code/penal/20251219/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-code-penal-20251219-fr-html.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/luxembourg/
LU,Luxembourg,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring is a crime even with the adult's consent (Art. 379bis 5°: one to five years and a fine). The definition covers knowingly aiding, assisting or protecting the prostitution of others or soliciting, sharing in the proceeds or receiving support from a sex worker, hiring or maintaining a person for prostitution, acting as an intermediary between sex workers and those who exploit or pay for them, and obstructing support services.",Art. 379bis 5° Code pénal,high,2026-10-30,,lu-cp,https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/code/penal/20251219/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-code-penal-20251219-fr-html.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/luxembourg/
LU,Luxembourg,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services as such. Public soliciting by ""écrits ou par tous autres moyens"" is an offence (Art. 382), and anyone who knowingly aids or assists soliciting with a view to prostitution is a procurer (Art. 379bis 5° a). Whether online advertisements, or websites carrying them, fall under these provisions was not established from any case law found.",Art. 382 Code pénal | Art. 379bis 5° a) Code pénal,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the statutory text only; no court decisions or prosecution guidance on online advertising were found.,lu-cp,https://data.legilux.public.lu/filestore/eli/etat/leg/code/penal/20251219/fr/html/eli-etat-leg-code-penal-20251219-fr-html.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/luxembourg/
MO,Macau,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,"soliciting: MOP 5,000 fine","Selling sex is not an offence in itself. Enticing someone or making an offer to engage in sexual acts for money or other economic benefit in a public or publicly accessible place is fined 5,000 patacas; non-residents so fined are expelled from Macau.","Lei n.º 6/97/M, art. 35.º",high,2026-10-30,,mo-lei-6-97-m,https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/97/30/lei06.asp,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/macau/
MO,Macau,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. The offences in Law 6/97/M and the Penal Code target those who exploit, facilitate or recruit clients for prostitution, and the public-soliciting fine applies to the person making the offer.","Lei n.º 6/97/M, arts. 8.º, 35.º | Código Penal, arts. 163.º–164.º",medium,2026-10-30,No provision penalising adult clients was found in the texts checked; this is an inference from the absence of such an offence.,mo-lei-6-97-m | mo-codigo-penal,https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/97/30/lei06.asp | https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/95/46/codpenpt/codpen0001.asp,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/macau/
MO,Macau,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running premises where others sell sex falls under the offence of favouring or facilitating prostitution ""by any means"" (up to 3 years) and, where earnings are taken, exploiting another person's prostitution even with consent (1 to 3 years).","Lei n.º 6/97/M, art. 8.º",medium,2026-10-30,"The law has no brothel-specific offence; applying article 8 to venues is our reading of its wording, not checked against case law.",mo-lei-6-97-m,https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/97/30/lei06.asp,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/macau/
MO,Macau,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Enticing, attracting or diverting a person into prostitution, even with their agreement, or exploiting another person's prostitution, even with consent, carries 1 to 3 years. Recruiting clients for sex workers, paid or unpaid, or in any way favouring or facilitating prostitution, carries up to 3 years. Attempt is punishable.","Lei n.º 6/97/M, art. 8.º | Código Penal, arts. 163.º, 164.º",high,2026-10-30,,mo-lei-6-97-m | mo-codigo-penal,https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/97/30/lei06.asp | https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/95/46/codpenpt/codpen0001.asp,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/macau/
MO,Macau,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A sex worker's own public solicitation is an administrative offence. Third parties who recruit clients for sex workers, or in any way favour or facilitate prostitution, commit a crime punishable by up to 3 years, which can extend to advertising carried out for others.","Lei n.º 6/97/M, arts. 8.º n.º 2, 35.º",low,2026-10-30,"Applying article 8(2) to advertisements, including online advertising platforms, is an inference from its wording; no case law or official guidance was checked.",mo-lei-6-97-m,https://bo.dsaj.gov.mo/bo/i/97/30/lei06.asp,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/macau/
MG,Madagascar,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"No provision of the Code pénal makes selling sex by an adult an offence; the prostitution articles target procurers, establishments and the exploitation of children. Article 334 refers to ""dispositions réprimant le racolage public"" (provisions punishing public soliciting), but no such national offence was located, and in 2014 the Antananarivo authorities were reported to have banned passive soliciting in the city centre.",Code pénal arts. 334–335,medium,2026-10-30,"Code read in the Lexxika consolidated text (French). The legal instrument and sanctions of the 2014 Antananarivo soliciting ban were not identified, and contraventions in Book IV of the Code were not checked. Médecins du Monde (2024) reports frequent police identity checks and abuses against sex workers, especially minors.",mg-cp | mg-mdm-2024 | mg-pressafrik-2014,https://textes.lexxika.com/lois-malagasy/droit-penal/code-penal/livre-iii-des-crimes-des-delits-et-de-leur-punition/ | https://www.medecinsdumonde.org/app/uploads/2024/05/Etude-VGB-TDS-Madagascar-FR.pdf | https://www.pressafrik.com/Madagascar-la-lutte-contre-la-prostitution-des-mineurs-se-renforce_a120615.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/madagascar/
MG,Madagascar,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Having sexual relations with a child in exchange for any form of payment or advantage is punishable by two to five years and a fine of 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 ariary (art. 334 quinto, added in 2008), and sex tourism involving children is targeted by the same reform.",Code pénal art. 334 quinto,medium,2026-10-30,Absence of a client offence for adults inferred from the Code pénal; other statutes were not searched exhaustively.,mg-cp,https://textes.lexxika.com/lois-malagasy/droit-penal/code-penal/livre-iii-des-crimes-des-delits-et-de-leur-punition/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/madagascar/
MG,Madagascar,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who owns, directly or through another, manages, directs or operates a prostitution establishment, or who habitually tolerates the presence of persons engaging in prostitution in a hotel, furnished house, boarding house, bar, club, dance hall, place of entertainment or other place open to the public that they hold or manage, is punished with the penalties of the preceding article; the penalties double for a repeat offence within ten years (art. 335).",Code pénal art. 335,medium,2026-10-30,"Article 335 refers to ""the preceding article""; since arts. 334 ter to 334 quinto were inserted later, the exact penalty it imports is ambiguous in the consolidated text (originally the procuring penalties of arts. 334–334 bis).",mg-cp | mg-mdm-2024,https://textes.lexxika.com/lois-malagasy/droit-penal/code-penal/livre-iii-des-crimes-des-delits-et-de-leur-punition/ | https://www.medecinsdumonde.org/app/uploads/2024/05/Etude-VGB-TDS-Madagascar-FR.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/madagascar/
MG,Madagascar,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who knowingly helps or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives money from a person habitually engaged in it, lives with such a person without sufficient own resources, recruits or keeps an adult for prostitution even with consent, or acts as an intermediary: two to five years and 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 ariary (art. 334). Aggravated cases carry five to ten years (art. 334 bis); Law 2014-040 also punishes trafficking for it.","Code pénal arts. 334, 334 bis, 334 ter | Loi n° 2014-040 art. 5",high,2026-10-30,Translated from the French. Médecins du Monde (2024) notes the definition is wide enough to reach sex workers' partners.,mg-cp | mg-trafficking-2014,https://textes.lexxika.com/lois-malagasy/droit-penal/code-penal/livre-iii-des-crimes-des-delits-et-de-leur-punition/ | https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Madagascar-Loi-n%C2%B02014-040.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/madagascar/
MG,Madagascar,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Knowingly helping or assisting another person's prostitution or soliciting ""in any way"" is procuring (art. 334(1)), so a third party publishing or hosting adverts for gain could be prosecuted under it; acting as an intermediary between sex workers and clients is also procuring (art. 334(5)).","Code pénal art. 334(1), (5)",low,2026-10-30,"Inferred from the general procuring offence; no case law on adverts or websites was found, and the cybercrime and press laws were not checked.",mg-cp,https://textes.lexxika.com/lois-malagasy/droit-penal/code-penal/livre-iii-des-crimes-des-delits-et-de-leur-punition/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/madagascar/
MW,Malawi,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Soliciting for immoral purposes in any public place makes a person ""idle and disorderly"" (s. 180(e)), as does a ""common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in any public place"" (s. 180(a)). The penalty is a K1,000 fine and three months' imprisonment for a first offence, and K3,000 and six months for a later one. A man who persistently solicits in public commits a misdemeanour (s. 145(1)(b)).","Penal Code s. 180(a), (e) | s. 145(1)(b)",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from MalawiLII's consolidation as at 31 December 2014; whether later amending Acts (2016, 2023) touched Chapters XV or XVII was not checked line by line. MalawiLII blocks automated access, so the text was read through the Internet Archive's copy of the same page.",mw-pc | mw-banda,https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/1929/22/eng@2014-12-31 | https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/judgment/mwhc/2016/589/eng@2016-09-08,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malawi/
MW,Malawi,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code has no offence of paying for sex with an adult. In 2016 the High Court said the law has not criminalised ""the selling or purchase of sex"". Soliciting in a public place (s. 180(e)) applies to anyone, including a client.",Penal Code s. 180(e),medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 2014 consolidation and the 2016 High Court review order; not a ruling of the Supreme Court of Appeal.,mw-pc | mw-banda,https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/1929/22/eng@2014-12-31 | https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/judgment/mwhc/2016/589/eng@2016-09-08,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malawi/
MW,Malawi,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for prostitution carries up to seven years' imprisonment (s. 147). Owning, controlling, managing or keeping a house or business for prostitution, or renting or permitting a place to be regularly used for it, carries up to 14 years (s. 147A(1)(a), (e)).","Penal Code s. 147 | s. 147A(1)(a), (e)",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 2014 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",mw-pc,https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/1929/22/eng@2014-12-31,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malawi/
MW,Malawi,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a woman or girl to become a ""common prostitute"" carries 14 years (s. 140). Procuring, encouraging or inducing a person to become or remain a sex worker, or transporting a person for prostitution, carries 14 years (s. 147A(1)(b), (d)). Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution is a misdemeanour for men (s. 145(1)(a)) and for women (s. 146), punishable by up to two years (s. 34).","Penal Code s. 140 | ss. 145(1)(a), 145(3) | s. 146 | s. 147A(1)(b), (d) | s. 34",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the 2014 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",mw-pc | mw-banda,https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/1929/22/eng@2014-12-31 | https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/judgment/mwhc/2016/589/eng@2016-09-08,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malawi/
MW,Malawi,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising as such. A third party who ""solicits another person to patronize a prostitute"" commits the 14-year offence of promoting prostitution (s. 147A(1)(c)), and the wide definition of prostitution includes an offer to engage in sexual activity for money. A sex worker who solicits in a public place commits a minor offence (s. 180(e)).","Penal Code s. 147A(1)(c), (2) | s. 180(e)",low,2026-10-30,"Whether s. 147A(1)(c) has been applied to newspapers, websites or online ad platforms was not found; this is a reading of the statutory text only.",mw-pc,https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/1929/22/eng@2014-12-31,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malawi/
MY,Malaysia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 year,"Under federal law, selling sex is not itself an offence, but soliciting or importuning for the purpose of prostitution or any immoral purpose in any place is punishable with up to one year's imprisonment, a fine, or both. For Muslims, Syariah law makes a woman prostituting herself an offence.",s. 372B Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 21 Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559),medium,2026-10-30,"The Penal Code text was read in a reprint of the Attorney General's Chambers edition hosted by the Women's Centre for Change, Penang; the official portal could not be queried. Later amendments to these sections, if any, were not checked.",my-pc-reprint | my-act559,https://www.wccpenang.org/01important/laws/Act-576-Section-375-376.pdf | https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Act%20559%20-%20Syariah%20Criminal%20Offences%20(Federal%20Territories)%20Act%201997.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malaysia/
MY,Malaysia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,The federal Penal Code has no offence of paying for sex with an adult; whether the soliciting offence in s. 372B can reach a buyer is not settled in the sources reviewed. Muslim buyers commit the Syariah offence of sexual intercourse out of wedlock.,s. 372B Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 23 Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559),medium,2026-10-30,"Status is ""restricted"" because the position differs for Muslims; no case law on s. 372B and buyers was reviewed.",my-pc-reprint | my-act559,https://www.wccpenang.org/01important/laws/Act-576-Section-375-376.pdf | https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Act%20559%20-%20Syariah%20Criminal%20Offences%20(Federal%20Territories)%20Act%201997.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malaysia/
MY,Malaysia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, or knowingly letting or permitting premises to be used as one, is punishable with up to fifteen years' imprisonment and a fine. A brothel is any place used by two or more persons for prostitution.",s. 373 Penal Code (Act 574),medium,2026-10-30,"Read in a reprint hosted by a third party, not on the official portal.",my-pc-reprint,https://www.wccpenang.org/01important/laws/Act-576-Section-375-376.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malaysia/
MY,Malaysia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Selling, hiring, procuring or otherwise obtaining any person for prostitution is punishable with up to fifteen years, whipping and a fine (s. 372); knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of another person's prostitution is a separate offence (s. 372A). Acting as a muncikari is a Syariah offence for Muslims.",s. 372 Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 372A Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 22 Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559),medium,2026-10-30,Sections 372 and 372A were checked only through secondary reproductions; the penalty for s. 372A was not confirmed.,my-lii-372 | my-burgie-372a | my-act559,https://www.law.cornell.edu/gender-justice/resource/Malaysia_Penal_Code_Act_574_Chapter_XVI_Article_372 | https://www.burgielaw.com/resources/act?act_title=Penal+Code&section=372A | https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Act%20559%20-%20Syariah%20Criminal%20Offences%20(Federal%20Territories)%20Act%201997.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malaysia/
MY,Malaysia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was identified. Soliciting for prostitution ""in any place"" (s. 372B) and procuring (s. 372) can reach advertising by or for a sex worker, and Syariah law punishes encouraging vice among Muslims.",s. 372 Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 372B Penal Code (Act 574) | s. 35 Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559),low,2026-10-30,Inference from general offences. The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and other online-content rules were not reviewed and may bear on online advertisements and platforms.,my-pc-reprint | my-lii-372 | my-act559,https://www.wccpenang.org/01important/laws/Act-576-Section-375-376.pdf | https://www.law.cornell.edu/gender-justice/resource/Malaysia_Penal_Code_Act_574_Chapter_XVI_Article_372 | https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Act%20559%20-%20Syariah%20Criminal%20Offences%20(Federal%20Territories)%20Act%201997.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malaysia/
MV,Maldives,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging + up to 7 years,"Performing sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a person who is not one's spouse in exchange for anything of value is a Class 1 misdemeanour under the Penal Code (up to one year). The Sexual Offences Act punishes engaging in prostitution in the Maldives, or by a Maldivian abroad, with up to seven years.",s. 620 Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014) | s. 29(c) Sexual Offences Act 2014,medium,2026-10-30,The Penal Code wording was read in the English text reproduced by the Antislavery in Domestic Legislation database. The Sexual Offences Act was not read directly; its provisions and penalties come from UNFPA's 2023 review of Maldivian laws. Official texts in Dhivehi were not checked.,mv-penal-code | mv-unfpa-2023,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/country/maldives/ | https://maldives.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/unfpa_humanrights_genderreview_of_gbvrelatedlaws_in_maldives.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/maldives/
MV,Maldives,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging + up to 3 years,"Paying for sex is caught by the general offence of unlawful sexual intercourse outside marriage (section 411 of the Penal Code, with an additional Sharia penalty of 100 lashes) and by the zinah offence in section 27 of the Sexual Offences Act (100 lashes and one to three years). Section 620 is worded broadly enough (""performs an act ... in exchange for anything of value"") to reach either party.",s. 411 Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014) | s. 620 Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014) | s. 27 Sexual Offences Act 2014,medium,2026-10-30,Whether section 620 is applied to clients in practice was not established; the general extramarital-sex offences clearly apply to both parties.,mv-penal-code | mv-unfpa-2023,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/country/maldives/ | https://maldives.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/unfpa_humanrights_genderreview_of_gbvrelatedlaws_in_maldives.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/maldives/
MV,Maldives,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Allowing the use of a place under one's control for prostitution, to obtain anything of value, is a Class 4 felony under section 621 of the Penal Code (Class 3 where a minor is involved). The Sexual Offences Act separately prohibits setting up a brothel (section 33).",s. 621(a)(3) Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014) | s. 33 Sexual Offences Act 2014,medium,2026-10-30,,mv-penal-code | mv-unfpa-2023,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/country/maldives/ | https://maldives.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/unfpa_humanrights_genderreview_of_gbvrelatedlaws_in_maldives.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/maldives/
MV,Maldives,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Compelling a person into prostitution, or encouraging, arranging or otherwise facilitating prostitution to obtain anything of value, is a Class 4 felony (Class 3 for a minor). Under the Sexual Offences Act, engaging another person in prostitution carries seven to fifteen years, and using revenue from prostitution is an offence.",s. 621 Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014) | s. 29(d) Sexual Offences Act 2014 | s. 32 Sexual Offences Act 2014,medium,2026-10-30,,mv-penal-code | mv-unfpa-2023,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/country/maldives/ | https://maldives.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/unfpa_humanrights_genderreview_of_gbvrelatedlaws_in_maldives.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/maldives/
MV,Maldives,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising was found, but a third party who for gain ""encourages, arranges, or otherwise facilitates"" prostitution commits a Class 4 felony, which on its wording covers publishing or hosting offers.",s. 621(a)(2) Penal Code (Law No. 6/2014),low,2026-10-30,"Applying section 621 to advertisements is a reading of the text, not a reported case. Media and online content laws were not checked.",mv-penal-code,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/country/maldives/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/maldives/
ML,Mali,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex is not an offence, but publicly soliciting another person by any means, including passive conduct, with a view to inciting them to sexual relations in exchange for payment or a promise of payment is punishable by two months' imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 francs (Article 325-9).",Code pénal 2024 art. 325-9,high,2026-10-30,The Code states a single figure for each penalty; its general part treats statutory penalties as maxima.,ml-cp-2024,https://sgg-mali.ml/JO/2024/mali-jo-2024-21-sp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mali/
ML,Mali,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the 2024 Code. Prostitution involving a child is treated as forced prostitution, and forcing a person to prostitute themselves carries ten years and a fine of 5,000,000 francs (Article 325-7); the article does not expressly name clients.",Code pénal 2024 art. 325-7,high,2026-10-30,,ml-cp-2024,https://sgg-mali.ml/JO/2024/mali-jo-2024-21-sp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mali/
ML,Mali,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The 2024 Code has no separate brothel offence. Running a venue where others sell sex is aiding or profiting from another's prostitution, i.e. procuring (Article 325-8: five years, a fine of 1,000,000 francs and a ten-year residence ban). Holding a person against their will in a 'house of debauchery' carries three years (Article 325-6).",Code pénal 2024 art. 325-6 | Code pénal 2024 art. 325-8,medium,2026-10-30,That brothel-keeping is prosecuted as procuring is a reading of the text; no case law was found.,ml-cp-2024,https://sgg-mali.ml/JO/2024/mali-jo-2024-21-sp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mali/
ML,Mali,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring is aiding, assisting or protecting another's prostitution, profiting from or sharing its proceeds, or recruiting, training or diverting a person into prostitution or pressuring them to prostitute themselves: five years, a fine of 1,000,000 francs and a ten-year residence ban (Article 325-8). Against a particularly vulnerable person it carries twenty years of criminal imprisonment and 5,000,000 francs.",Code pénal 2024 art. 325-6 | Code pénal 2024 art. 325-7 | Code pénal 2024 art. 325-8,high,2026-10-30,,ml-cp-2024,https://sgg-mali.ml/JO/2024/mali-jo-2024-21-sp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mali/
ML,Mali,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting 'by any means' (Article 325-9) can cover adverts placed by the person selling sex, and a third party who aids or protects another's prostitution commits procuring (Article 325-8).",Code pénal 2024 art. 325-8 | Code pénal 2024 art. 325-9,low,2026-10-30,This is a reading of the statutory text; no case on online advertising or websites was found.,ml-cp-2024,https://sgg-mali.ml/JO/2024/mali-jo-2024-21-sp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mali/
MT,Malta,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex privately is not an offence. Anyone who loiters or solicits in a street, public place or place exposed to the public for the purpose of prostitution commits a crime punishable by up to six months' imprisonment.",Art. 7(2) Cap. 63,high,2026-10-30,,mt-cap63 | mt-rossoni-2026,https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/63/eng/pdf | https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/download/3909/1625,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malta/
MT,Malta,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence. It is a crime to take part in sexual activity with a minor where child prostitution is involved (five to ten years), and to use the services of a person knowing that the person has been trafficked (18 months to five years).",Art. 204D(1)(d) Criminal Code (Cap. 9) | Art. 248F(2) Criminal Code (Cap. 9),high,2026-10-30,,mt-cap9,https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/9/eng/pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malta/
MT,Malta,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or sharing in the management or profits of a brothel or any premises resorted to for prostitution is punished with up to two years' imprisonment and a fine. Letting premises, permitting a shop, hotel or flat to be used for assignation, and renting vehicles for prostitution are separate offences.",Art. 8 Cap. 63 | Art. 9 Cap. 63 | Art. 10 Cap. 63 | Arts. 12–14 Cap. 63,high,2026-10-30,,mt-cap63 | mt-rossoni-2026,https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/63/eng/pdf | https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/download/3909/1625,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malta/
MT,Malta,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of another person's prostitution is punished with up to two years' imprisonment (18 months to four years if that person is under 18). Anyone who lives with or is habitually in the company of a sex worker is presumed to be doing so unless they prove otherwise.,Art. 7(1) Cap. 63 | Art. 7(3) Cap. 63 | Art. 205 Criminal Code (Cap. 9) | Art. 248B Criminal Code (Cap. 9),high,2026-10-30,,mt-cap63 | mt-cap9,https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/63/eng/pdf | https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/9/eng/pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malta/
MT,Malta,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Neither Cap. 63 nor the Criminal Code contains an offence specifically aimed at advertising adult sexual services; the only advertising offence found concerns child sex tourism (art. 208AB). Public solicitation remains a crime, and online ads have been used as evidence in police action against sex workers.",Art. 7(2) Cap. 63 | Art. 208AB Criminal Code (Cap. 9),medium,2026-10-30,"Based on a full-text search of the consolidated Cap. 9 and Cap. 63. We found no judgment on whether an advertising website or its operator could be liable under the living-on-earnings or brothel provisions, so the position of platforms is untested rather than clearly lawful.",mt-cap63 | mt-cap9 | mt-rossoni-2026,https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/63/eng/pdf | https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/9/eng/pdf | https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/download/3909/1625,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/malta/
MH,Marshall Islands,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 35 months,"A person who engages, or offers or agrees to engage, in sexual conduct with another person in return for something of value commits a felony of the third degree, punishable by up to 35 months' imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000.","§251.1 Criminal Code 2011, 31 MIRC Ch. 1 | §§6.03 and 6.06 Criminal Code 2011 (fines and imprisonment)",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Criminal Code 2011 (31 MIRC Ch. 1) as published (copy hosted by the BWC national implementation database); later amendments were not checked.,mh-cc,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/MH_Criminal%20Code%20_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/marshall-islands/
MH,Marshall Islands,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 35 months,"A person who gives or agrees to give something of value to another on an understanding that someone will engage in sexual conduct with them commits the felony of patronising prostitution (third degree: up to 35 months and $5,000).","§251.2 Criminal Code 2011, 31 MIRC Ch. 1",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Criminal Code 2011 (31 MIRC Ch. 1) as published (copy hosted by the BWC national implementation database); later amendments were not checked.,mh-cc,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/MH_Criminal%20Code%20_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/marshall-islands/
MH,Marshall Islands,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Advancing or profiting from prostitution by managing, supervising, controlling or owning a house of prostitution or a prostitution business involving two or more sex workers is a felony of the second degree (up to ten years and $20,000). Any room, building or structure regularly used for prostitution is a public nuisance; the court may order it closed for up to a year.","§251.3(1)(b) Criminal Code 2011, 31 MIRC Ch. 1 | §251.6 Criminal Code 2011, 31 MIRC Ch. 1",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Criminal Code 2011 (31 MIRC Ch. 1) as published (copy hosted by the BWC national implementation database); later amendments were not checked.,mh-cc,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/MH_Criminal%20Code%20_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/marshall-islands/
MH,Marshall Islands,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly advancing prostitution (causing or aiding it, procuring or soliciting patrons, providing persons, permitting premises to be used) or profiting from it is a third-degree felony; doing so by criminal coercion or with a person under 18 is a second-degree felony. Convicted persons forfeit the proceeds, and a Foreign Investment Business License is revoked.",§251.0(1)-(2) Criminal Code 2011 | §251.3(1)(a) and (c) Criminal Code 2011 | §251.4 Criminal Code 2011 | §251.5 Criminal Code 2011,high,2026-10-30,Read from the Criminal Code 2011 (31 MIRC Ch. 1) as published (copy hosted by the BWC national implementation database); later amendments were not checked.,mh-cc,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/MH_Criminal%20Code%20_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/marshall-islands/
MH,Marshall Islands,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no advertising-specific offence, but a sex worker's own ad is an 'offer' under §251.1, and a third party who 'procures or solicits patrons for prostitution' or 'engages in any other conduct designed to … facilitate' it advances prostitution under §251.0(1), which is a felony under §251.4. An ad platform that knowingly carries such ads could fall within that definition.",§251.0(1)(b) and (f) Criminal Code 2011 | §251.1 Criminal Code 2011 | §251.4 Criminal Code 2011,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the statutory definitions; no case law or guidance on advertising or platform liability was found, and electronic-communications laws were not reviewed.",mh-cc,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/MH_Criminal%20Code%20_EN.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/marshall-islands/
MR,Mauritania,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"No offence names selling sex, but any adult Muslim who voluntarily commits zina, established by four witnesses, a confession or, for a woman, pregnancy, is punished publicly with 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, and with death by stoning if married or divorced (Article 307). Commentators report that zina charges have been used to persecute sex workers.",Code pénal art. 307,medium,2026-10-30,Article 307 applies to Muslims only; no provision covering non-Muslims who sell sex was found. Read in a copy of the 1983 Journal officiel text; later amendments were not checked for this article. No figures on prosecutions of sex workers were found.,mr-cp | mr-jadaliyya,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/Mauritania_PenalCode.pdf | https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/42348,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritania/
MR,Mauritania,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"A client who is an adult Muslim commits zina under the same Article 307 as the person selling sex, with the same penalties: 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, death by stoning if married or divorced.",Code pénal art. 307,medium,2026-10-30,This applies the general zina offence; no case concerning a client was found.,mr-cp,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/Mauritania_PenalCode.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritania/
MR,Mauritania,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Holding, managing, running or financing a prostitution establishment, or habitually tolerating prostitution in a hotel, furnished house, bar, club or other place open to the public, carries two to five years and a fine (Article 313), doubled for a repeat within ten years, with permanent closure and withdrawal of the licence (Article 314). Knowingly making private premises available to sex workers for habitual debauchery carries six months to two years (Article 318).",Code pénal art. 313 | Code pénal art. 314 | Code pénal art. 318,high,2026-10-30,Fines in the 1983 text are expressed in ouguiyas before the 2018 redenomination.,mr-cp,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/Mauritania_PenalCode.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritania/
MR,Mauritania,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, knowingly lives with such a person, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual contact with sex workers, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: six months to three years and a fine (Article 311); two to five years if aggravated (Article 312).",Code pénal art. 311 | Code pénal art. 312 | Code pénal art. 316,high,2026-10-30,,mr-cp,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/Mauritania_PenalCode.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritania/
MR,Mauritania,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind whatever its terms, carries the penalties of Article 263: one month to two years and a fine (Article 264). Where the offence is committed through the press, publication directors or publishers are liable as principal offenders for the mere fact of publication (Article 265).",Code pénal art. 263 | Code pénal art. 264 | Code pénal art. 265,high,2026-10-30,No case applying these articles to websites or online platforms was found.,mr-cp,https://bwcimplementation.org/sites/default/files/resource/Mauritania_PenalCode.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritania/
MU,Mauritius,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,in public: 1 year,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. A ""common prostitute"" who is found wandering in any public place and behaving in a riotous or indecent manner is deemed an idle and disorderly person and is liable to a fine of up to 50,000 rupees and imprisonment of up to one year (Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act s. 26(1)(b) and (3)).",Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act s. 26(1)(b),high,2026-10-30,Statute read in the Attorney General's Office consolidated text. How often s. 26 is used against sex workers was not checked.,mu-ccsa | mu-cc,"https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CRIMINAL%20CODE%20(SUPPLEMENTARY)%20ACT,%20Cap%20196.pdf | https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CriminalCodeCap195.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritius/
MU,Mauritius,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Criminal Code or the Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act. Section 253 of the Criminal Code punishes those who, ""to gratify the passions of another and for gain"", procure or exploit a person's prostitution, which describes third parties rather than clients.",Criminal Code s. 253,medium,2026-10-30,Absence of an offence inferred from the two codes; other statutes (e.g. on children or trafficking) were not searched exhaustively. Sexual activity with a minor is separately criminalised.,mu-cc,https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CriminalCodeCap195.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritius/
MU,Mauritius,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in it, permitting premises one occupies to be used as a brothel, or letting premises knowing they are to be used as one, is punishable by a fine of up to 200,000 rupees together with up to 10 years' imprisonment. A ""brothel"" is any premises resorted to by persons of both sexes for the purpose of prostitution. Prosecution requires the direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions.",Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act s. 90,high,2026-10-30,"Whether a sex worker working alone from her own premises falls within the ""persons of both sexes"" definition was not checked against case law.",mu-ccsa,"https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CRIMINAL%20CODE%20(SUPPLEMENTARY)%20ACT,%20Cap%20196.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritius/
MU,Mauritius,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who, to gratify the passions of another and for gain, procures, entices or leads away a person for prostitution, exploits or is an accomplice in the prostitution of another even with consent, or draws a benefit from or shares the earnings of a person who habitually engages in prostitution, faces up to 20 years and a fine of up to 200,000 rupees. Gain is not required where the person is under 18, is to be sent abroad, or where fraud, threats or violence are used.",Criminal Code s. 253,high,2026-10-30,Penalty as in the Attorney General's consolidated text (s. 253 last amended by Act 36 of 2008).,mu-cc,https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CriminalCodeCap195.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritius/
MU,Mauritius,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found. A third party who publishes such advertisements for gain could fall under s. 253 as an accomplice in exploiting another person's prostitution, and advertising how obscene matter can be obtained is an offence under s. 86 of the Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act (fine up to 100,000 rupees and up to one year).",Criminal Code s. 253 | Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act s. 86,low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no case law on adverts or websites was found. Information and communication technology legislation was not checked.,mu-cc | mu-ccsa,"https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CriminalCodeCap195.pdf | https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Cr/CRIMINAL%20CODE%20(SUPPLEMENTARY)%20ACT,%20Cap%20196.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mauritius/
MX,Mexico,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"No federal or state penal provision makes selling sex between adults an offence. Local rules decide the rest: Tijuana forbids working without a municipal health card (fine or up to 36 hours' arrest), Cancún's police bylaw has punished offering sex in public places, and Mexico City has had no prostitution infraction since 2019.","art. 5 CPEUM | arts. 1, 206 Bis CPF | art. 37 LGPSEDMTP | arts. 10, 41 Reglamento para el Control de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (Tijuana)",high,2026-10-30,"Municipal rules are not consolidated anywhere; only Tijuana, Cancún and Mexico City were checked. The Cancún provision is known only from 2015–2016 news reports.",cpf | cpeum | lgt | tijuana-rcets | union-cancun-2015 | cdmx-lcc | jornada-2014,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPF.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf | http://www.unioncancun.mx/articulo/2015/07/10/gobierno/caceria-contra-prostitutas-y-clientes-en-cancun | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-2d138a1bf3bd98b883c46c3572754fad44a97a75.pdf | https://www.jornada.com.mx/2014/02/11/politica/015n1pol,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,Paying an adult for sex is not a federal or state offence. Knowingly buying the services of a trafficking victim is: 2 to 40 years' prison under art. 35 of the trafficking law. Some municipalities make soliciting sex in public an administrative infraction; Cancún reported 90 clients detained between 2013 and mid-2015.,art. 35 LGPSEDMTP | art. 534(VII) Bando de Gobierno y Policía de Benito Juárez (as reported 2015),high,2026-10-30,,lgt | union-cancun-2015 | cdmx-lcc | lasillarota-2019,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | http://www.unioncancun.mx/articulo/2015/07/10/gobierno/caceria-contra-prostitutas-y-clientes-en-cancun | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-2d138a1bf3bd98b883c46c3572754fad44a97a75.pdf | https://lasillarota.com/metropoli/2019/5/29/articulo-que-prohibia-ejercer-la-prostitucion-sera-eliminado-154072.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running, managing or financing a brothel, ""casa de citas"" or venue dedicated to exploiting prostitution is lenocinio under federal law (art. 206 Bis(III) CPF, 2 to 9 years) and in state codes (e.g. Mexico City art. 189, Baja California art. 267). In practice some municipalities license and inspect bars and clubs where sex is sold, as Tijuana's health regulation does.","arts. 206, 206 Bis(III) CPF | arts. 34, 115(IV) LGPSEDMTP | art. 189 CPDF (Mexico City) | art. 267 Código Penal BC | art. 193 Código Penal Quintana Roo",high,2026-10-30,How the criminal ban and Tijuana's administrative oversight of venues are reconciled in practice was not checked in case law.,cpf | lgt | cdmx-cp | bc-cp | qroo-cp | tijuana-rcets,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPF.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-deae456e36ecb11eac420f0f1839cc70e9ea4685.pdf | https://www.congresobc.gob.mx/Documentos/ProcesoParlamentario/Leyes/TOMO_V/20260828_CODPENAL.PDF | https://documentos.congresoqroo.gob.mx/codigos/C6-XVIII-14102026-20261016T150309-C1820261014261-C%C3%B3digo-Penal.pdf | https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision addresses sex workers sharing premises. Lenocinio requires exploiting or profiting from another person's prostitution or running a venue dedicated to exploiting it, so independent workers sharing costs are not clearly covered, but whoever manages or profits from a shared flat risks prosecution, and a landlord risks it under art. 34 of the trafficking law if they know of trafficking.",art. 206 Bis CPF | art. 34 LGPSEDMTP | art. 15 Reglamento para el Control de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (Tijuana),medium,2026-10-30,Inferred from the statutory wording; no case law on shared premises was found or checked.,cpf | lgt | tijuana-rcets,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPF.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Profiting from another adult's prostitution, inducing a person into it or facilitating the means is lenocinio even without coercion: 2 to 9 years federally (arts. 206, 206 Bis CPF) and similar ranges in state codes. Where profit is obtained through deception, violence, abuse of power or a situation of vulnerability, it is trafficking under art. 13 of the 2012 General Law: 15 to 30 years, and consent is no defence.","arts. 1, 204, 206, 206 Bis CPF | arts. 10, 13, 19, 20, 40, 41 LGPSEDMTP | art. 73(XXI)(a) CPEUM | art. 189 CPDF | art. 267 Código Penal BC | art. 193 Código Penal Quintana Roo",high,2026-10-30,"The 2012 law's ninth transitional article repeals ""the offences covered by it"" in the CPF. Diputados' consolidated text still prints arts. 206 and 206 Bis as in force, and no source checked here says whether that repeal reached them. The diputados.gob.mx consolidated texts were read from Wayback Machine copies captured in October 2026, because the site refused connections.",cpf | lgt | cpeum | cdmx-cp | bc-cp | qroo-cp,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPF.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-deae456e36ecb11eac420f0f1839cc70e9ea4685.pdf | https://www.congresobc.gob.mx/Documentos/ProcesoParlamentario/Leyes/TOMO_V/20260828_CODPENAL.PDF | https://documentos.congresoqroo.gob.mx/codigos/C6-XVIII-14102026-20261016T150309-C1820261014261-C%C3%B3digo-Penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"The trafficking law bans paid ads in mass media that include ""anuncios de contacto sexual"" or promote prostitution in a way that may foster trafficking (art. 106). Contracting ad space for unlawful or deceptive advertising meant to facilitate a trafficking offence carries 2 to 7 years (art. 32). No offence specifically targets an adult advertising their own services; whether art. 106 reaches such ads is untested in the sources checked.","arts. 4(XV)–(XVI), 32, 106 LGPSEDMTP | art. 206 Bis(II) CPF",medium,2026-10-30,Statutory text verified; no court decisions or enforcement data on how art. 106 is applied to classified sex ads were found.,lgt | cpf,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPF.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Whoever directs, manages or edits a printed, electronic or cyber medium that, in breach of the trafficking law, publishes content facilitating, promoting or procuring its offences faces 5 to 15 years (art. 33). The Intersecretarial Commission, with the Interior Ministry, must monitor classified ads published by any means. No notice-and-takedown statute for sex ads was identified.","arts. 14, 33, 88(XV), 106 LGPSEDMTP | Octavo transitorio LGPSEDMTP",medium,2026-10-30,"Whether the classified-ads monitoring guidelines were ever issued, and whether art. 33 has been used against an online ad platform, could not be verified. The 2025 telecommunications law was not reviewed.",lgt | tip-2025,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/mexico/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Street sex work is regulated by municipal police bylaws. Mexico City removed its infraction for inviting to, practising or soliciting prostitution in the 2019 Ley de Cultura Cívica. Cancún's Bando de Gobierno y Policía has made offering or soliciting sex in public places an infraction, and Tijuana requires anyone caught selling sex in public to register for a health card.","art. 115(II) CPEUM | arts. 9, 13 Reglamento para el Control de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (Tijuana) | art. 534(VII) Bando de Gobierno y Policía de Benito Juárez (as reported 2015)",medium,2026-10-30,Only three municipalities were checked; the current text of Cancún's Bando could not be retrieved.,cpeum | cdmx-lcc | lasillarota-2019 | jornada-2014 | union-cancun-2015 | tijuana-rcets,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-2d138a1bf3bd98b883c46c3572754fad44a97a75.pdf | https://lasillarota.com/metropoli/2019/5/29/articulo-que-prohibia-ejercer-la-prostitucion-sera-eliminado-154072.html | https://www.jornada.com.mx/2014/02/11/politica/015n1pol | http://www.unioncancun.mx/articulo/2015/07/10/gobierno/caceria-contra-prostitutas-y-clientes-en-cancun | https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"There is no national registration. Tijuana requires registration, a paid electronic health card and monthly medical and laboratory checks, enforced by fines and arrest. Mexico City issues an optional credential recognising sex workers as non-salaried workers, introduced after the 2014 amparo. Elsewhere it depends on the municipality.","arts. 11–31, 41 Reglamento para el Control de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (Tijuana)",medium,2026-10-30,The Tijuana text checked is an archived copy (last amendment 2017); the city's site refused connections and a 2025 council act may have amended it. Current Tijuana fees and the current Mexico City credential procedure were not verified.,tijuana-rcets | zeta-2015 | periodismonegro-2022 | jornada-2014 | debate-feminista-2014,https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf | https://zetatijuana.com/2015/12/ayuntamiento-explota-a-trabajadoras-sexuales/ | https://www.periodismonegro.mx/2022/08/22/ayuntamiento-de-tijuana-detecta-27-trabajadoras-sexuales-sin-tarjeta-sanitaria/ | https://www.jornada.com.mx/2014/02/11/politica/015n1pol | https://www.elsevier.es/pt-revista-debate-feminista-378-articulo-trabajadoras-sexuales-conquistan-derechos-laborales-S0188947816301347,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,No sex-work-specific tax or social security rules were found in federal law. Independent workers may join the IMSS compulsory scheme voluntarily (art. 13 Ley del Seguro Social). The May 2025 federal bill would expressly give sex workers that route. Tijuana charges municipal fees for the health card and checks.,art. 13 LSS | proposed art. 353-X LFT (2025 bill),low,2026-10-30,How the tax administration (SAT) treats income from sex work was not verified; the income tax law was not reviewed.,lss | zamora-2025 | tijuana-rcets,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LSS.pdf | https://sil.gobernacion.gob.mx/Archivos/Documentos/2025/05/asun_4898286_20250507_1746635703.pdf | https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
MX,Mexico,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Foreign nationals need a residence status that permits paid work: visitors without that permission may not do paid activities (art. 52(I) Ley de Migración). Trafficking victims may not be penalised for irregular status or false documents, nor detained (art. 38 of the trafficking law). The US TIP Report 2026 says people in commercial sex were not consistently screened for trafficking.",art. 52 Ley de Migración | art. 38 LGPSEDMTP,medium,2026-10-30,"No sex-work-specific immigration rule was found. Whether any work permit category could cover sex work, and how immigration authorities treat foreign sex workers, was not verified.",lmigra | lgt | tip-2026,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LMigra.pdf | https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGPSEDMTP.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2026-trafficking-in-persons-report/mexico/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mexico/
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),selling,Selling sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Selling sex is an offence in Chuuk (misdemeanour: up to one year, or a fine of not less than $500 per violation, or both) and Pohnpei (up to six months or a $500 fine, or both). No offence was found in the Kosrae or Yap codes.","§9025 Chuuk State Code, Title 12, Ch. 28 | 61 PC §8-112 Code of the State of Pohnpei",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the state codes on the FSM Legal Information System (fsmlaw.org); the Chuuk State Code there is marked as a draft compilation and the Pohnpei Code is a 2012 advance copy.,fm-chuuk | fm-pohnpei | fm-kosrae | fm-yap,https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm | https://www.fsmlaw.org/pohnpei/code/pdf/pohnpei%20state%202012%20code.pdf | https://www.fsmlaw.org/kosrae/code/title13/t13p01c05.htm | https://www.fsmlaw.org/yap/code/index.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),buying,Buying sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Chuuk's definition of prostitution covers acting 'as a customer of a prostitute', so clients commit the §9025 offence. In Pohnpei a person who 'aids another in the practice of prostitution by hiring such other person' for sex is guilty of prostitution. No offence was found in Kosrae or Yap.","§§9021(6) and 9025 Chuuk State Code, Title 12 | 61 PC §8-112 Code of the State of Pohnpei",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the state codes on the FSM Legal Information System (fsmlaw.org); the Chuuk State Code there is marked as a draft compilation and the Pohnpei Code is a 2012 advance copy.,fm-chuuk | fm-pohnpei,https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm | https://www.fsmlaw.org/pohnpei/code/pdf/pohnpei%20state%202012%20code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"No brothel-specific offence was found. In Chuuk, running a venue would fall under 'in any way taking part or aiding in prostitution'; in Pohnpei, under pandering where the operator induces people into prostitution or is paid for procuring them.","§9025 Chuuk State Code, Title 12 | 61 PC §8-111 Code of the State of Pohnpei",low,2026-10-30,Read from the state codes on the FSM Legal Information System (fsmlaw.org); the Chuuk State Code there is marked as a draft compilation and the Pohnpei Code is a 2012 advance copy. Application to venues is an inference from the wording.,fm-chuuk | fm-pohnpei,https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm | https://www.fsmlaw.org/pohnpei/code/pdf/pohnpei%20state%202012%20code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Pohnpei penalises pandering, defined as causing or inducing a person to engage in prostitution by promises, threats or any scheme, or receiving or giving money for procuring a person for prostitution (up to one year or $500). Chuuk penalises aiding in prostitution. At national level, the trafficking provisions of the FSM Code (Title 11, added by PL 17-38) define exploitation to include obtaining a benefit from another person's prostitution.","61 PC §8-111 Code of the State of Pohnpei | §9025 Chuuk State Code, Title 12 | §612 FSM Code, Title 11 (definitions)",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the state codes on the FSM Legal Information System (fsmlaw.org); the Chuuk State Code there is marked as a draft compilation and the Pohnpei Code is a 2012 advance copy.,fm-pohnpei | fm-chuuk | fm-national,https://www.fsmlaw.org/pohnpei/code/pdf/pohnpei%20state%202012%20code.pdf | https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm | http://www.fsmlaw.org/fsm/code/title11/T11_Ch6_SchII_2014.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"No advertising-specific offence was found. In Chuuk 'offering … to perform' a sexual act for hire is itself prostitution, which would cover a sex worker's own ad, and publishing ads for others could amount to 'aiding'; Pohnpei's offences do not address offers.","§§9021(6) and 9025 Chuuk State Code, Title 12",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the statutory definitions; no case law or guidance on advertising or platform liability was found, and electronic-communications laws were not reviewed.",fm-chuuk,https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/
MD,Moldova,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"MDL 1,300 fine","Practising prostitution, defined as satisfying another person's sexual desire by any method or means for payment, is a contravention punished by a fine of 14 to 26 conventional units or 10 to 20 hours of unpaid community work. A person who acted against their will is exempt from liability.","Art. 89(1), (3) Codul contravențional",medium,2026-10-30,"Each amending law was read in the Official Gazette (Monitorul Oficial); the consolidated code on legis.md sits behind a Cloudflare challenge, so the current wording was checked against an unofficial consolidation of February 2024 and amendments after that date were not checked. The value of the conventional unit is not stated here.",md-mo-2018-159 | md-mo-2022-102 | md-mo-2022-316 | md-moj-nota-316 | md-codcontr-2024,https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2075 | https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2440 | https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2576 | https://justice.gov.md/sites/default/files/document/attachments/nota_informativa_4.pdf | https://odo.md/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CContr.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/moldova/
MD,Moldova,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"MDL 2,400 fine",Benefiting from paid sexual services in exchange for offering or promising a reward is a contravention punished by a fine of 36 to 48 conventional units or 40 to 60 hours of community work. Buyers have been liable since 9 December 2018; their sanction was raised and the seller's lowered with effect from July 2022.,Art. 89(2) Codul contravențional,medium,2026-10-30,Amendments read in the Official Gazette; later changes after February 2024 not checked because legis.md could not be opened.,md-mo-2018-159 | md-mo-2022-102 | md-codcontr-2024,https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2075 | https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2440 | https://odo.md/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CContr.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/moldova/
MD,Moldova,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel offence; running a venue for prostitution falls under proxenetism, which includes facilitating the practice of prostitution and profiting from another person's prostitution. The basic offence carries a fine of 650 to 1,350 conventional units or two to five years, four to seven years for aggravated forms.",Art. 220 Codul penal,medium,2026-10-30,"Article 220 is quoted from Constitutional Court Decision No. 49 of 31 May 2018; the current consolidated Criminal Code on legis.md could not be opened, so later amendments were not checked. Treating a brothel as facilitation is our reading.",md-cc-dcc49-2018,https://constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?l=ro&tip=decizii&docid=468,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/moldova/
MD,Moldova,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Proxenetism, meaning inciting or inducing a person into prostitution, facilitating the practice of prostitution or deriving benefit from another person's prostitution, where the act is not trafficking, carries a fine of 650 to 1,350 conventional units or two to five years. Offences against two or more people, a pregnant woman, by two or more offenders or by public officials carry four to seven years; organised crime, five to ten.",Art. 220 Codul penal,medium,2026-10-30,"Text as quoted by the Constitutional Court in 2018. In Litschauer v. Moldova (2018) the European Court of Human Rights found that detaining the owner of an erotic video-chat studio on proxenetism charges breached Article 5 § 1, because it was not foreseeable that video-chat counted as prostitution.",md-cc-dcc49-2018 | md-echr-litschauer,https://constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?l=ro&tip=decizii&docid=468 | https://agent.gov.md/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LITSCHAUER-v.-REPUBLICA-MOLDOVA-red.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/moldova/
MD,Moldova,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. The Law on Advertising (No. 62/2022) prohibits immoral advertising and advertising that encourages, directly or indirectly, behaviour contrary to the law; since selling and buying sex are contraventions, adverts for them fall under that ban. Placing adverts for another person's services can also amount to facilitating prostitution under Article 220 of the Criminal Code.","Art. 7(3)(c), (g) Legea nr. 62/2022 cu privire la publicitate | Art. 220 Codul penal",low,2026-10-30,"Applying the general ban to adverts for sexual services, and Article 220 to ad sites, is our inference; no enforcement practice or case law was found. The sanction for breaching the advertising law was not checked.",md-mo-2022-62 | md-cc-dcc49-2018,https://monitorul.gov.md/ro/monitorul/view/pdf/2438 | https://constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?l=ro&tip=decizii&docid=468,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/moldova/
MC,Monaco,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,"soliciting: €1,000 fine","Selling sex is not itself an offence. Publicly soliciting people of either sex, by gestures, words, writing or any other means, 'with a view to inciting them to debauchery' is a contravention fined €600–1,000 (art. 421(3) with art. 29).",Code pénal art. 421(3) | art. 29,high,2026-10-30,,mc-code-penal,https://legimonaco.mc/code/code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/monaco/
MC,Monaco,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Buying sexual services from an adult is not an offence. Using a minor for sexual activities in return for money or any other benefit is punishable by three to five years and a fine (art. 269-1).,Code pénal art. 269-1,high,2026-10-30,,mc-code-penal,https://legimonaco.mc/code/code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/monaco/
MC,Monaco,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel offence, but anyone who aids, assists or protects another person's prostitution, or shares its proceeds, is a procurer under art. 268, so running or managing premises for prostitution is punishable by six months to three years and a fine.",Code pénal art. 268,medium,2026-10-30,"No specific provision on letting premises for prostitution was found; the classification relies on the general wording of art. 268, without reviewed case law.",mc-code-penal,https://legimonaco.mc/code/code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/monaco/
MC,Monaco,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Art. 268 punishes with six months to three years and a fine anyone who recruits, trains or diverts a person into prostitution or pressures them to continue; aids, assists or protects another's prostitution; shares its proceeds or knowingly receives money from sex workers; or cannot justify their income while habitually associating with sex workers. Acting as an intermediary is treated the same.","Code pénal arts. 265, 268, 269",high,2026-10-30,,mc-code-penal,https://legimonaco.mc/code/code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/monaco/
MC,Monaco,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"No provision specific to advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting 'by writing or any other means' is a contravention (art. 421(3)), which may reach a sex worker's own public advertising, and a third party who publishes ads for sex workers may be treated as aiding or assisting another's prostitution, or as an intermediary, under art. 268.","Code pénal arts. 268, 421(3)",low,2026-10-30,The application of arts. 268 and 421(3) to advertising is an inference from the statutory wording; no case law or official guidance was found.,mc-code-penal,https://legimonaco.mc/code/code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/monaco/
MN,Mongolia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"MNT 50,000 fine",Selling sex is an infringement: illegally obtained income is confiscated and the person is fined the tögrög equivalent of 50 units.,Зөрчлийн тухай хууль 6.18 дугаар зүйлийн 4 дэх хэсэг,medium,2026-10-30,"Checked against a copy of the official consolidated text hosted by a government agency, current to amendments of May 2020; the national legal portal (legalinfo.mn) could not be reached to confirm later changes. A further revised Law on Infringements was reportedly submitted to parliament in 2022; whether it has been adopted was not confirmed.",mn-infringements | mn-nli-study,https://mmra.gov.mn/Files/legalinfo.mn%20-%20%D0%97%D3%A8%D0%A0%D0%A7%D0%9B%D0%98%D0%99%D0%9D%20%D0%A2%D0%A3%D0%A5%D0%90%D0%99.pdf | https://nli.gov.mn/pdf/sadar_samuun_yavdaltai_temtseh.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mongolia/
MN,Mongolia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"MNT 50,000 fine",Paying for sex is an infringement under the same provision as selling: confiscation of illegally obtained income and a fine of 50 units.,Зөрчлийн тухай хууль 6.18 дугаар зүйлийн 4 дэх хэсэг,medium,2026-10-30,Same source limitation as for selling: text current to May 2020 amendments.,mn-infringements,https://mmra.gov.mn/Files/legalinfo.mn%20-%20%D0%97%D3%A8%D0%A0%D0%A7%D0%9B%D0%98%D0%99%D0%9D%20%D0%A2%D0%A3%D0%A5%D0%90%D0%99.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mongolia/
MN,Mongolia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Setting up or financing a place of prostitution, organising prostitution, or providing vehicles, housing or other means for it is punishable by one to five years' restriction of movement or imprisonment; five to twelve years' imprisonment if committed by an organised criminal group.","Эрүүгийн хууль 12.6 дугаар зүйлийн 2, 3 дахь хэсэг",medium,2026-10-30,"Wording taken from the 2020 amending law as published in the State Gazette; later amendments, if any, could not be checked on the national legal portal.",mn-gazette-2020 | mn-infringements,https://parliament.mn/files/7b3bb44ee68f44a7a76c2aa315362129/?d=1 | https://mmra.gov.mn/Files/legalinfo.mn%20-%20%D0%97%D3%A8%D0%A0%D0%A7%D0%9B%D0%98%D0%99%D0%9D%20%D0%A2%D0%A3%D0%A5%D0%90%D0%99.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mongolia/
MN,Mongolia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Mediating for another person's prostitution or drawing them into it is punishable by six months to three years' restriction of movement or imprisonment. If the person whose body is sold is under 18, the act is treated as human trafficking.",Эрүүгийн хууль 12.6 дугаар зүйлийн 1 дэх хэсэг,medium,2026-10-30,Wording taken from the 2020 amending law; later amendments could not be checked.,mn-gazette-2020,https://parliament.mn/files/7b3bb44ee68f44a7a76c2aa315362129/?d=1,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mongolia/
MN,Mongolia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"The Law on Combating Pornography prohibits promoting ""садар самуун"" (a term it defines to include prostitution) through the media, and the Law on Infringements fines promotion through mass media that falls short of a crime. Third parties who advertise for others may also be mediating prostitution, a crime under Criminal Code Article 12.6.","Садар самуун явдалтай тэмцэх тухай хууль 3.1.2, 5.1 | Зөрчлийн тухай хууль 6.18 дугаар зүйлийн 1 дэх хэсэг",low,2026-10-30,The text of the Law on Combating Pornography could not be opened (legalinfo.mn unreachable); its definitions are taken from search-result extracts. No provision on online advertising platforms specifically was found.,mn-infringements | mn-nli-study,https://mmra.gov.mn/Files/legalinfo.mn%20-%20%D0%97%D3%A8%D0%A0%D0%A7%D0%9B%D0%98%D0%99%D0%9D%20%D0%A2%D0%A3%D0%A5%D0%90%D0%99.pdf | https://nli.gov.mn/pdf/sadar_samuun_yavdaltai_temtseh.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mongolia/
ME,Montenegro,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,"in public: €1,000 or 30 days","Engaging in prostitution in a public place, or engaging in acts that encourage prostitution, is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of EUR 200–1,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment. The offence is tied to public places; selling in private is not covered by it.",čl. 27 Zakona o javnom redu i miru,high,2026-10-30,,me-zjrm-2011 | me-zjrm-2020,https://www.sluzbenilist.me/propisi/306909 | https://www.sluzbenilist.me/propisi/337196,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/montenegro/
ME,Montenegro,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the public order law or the Criminal Code. Using the sexual services of a minor is a crime punishable by two to ten years.,čl. 210 st. 3 Krivičnog zakonika,medium,2026-10-30,The Criminal Code text used is a 2021 consolidated edition; later amendments were not checked.,me-zjrm-2011 | me-kz,https://www.sluzbenilist.me/propisi/306909 | https://www.ombudsman.co.me/docs/1612168040_krivicni-zakonik-crne-gore.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/montenegro/
ME,Montenegro,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Renting or providing premises for prostitution, or otherwise mediating in it, is a misdemeanour: EUR 500–5,000 for a legal person, EUR 300–2,000 for an entrepreneur or the responsible officer, and EUR 300–1,500 or up to 30 days for an individual.",čl. 28 Zakona o javnom redu i miru,high,2026-10-30,,me-zjrm-2011,https://www.sluzbenilist.me/propisi/306909,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/montenegro/
ME,Montenegro,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing or inciting another person to prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by three months to two years; two to ten years if committed against a minor or by several people in an organised way.",čl. 210 st. 1–2 Krivičnog zakonika,medium,2026-10-30,Based on a 2021 consolidated text hosted by the Ombudsman; later amendments to the Criminal Code were not checked.,me-kz,https://www.ombudsman.co.me/docs/1612168040_krivicni-zakonik-crne-gore.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/montenegro/
ME,Montenegro,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media and other similar means is a crime under the same paragraph as procuring, punishable by three months to two years. The wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.",čl. 210 st. 1 Krivičnog zakonika,medium,2026-10-30,Based on a 2021 consolidated text; application to websites and ad platforms was not checked against case law.,me-kz,https://www.ombudsman.co.me/docs/1612168040_krivicni-zakonik-crne-gore.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/montenegro/
MA,Morocco,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"There is no offence of selling sex as such, but sexual relations between unmarried persons of different sexes are punishable by one month to one year in prison (Article 490), and publicly soliciting people of either sex to debauchery is punishable by one month to one year and a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 dirhams (Article 502).",Code pénal art. 490 | Code pénal art. 502,high,2026-10-30,Checked against the Ministry of Justice consolidation of 5 July 2018; the later 2021 consolidation on adala.justice.gov.ma could not be opened from here.,ma-cp | ma-escwa,https://www.onousc.ma/storage/code_penal.pdf | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/morocco.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/morocco/
MA,Morocco,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 1 year,There is no specific offence of paying for sex. A client who has sex with a person of the other sex outside marriage commits the general Article 490 offence (one month to one year); a married client may also be prosecuted for adultery (one to two years) on the complaint of the spouse (Article 491).,Code pénal art. 490 | Code pénal art. 491,high,2026-10-30,,ma-cp,https://www.onousc.ma/storage/code_penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/morocco/
MA,Morocco,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, managing, operating, directing or financing premises habitually used for prostitution, or a public establishment that tolerates it, is punishable by four to ten years and a fine of 5,000 to 2,000,000 dirhams, with withdrawal of any licence and possible closure (Article 501). Tolerating habitual clandestine prostitution in premises one controls is punishable by one month to two years (Article 503).",Code pénal art. 501 | Code pénal art. 501-1 | Code pénal art. 503,high,2026-10-30,,ma-cp,https://www.onousc.ma/storage/code_penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/morocco/
MA,Morocco,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Article 498 punishes with one to five years and a fine of 5,000 to 1,000,000 dirhams anyone who knowingly aids, assists or protects another's prostitution, shares in its proceeds, lives with a person habitually engaged in it, recruits or acts as an intermediary. Aggravating circumstances (minors, coercion, several victims, use of communication messages, among others) raise this to two to ten years (Article 499).",Code pénal art. 498 | Code pénal art. 499 | Code pénal art. 499-1,high,2026-10-30,,ma-cp,https://www.onousc.ma/storage/code_penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/morocco/
MA,Morocco,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no specific advertising offence, but public soliciting ""by gestures, words, writings or any other means"" is punishable under Article 502, and aiding another's prostitution ""in any manner"" is procuring under Article 498. Procuring offences committed through messages sent by means of communication are aggravated under Article 499.",Code pénal art. 498(1) | Code pénal art. 499(9) | Code pénal art. 502,medium,2026-10-30,How courts apply these provisions to online advertisements and to sites hosting them was not checked.,ma-cp,https://www.onousc.ma/storage/code_penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/morocco/
MZ,Mozambique,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes it an offence for an adult to sell sex. The general offence of importuning someone with explicit sexual proposals (art. 204, up to two years) and the public-indecency offence (art. 217) are not specific to sex work.","Código Penal (Lei 24/2019) arts. 204, 214, 217",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of Boletim da República I Série n.º 248 (24 December 2019) hosted by a law-reform site; the official Imprensa Nacional portal was not used. No 2023–2026 amendment to these articles was found, but municipal by-laws and police practice were not reviewed.",mz-cp2019,https://reformar.co.mz/documentos-diversos/lei-24-2019-lei-de-revisao-do-codigo-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mozambique/
MZ,Mozambique,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,There is no client offence for adults. Paying for sex with a minor is caught by the separate minors' provisions (art. 215 and the sexual-abuse offences).,Código Penal (Lei 24/2019) arts. 214–215,medium,2026-10-30,Read from the 2019 Boletim da República copy.,mz-cp2019,https://reformar.co.mz/documentos-diversos/lei-24-2019-lei-de-revisao-do-codigo-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mozambique/
MZ,Mozambique,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel is a form of professionally or for-profit facilitating another person's prostitution. It falls under lenocínio, punishable by one to two years and a corresponding fine (art. 214(1)).","Código Penal (Lei 24/2019, as amended by Lei 17/2020) art. 214(1)",medium,2026-10-30,Translation by the editors. Brothels are not mentioned by name; their inclusion follows from the wording.,mz-cp2019 | mz-lei17-2020,https://reformar.co.mz/documentos-diversos/lei-24-2019-lei-de-revisao-do-codigo-penal.pdf | https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/mz/2020/mz-government-gazette-series-i-supplement-no-2-dated-2020-12-23-no-246.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mozambique/
MZ,Mozambique,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Fostering, favouring or facilitating another's prostitution professionally or for profit carries one to two years and a fine (art. 214(1)). It carries two to eight years if committed with violence or serious threat, by fraud, by abusing family, tutorial, hierarchical, economic or work dependence, or by exploiting mental incapacity or special vulnerability (art. 214(2)). Trafficking for sexual exploitation carries 16 to 20 years (art. 196-A).",Código Penal art. 214(1)–(2) | art. 196-A (added by Lei 17/2020),medium,2026-10-30,"Lei 17/2020 changed the headings of arts. 214–215 to ""Lenocínio"" and ""Lenocínio de menores""; its gazetted text marks the numbered paragraphs as ""[…]"", i.e. unchanged.",mz-cp2019 | mz-lei17-2020,https://reformar.co.mz/documentos-diversos/lei-24-2019-lei-de-revisao-do-codigo-penal.pdf | https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/mz/2020/mz-government-gazette-series-i-supplement-no-2-dated-2020-12-23-no-246.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mozambique/
MZ,Mozambique,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services. A third party who places or hosts adverts for profit could be treated as favouring or facilitating prostitution (art. 214). Separately, putting sexually explicit writings or images in public places for commerce, or broadcasting them in public, carries up to six months (art. 217(2)).",Código Penal art. 214 | art. 217(2),low,2026-10-30,A reading of the statutory text only; no prosecutions of advertisers or websites were found.,mz-cp2019,https://reformar.co.mz/documentos-diversos/lei-24-2019-lei-de-revisao-do-codigo-penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/mozambique/
MM,Myanmar,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Soliciting customers for prostitution is punished with one to three years' imprisonment with hard labour and a possible fine (section 3). Section 17 lets the court order detention in a designated facility instead of prison, including for persons who make their living from prostitution (section 7(1)(a)).",s. 3 Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949 | s. 7(1)(a) Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949 | s. 17 Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be opened (ILO NATLEX blocked; no official English text found). Section numbers and penalties are taken from the Asia Catalyst/Vance Center review (2018), which works from an unofficial translation.",mm-asiacatalyst | mm-ilga-can,https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/ILGAAsiaandCANMyanmar.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/myanmar/
MM,Myanmar,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,The Act does not include any offence for customers of sex workers.,Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949,low,2026-10-30,Statute not checked; based on the Asia Catalyst/Vance Center review (2018). Buying sex from a child is covered by other laws not reviewed here.,mm-asiacatalyst,https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/myanmar/
MM,Myanmar,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Managing a brothel is punished with one to five years' imprisonment and a possible fine. Since 1998 ""brothel"" covers any house, building, room, vehicle, vessel, aircraft or place habitually used for prostitution or used in any kind of business for that purpose.",s. 5(1) Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949 | Law No. 7/98,low,2026-10-30,Statute not checked; secondary legal analyses only.,mm-asiacatalyst | mm-ilga-can,https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/ILGAAsiaandCANMyanmar.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/myanmar/
MM,Myanmar,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,Depending on a person whose occupation is prostitution (living on the earnings) is punished with one to five years and a possible fine. Procuring persons for prostitution and renting premises for use as a brothel are also offences.,s. 5(1) Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949,low,2026-10-30,Statute not checked; secondary legal analyses only. Exact section numbers for procuring and renting premises were not confirmed.,mm-asiacatalyst | mm-ilga-can,https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/ILGAAsiaandCANMyanmar.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/myanmar/
MM,Myanmar,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising was identified. Offering one's own services publicly would fall under the soliciting offence, and advertising for others could amount to procuring or aiding prostitution.",s. 3 Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949,low,2026-10-30,Inference; neither the statute nor media and electronic-transactions law was reviewed.,mm-asiacatalyst | mm-ilga-can,https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/ILGAAsiaandCANMyanmar.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/myanmar/
NA,Namibia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 years,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. Any person who ""in any public street or place entices, solicits or importunes or makes any proposals to any other person for immoral purposes"" faces a fine of up to two thousand rand and/or up to two years (s. 7(a)). Committing an immoral act with another person in public carries a fine of up to three thousand rand and/or three years (s. 8).",Act 21/1980 s. 7(a) | s. 8,medium,2026-10-30,"Statute read from NamibLII's annotated consolidation, which includes amendments up to February 2026, through the Internet Archive's copy because NamibLII blocks automated access. Fines are still expressed in rand in the statute.",na-cip | na-namibian-2025,https://namiblii.org/akn/na/act/1980/21/eng@2024-05-15 | https://www.namibian.com.na/calls-grow-for-sex-work-legalisation/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/namibia/
NA,Namibia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Act contains no offence of paying an adult for sex. The public-soliciting offence (s. 7(a)) applies to any person, so a client who solicits in a public street or place can commit it.",Act 21/1980 s. 7(a),medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the NamibLII annotated text, via the Internet Archive.",na-cip | na-namibian-2025,https://namiblii.org/akn/na/act/1980/21/eng@2024-05-15 | https://www.namibian.com.na/calls-grow-for-sex-work-legalisation/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/namibia/
NA,Namibia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a brothel carries up to three years' imprisonment, or that and a fine of up to three thousand rand (s. 2(1)). A brothel includes any house or place kept or used for prostitution. Owners or occupiers who knowingly permit premises to be used for any offence under the Act face up to two years (s. 9).","Act 21/1980 s. 1 (""brothel"") | s. 2(1) | s. 9",medium,2026-10-30,"The Hendricks order is taken from NamibLII's annotations, not from the judgment. The annotations attribute the strike-down to s. 2(2); other copies of the order quote it as s. 2(3).",na-cip,https://namiblii.org/akn/na/act/1980/21/eng@2024-05-15,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/namibia/
NA,Namibia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a woman to become a prostitute or an inmate of a brothel, or enticing her to a brothel, carries up to five years (s. 5). Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution, or assisting in bringing about or receiving payment for another person's ""immoral act"", carries a fine of up to three thousand rand and/or three years (s. 10). Detaining a woman in a brothel against her will carries up to seven years (s. 13).",Act 21/1980 s. 5 | s. 10 | s. 13,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the NamibLII annotated text, via the Internet Archive.",na-cip,https://namiblii.org/akn/na/act/1980/21/eng@2024-05-15,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/namibia/
NA,Namibia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Any person who, intending that a man have sex outside marriage with a woman, ""performs any act or does anything or furnishes any information"" calculated or likely to enable him to contact or trace her commits an offence carrying up to five years (s. 6). This wording reaches adverts and introduction services. Where the accused had reason to suspect the woman was a sex worker, the intent is presumed (s. 12(3)).",Act 21/1980 s. 6 | s. 12(3),low,2026-10-30,"A reading of the statutory text. The section is framed around a man and a woman. No prosecutions of publishers or websites were found, and whether it has been applied to a sex worker's own advert is unknown.",na-cip,https://namiblii.org/akn/na/act/1980/21/eng@2024-05-15,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/namibia/
NR,Nauru,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of selling or offering sexual services was found in the Crimes Act 2016; its commercial sexual services offences are aimed at those who engage, employ, cause or permit another person to provide them.",,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Crimes Act 2016 as enacted (copy hosted by ILGA World); the official RONLAW portal serves documents only through a JavaScript application that could not be read automatically, so later amendments were not checked. Other legislation, such as police offences laws, was not checked for street soliciting offences.",nr-crimes | nr-amnesty,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NR%20-%20LEG%20-%20Crimes%20Act%20(2016)%20-%20OR-OFF(en).pdf | https://www.amnesty.org.au/nauru-new-criminal-law/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nauru/
NR,Nauru,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 5 years,"A person who intentionally engages, employs, causes or permits another person to provide a commercial sexual service commits an offence punishable by five years, or seven with aggravating circumstances. 'Engages' on its ordinary meaning includes a client who pays for the service.",s. 107 Crimes Act 2016 | s. 8 Crimes Act 2016 (definition of commercial sexual service),medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Crimes Act 2016 as enacted (copy hosted by ILGA World); the official RONLAW portal serves documents only through a JavaScript application that could not be read automatically, so later amendments were not checked. No court decision applying s. 107 to clients was found; the reading follows the wording and Amnesty International's 2016 analysis.",nr-crimes | nr-amnesty,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NR%20-%20LEG%20-%20Crimes%20Act%20(2016)%20-%20OR-OFF(en).pdf | https://www.amnesty.org.au/nauru-new-criminal-law/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nauru/
NR,Nauru,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A person who owns, leases, rents or is entitled to use premises, or controls an entity that does, commits an offence if they know the premises are or will be made available for commercial sexual services by two or more people (six years; strict liability as to the interest). Employing or permitting others to provide such services is separately caught by s. 107.",s. 108 Crimes Act 2016 | s. 107 Crimes Act 2016,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Crimes Act 2016 as enacted (copy hosted by ILGA World); the official RONLAW portal serves documents only through a JavaScript application that could not be read automatically, so later amendments were not checked.",nr-crimes,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NR%20-%20LEG%20-%20Crimes%20Act%20(2016)%20-%20OR-OFF(en).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nauru/
NR,Nauru,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Engaging, employing, causing or permitting another person to provide a commercial sexual service carries five years (seven if aggravated). Using threats or promises (intimidatory conduct) that contribute to a person entering or remaining in prostitution, or giving up payments earned from it, carries 25 years.",s. 107 Crimes Act 2016 | s. 109 Crimes Act 2016,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the Crimes Act 2016 as enacted (copy hosted by ILGA World); the official RONLAW portal serves documents only through a JavaScript application that could not be read automatically, so later amendments were not checked.",nr-crimes,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NR%20-%20LEG%20-%20Crimes%20Act%20(2016)%20-%20OR-OFF(en).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nauru/
NR,Nauru,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. A person who advertises others' services for profit could be said to 'cause' them to provide commercial sexual services under s. 107.,s. 107 Crimes Act 2016,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",nr-crimes,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NR%20-%20LEG%20-%20Crimes%20Act%20(2016)%20-%20OR-OFF(en).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nauru/
NP,Nepal,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"The 2007 Act creates no offence for selling sex and treats a person ""put into prostitution"" as a victim. Sex workers have nonetheless been detained and prosecuted under the Some Public (Crime and Punishment) Act 1970, a public-order law.",s. 2(c) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007,medium,2026-10-30,"The Some Public (Crime and Punishment) Act 1970 was not read; its use against sex workers is documented by an NGO study (FWLD 2014, including a 2009 Kathmandu raid), not by court statistics.",np-httca-en | np-fwld-2014,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nepal-TIP-Law-2007.pdf | https://fwld.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Human-Trafficking-and-Transportation-Control-Act-2007-ITS-IMPLEMENTATION.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nepal/
NP,Nepal,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 months,"Going to a sex worker as a client (वेश्यागमन) is defined as an act of human trafficking and punished by one to three months' imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 rupees. FWLD reported in 2014 that in practice clients caught in raids were released.",दफा ४(१)(घ) | दफा १५(१)(घ),medium,2026-10-30,The official Nepali text on the Law Commission portal could not be opened (connection refused); its wording of section 4(1) was confirmed through a search result and a Nepali news article quoting it. The penalty was read in an unofficial English translation.,np-httca | np-httca-en | np-fwld-2014 | np-eadarsha,https://repository.lawcommission.gov.np/np/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%93%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3-%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AA.pdf | https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nepal-TIP-Law-2007.pdf | https://fwld.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Human-Trafficking-and-Transportation-Control-Act-2007-ITS-IMPLEMENTATION.pdf | https://www.eadarsha.com/nep/article/%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E2%88%95-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nepal/
NP,Nepal,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No separate brothel offence was found. Running a brothel involves putting others into prostitution, which is human trafficking under section 4(1)(b) regardless of whether the operator profits, and is punished under section 15(1)(b).",s. 4(1)(b) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007 | s. 15(1)(b) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007,medium,2026-10-30,"The English translation states the section 15(1)(b) penalty as ""Ten years to Five years"" with a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 rupees, an evident typographical error; other translations give ten to fifteen years. The official Nepali text could not be opened to settle it.",np-httca-en | np-fwld-2014,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nepal-TIP-Law-2007.pdf | https://fwld.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Human-Trafficking-and-Transportation-Control-Act-2007-ITS-IMPLEMENTATION.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nepal/
NP,Nepal,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Putting someone into prostitution, ""with or without any benefit"", is human trafficking punishable by about ten to fifteen years' imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 rupees. Transporting a person within Nepal or abroad for prostitution by enticement, deception, coercion or similar means is a separate offence.",s. 4(1)(b) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007 | s. 4(2)(b) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007 | s. 15 Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007,medium,2026-10-30,Penalties as given in an unofficial English translation; see the note on brothels.,np-httca-en | np-httca,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nepal-TIP-Law-2007.pdf | https://repository.lawcommission.gov.np/np/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%93%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0-%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3-%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nepal/
NP,Nepal,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. A third party who places ads to supply others for prostitution risks the offence of putting someone into prostitution, which applies with or without benefit.",s. 4(1)(b) Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2007,low,2026-10-30,"Advertising, electronic transactions and public-decency laws were not checked; this entry only reflects the trafficking Act. Whether a sex worker's own advertisement is an offence was not established.",np-httca-en,https://www.warnathgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nepal-TIP-Law-2007.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nepal/
NL,Netherlands,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sexual services is legal for adults (18+) nationally. Involving anyone under 18 is an offence for third parties and clients, not for the minor. Many municipalities, including Amsterdam, require sex workers in licensed businesses to be 21 (the government portal says 'most cities'). A statutory national minimum age of 21 has been announced but not yet tabled.","art. 273f(1)(5°), (8°) Sr | art. 245(1)(d) Sr | APV (municipal)",high,2026-10-30,,sr-wetten | stb-2024-61 | kst-34193-21 | kst-28638-274 | nd-2026-09-22 | ah-2026-257 | kst-37020-vi-2 | amsterdam-apv | ondernemersplein-exploitant | ondernemersplein-zzp,https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001854/2026-07-01 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2024-61.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-28638-274.html | https://www.nd.nl/nieuws/politiek/1332215/leeftijdsgrens-voor-sekswerk-alsnog-naar-21-jaar | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/ah-1272963.pdf | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-37020-VI-2.html | https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/startsituaties/werken-als-exploitant-in-de-seksuele-dienstverlening/ | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Buying sex from an adult is legal nationally; municipal bylaws (APVs) such as Amsterdam's make buying in the street a minor offence. Separately, it is an offence to pay a 16- or 17-year-old for sex (art. 245 Sr, up to 6 years) and, since 1 January 2022, to have sex with a sex worker while knowing or having serious reason to suspect they are a trafficking victim (art. 273g Sr, up to 4 years).",art. 273g Sr | art. 245(1)(d) Sr | e.g. Amsterdam APV art. 2.13,high,2026-10-30,The status reflects the municipal street-buying bans; the offences involving minors and trafficking victims are not what the status shows. Street-buying bans were checked only in the Amsterdam APV; how many other municipalities have them was not counted.,sr-wetten | stb-2021-467 | stb-2026-312 | kst-36835-a | kst-35715-2 | kst-28638-269 | tk-vote-2026z18344 | amsterdam-apv,https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001854/2026-07-01 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2021-467.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2026-312.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-36835-A.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-35715-2.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-28638-269.html | https://gegevensmagazijn.tweedekamer.nl/OData/v4/2.0/Zaak?$filter=Nummer%20eq%20'2026Z18344'&$expand=Besluit($expand=Stemming) | https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,,,"Brothels, clubs, window brothels and escort agencies have been lawful since 1 October 2000, subject to a municipal operating licence under the local APV (art. 151a Gemeentewet). Municipalities decide whether and where to license and may cap numbers or in practice refuse all; running an unlicensed business where a licence is required is a bylaw offence.",art. 151a Gemeentewet | art. 154 Gemeentewet | Amsterdam APV arts. 3.27–3.37,high,2026-10-30,,stb-1999-464 | stb-2000-38 | gemeentewet | amsterdam-apv | kst-34193-13 | ondernemersplein-exploitant,https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-1999-464.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2000-38.html | https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416/2026-10-01 | https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/startsituaties/werken-als-exploitant-in-de-seksuele-dienstverlening/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,varies,Varies by region,,,"No national offence. Under the Amsterdam APV (art. 1.1), likely typical given the widely adopted VNG model APV, a 'prostitution business' is any publicly accessible closed space where opportunity for prostitution is given commercially or on a comparable scale, so sex workers working together from one address may need an operator licence; rules on home-based work differ widely between municipalities.","APV (municipal) | e.g. Amsterdam APV arts. 1.1, 3.27, 3.32",medium,2026-10-30,"Position depends on each municipality's APV wording and enforcement; no national rule or case law was reviewed for this entry. The definition is quoted from the Amsterdam APV; that the VNG model APV uses the same wording was not checked against the model text, which over 85% of municipalities adopted largely unchanged (WODC 2022).",amsterdam-apv | ondernemersplein-zzp | kst-34193-13,https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Profiting from voluntary adult prostitution is not itself an offence since 2000; licensed operators may run businesses. Exploitation is human trafficking under art. 273f Sr (up to 12 years; aggravated up to 15/18 years or life), including forcing someone to hand over earnings and knowingly profiting from exploitation. A 'pimp ban' is being explored.","art. 273f Sr | arts. 273fa, 273fb Sr (enacted, not yet in force)",high,2026-10-30,,sr-wetten | stb-2026-312 | ek-36547 | kst-34193-21,https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001854/2026-07-01 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2026-312.html | https://www.eerstekamer.nl/wetsvoorstel/36547_wet_modernisering_en | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Advertising sexual services is legal; there is no national advertising offence. Municipal APVs set rules for licensed businesses, typically that ads show the business name and licence number and use only the phone numbers on the licence; Amsterdam also bans advertising unsafe sex. Individual sex workers have no national licence number to display.","Amsterdam APV arts. 3.38, 3.45, 6.1 | VNG model APV ch. 3",medium,2026-10-30,Advertising rules differ by municipality; Amsterdam is described as an example. Whether a municipality requires a licence number depends on its own APV; the VNG model APV text itself was not checked. The penalty shown is the APV minor offence (art. 6.1) for the unsafe-sex and STI-free ad bans; the licence-number duty is enforced administratively.,amsterdam-apv | kst-35715-2 | kst-34193-21 | kst-34193-13 | ccv-background,https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-35715-2.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html | https://hetccv.nl/themas/integraal-veiligheidsbeleid/sekswerkbeleid/achtergrond-sekswerkbeleid/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,legal,Legal,none,,No platform-specific offence is in force. Platforms fall under the trafficking provisions only if they intentionally profit from exploitation. Since April 2026 the largest sites verify advertisers' identity under a voluntary arrangement with prosecutors. A bill passed by the Tweede Kamer on 6 October 2026 (art. 250b Sr) would make it an offence for sex-ad platforms not to verify identity and age.,"art. 273f(1)(6°) Sr | art. 250b Sr (bill 36 835, not yet law)",high,2026-10-30,"Status shows the law in force on 30 October 2026. Art. 250b Sr exists only in bill 36 835, which is before the Eerste Kamer and needs a royal decree to commence. The status will change to restricted (criminal) if it enters into force. The April 2026 identity checks are a voluntary arrangement; the government letter cites no legal basis for them.",sr-wetten | kst-34193-21 | kst-36835-a | ek-36835 | wodc-platforms-2026 | kst-34193-22,https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001854/2026-07-01 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-36835-A.html | https://www.eerstekamer.nl/wetsvoorstel/36835_implementatie_van_richtlijn | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/blg-1274411.pdf | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-1274409.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"No national ban; street soliciting is regulated by municipal APVs, which generally prohibit soliciting and buying in the street outside designated zones. Per the government business portal, only Arnhem and Nijmegen allow street prostitution, and Arnhem issues no new passes.","Amsterdam APV arts. 2.12, 2.13, 6.1 | art. 154 Gemeentewet",high,2026-10-30,,amsterdam-apv | gemeentewet | ondernemersplein-zzp | kst-34193-13,https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416/2026-10-01 | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,,,There is no national registration or licence for sex workers and no mandatory health checks. Operators need a municipal licence; some municipalities also license individual home-based or escort workers. The Wrs plan for a national licence and register for sex workers was dropped in 2026; the Wgts bill would let municipalities process sex workers' data for supervision.,art. 151a Gemeentewet | APV (municipal),high,2026-10-30,,ondernemersplein-zzp | amsterdam-apv | kst-35715-2 | kst-34193-21 | tk-36948,https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-35715-2.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html | https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/wetsvoorstellen/detail?qry=wetsvoorstel%3A36948&cfg=wetsvoorsteldetails,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,,,"Sex workers pay income tax and VAT like other workers. Most work as self-employed entrepreneurs registered with the KVK. Under the opting-in scheme, an operator with an agreement with the Tax Administration withholds wage tax and contributions as in a notional employment relationship. Salaried employment is rare.",,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the government business portal and ministerial letters; the Tax Administration's own opting-in conditions were not reviewed directly.,ondernemersplein-zzp | ondernemersplein-exploitant | kst-34193-21 | kst-28638-265 | tk-vote-2026z18340,https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/startsituaties/werken-als-exploitant-in-de-seksuele-dienstverlening/ | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-21.html | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-28638-265.html | https://gegevensmagazijn.tweedekamer.nl/OData/v4/2.0/Zaak?$filter=Nummer%20eq%20'2026Z18340'&$expand=Besluit($expand=Stemming),https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NL,Netherlands,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"EU/EEA and Swiss nationals may sell sex on the same terms as Dutch nationals. Non-EU nationals cannot obtain a residence permit for self-employed work in prostitution, and work permits are as a rule not granted for it; they may sell sex only if they already hold a residence permit that allows it. Licensed operators must check workers' right to work.",Wet arbeid vreemdelingen | Amsterdam APV art. 3.30(1)(d),medium,2026-10-30,The statutory basis in the aliens/employment legislation was not checked directly; this entry relies on the government business portal and WODC research.,ondernemersplein-zzp | wodc-platforms-2026 | amsterdam-apv | kst-34193-13,https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/blg-1274411.pdf | https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/netherlands/
NZ,New Zealand,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Providing commercial sexual services is lawful for adult citizens and residents, contracts for them are not void (s 7), and a sex worker may refuse or stop at any time despite any contract (s 17). Sex workers and clients must take all reasonable steps to use condoms or other barriers for penetrative services (s 9, fine up to NZ$2,000). Temporary visa holders may not provide commercial sexual services (s 19).",s 3 | s 4 | s 7 | s 9 | s 10 | s 17 | s 18 | s 19 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Paying for sex with an adult is lawful. Clients share the safer-sex duties in s 9 and may not state or imply that a medical examination shows a person is free of infection. Receiving commercial sexual services from a person under 18, or contracting for them, is an offence punishable by up to 7 years' imprisonment (ss 22-23).",s 9 | s 22 | s 23 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Brothels are lawful businesses. Every operator of a business of prostitution other than a company must hold an operator certificate from the Registrar of the District Court (s 34, fine up to NZ$10,000); company directors count as operators. Certificates last one year and are refused to people with disqualifying convictions unless a judge grants a waiver. Councils may regulate brothel location by bylaw (s 14) and weigh nuisance and local character in resource consents (s 15).",s 5 | s 8 | s 14 | s 15 | ss 24-28 | ss 34-41 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003 | nz-plrc-2008,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/ | https://prostitutescollective.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/report-of-the-nz-prostitution-law-committee-2008.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,legal,Legal,,,"Up to four sex workers may work from the same premises without an operator certificate if each keeps control of their own earnings. Such a ""small owner-operated brothel"" is treated as having no operator (ss 4-5). If charged with operating without a certificate, a person relying on this exemption must prove it on the balance of probabilities (s 34(3)).","s 4 (""small owner-operated brothel"") | s 5(2) | s 34(3) Prostitution Reform Act 2003",high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Running, managing or profiting from a business of prostitution is lawful for certified operators. Inducing or compelling a person to provide commercial sexual services or hand over earnings by threats, abuse of authority, threatened disclosure (including of unlawful immigration status) or drugs is an offence carrying up to 14 years (s 16). Assisting, receiving earnings from or contracting for a person under 18 in sex work carries up to 7 years (ss 20-23).",s 16 | ss 20-23 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003 | us-tip-2025-nz,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/ | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/new-zealand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Advertisements for commercial sexual services may not be broadcast on radio or television, screened in a public cinema, or published in a newspaper or periodical except in its classified advertisements section (s 11). Breach is an offence with a fine of up to NZ$10,000 for individuals and NZ$50,000 for companies. Councils may prohibit or regulate signage visible from public places (s 12). The Act does not restrict online advertising.",s 11 | s 12 | s 13 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,legal,Legal,,,"There is no sex-work-specific rule for websites. The broadcast and print restrictions in s 11 do not mention the internet, and hosting or publishing lawful adverts for adult sex workers is not an offence. Online content hosts can obtain immunity from civil and criminal proceedings over user content under the notice-and-takedown process in the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 (s 24). Ads for anyone under 18 or for coerced services would engage ss 16 and 20-23.","s 4 (""business of prostitution"") | s 11 Prostitution Reform Act 2003 | ss 23-24 Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015",medium,2026-10-30,"Whether an advertising website could be treated as a 'business of prostitution' that needs a certified operator has not been decided by a court, as far as this review found.",nz-pra-2003 | nz-hdca-2015,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/ | https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/63/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,legal,Legal,,,"Street-based sex work and soliciting are lawful; the 2003 Act repealed the soliciting offence along with the other prostitution offences. Councils cannot ban street work under the Act but may control sex-industry signage (s 12) and brothel location (s 14), and general public-order law still applies.",s 12 | s 14 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,medium,2026-10-30,The repeal of the former soliciting offence is described from a secondary source; the amended Summary Offences Act 1981 was not opened.,nz-pra-2003 | lop-canada-2022 | nz-plrc-2008,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/ | https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/202221E | https://prostitutescollective.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/report-of-the-nz-prostitution-law-committee-2008.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,,,"Sex workers do not register and there is no mandatory health testing; implying that a medical examination shows a person is free of infection is an offence (ss 8-9). Only operators of businesses of prostitution need a certificate, issued by the District Court Registrar and valid for one year (ss 34-38). Health inspectors may enter premises where a business of prostitution is carried on to check safer-sex compliance (ss 24-28).",ss 8-9 | ss 24-28 | ss 34-38 Prostitution Reform Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,,,"Sex workers pay income tax like other workers. Inland Revenue's factsheet IR296 (April 2023) treats self-employed sex workers as ""private operators"" who file an individual tax return, may need to pay provisional tax and must register for GST if turnover exceeds NZ$60,000 a year. Whether a worker is self-employed or an employee is decided under general rules.",,high,2026-10-30,,nz-ird-ir296,https://www.ird.govt.nz/-/media/project/ir/home/documents/forms-and-guides/ir200---ir299/ir296/ir296-2023.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NZ,New Zealand,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Section 19 makes it a condition of every temporary entry class visa that the holder may not provide commercial sexual services, or operate or invest in a business of prostitution. A belief on reasonable grounds that a holder is doing so is sufficient reason for deportation under s 157 Immigration Act 2009. No visa may be granted on the basis of sex work. Residents may do sex work but may not operate or invest in a business of prostitution.",s 19 Prostitution Reform Act 2003 | s 157 Immigration Act 2009,high,2026-10-30,,nz-pra-2003 | nz-immigration-act-2009 | rnz-2023-s19 | us-tip-2025-nz,https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/28/en/latest/ | https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2009/51/en/latest/ | https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/500839/migrants-still-prohibited-from-sex-industry-despite-un-report | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/new-zealand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/new-zealand/
NI,Nicaragua,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex is not an offence in the Penal Code. A sex workers' organisation reports that police raids on venues for procuring often end with the women present being detained for hours without charge, and that health checks are demanded arbitrarily by venue owners.",,high,2026-10-30,Enforcement practice is taken from an NGO report (2020).,ni-cp | ni-redtrasex-2020,http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/__062569d000710dd9.nsf/09cf45d6fc893868062572650059911e/c666a96aa982330c0625736100623636 | https://redtrasex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mapeo_de_leyes_nicaragua_rts2020.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nicaragua/
NI,Nicaragua,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the consolidated Penal Code. Performing a sexual act with a person aged 14 to 17 while paying or promising payment or any other advantage is punishable by five to seven years (Art. 175).,Art. 175 Código Penal (Ley 641),high,2026-10-30,,ni-cp,http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/__062569d000710dd9.nsf/09cf45d6fc893868062572650059911e/c666a96aa982330c0625736100623636,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nicaragua/
NI,Nicaragua,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, renting, administering, directing, financing or supervising a house, venue or agency, or a simulated establishment, to exploit the prostitution of another, or knowingly performing any role there, principal or subordinate, is procuring: eight to ten years and a fine of 300–500 day-units.",Art. 178 núm. 2 Código Penal (Ley 641),high,2026-10-30,,ni-cp,http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/__062569d000710dd9.nsf/09cf45d6fc893868062572650059911e/c666a96aa982330c0625736100623636,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nicaragua/
NI,Nicaragua,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Exploiting the prostitution of another or benefiting from it, even with their consent, carries eight to ten years (Art. 178); ten to fifteen years where, among other things, the offender acts for profit, uses deception or violence, or the victim is a minor (Art. 179). Living off a sex worker through threats or coercion is 'rufianería' (three to five years, Art. 180).","Arts. 178, 179 y 180 Código Penal (Ley 641) | Art. 182 Código Penal (Ley 641)",high,2026-10-30,"Consolidated text with amendments up to 14 July 2023, published in La Gaceta No. 32 of 20 February 2024.",ni-cp,http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/__062569d000710dd9.nsf/09cf45d6fc893868062572650059911e/c666a96aa982330c0625736100623636,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nicaragua/
NI,Nicaragua,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever organises, finances, promotes, advertises ('publicite') or manages the recruitment, transport or housing of a person for the purposes of prostitution commits trafficking (ten to fifteen years), whatever the person's consent. Advertising a third party's sexual services is therefore criminal; self-advertising by an independent sex worker is not expressly addressed.",Art. 182 Código Penal (Ley 641) | Art. 177 Código Penal (Ley 641),medium,2026-10-30,No case law on online advertisements or on platforms was found. Art. 177 separately punishes promoting the country as a sex-tourism destination using minors.,ni-cp,http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/__062569d000710dd9.nsf/09cf45d6fc893868062572650059911e/c666a96aa982330c0625736100623636,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nicaragua/
NE,Niger,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of selling sex was found in the Penal Code, and a police commissioner interviewed in 2018 stated that prostitution as such is not an offence. The Code lists soliciting (racolage) among offences treated alike for recidivism (Article 60), but no article creating a soliciting offence was found in the text consulted.",Code pénal art. 60,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the Code as amended by Law No. 2003-025; a 2018 consolidation and Ordinance No. 2020-01 amending the Code could not be opened. A soliciting offence may exist in another text.,ne-cp | ne-nigerinter-2018,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Niger-Penal-Code.pdf | https://nigerinter.com/2018/06/19/a-niamey-la-prostitution-est-erigee-en-un-veritable-systeme-dixit-cp-mme-boubacar-adiza-adamou/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/niger/
NE,Niger,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Habitually exciting, favouring or facilitating the debauchery or corruption of young people under 21, or even occasionally of children under 13, carries two to five years (Article 293).",Code pénal art. 293,medium,2026-10-30,Amendments after 2003 were not checked.,ne-cp,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Niger-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/niger/
NE,Niger,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Holding, directly or through another, managing or running a prostitution establishment, or habitually tolerating the presence of sex workers in a hotel, furnished house, boarding house, bar, club, dance hall or other place open to the public, carries two to five years and 50,000 to 5,000,000 francs (Article 294), doubled for a repeat within ten years. The licence is withdrawn and the establishment may be closed permanently.",Code pénal art. 294,medium,2026-10-30,Amendments after 2003 were not checked.,ne-cp | ne-nigerinter-2018,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Niger-Penal-Code.pdf | https://nigerinter.com/2018/06/19/a-niamey-la-prostitution-est-erigee-en-un-veritable-systeme-dixit-cp-mme-boubacar-adiza-adamou/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/niger/
NE,Niger,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, knowingly lives with such a person, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual contact with sex workers, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: six months to three years and 50,000 to 5,000,000 francs (Article 291); two to five years if aggravated (Article 292).",Code pénal art. 291 | Code pénal art. 292 | Code pénal art. 293,medium,2026-10-30,Amendments after 2003 were not checked.,ne-cp,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Niger-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/niger/
NE,Niger,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found in the text consulted. A third party who aids or assists another person's prostitution or soliciting, which can include advertising for them, commits procuring (Article 291(1)).",Code pénal art. 291(1),low,2026-10-30,"Article 60 refers to offences against public morals ('outrages aux bonnes mœurs'), which suggests a morals or publications offence exists elsewhere, but it was not found.",ne-cp,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Niger-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/niger/
NG,Nigeria,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not itself an offence under the Criminal Code or the Penal Code. A ""common prostitute"" who behaves in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, or loiters and persistently solicits for prostitution, is an idle and disorderly person liable to one month's imprisonment (Criminal Code s. 249; Penal Code ss. 405–406), with heavier penalties for repeat offenders as a rogue and vagabond. In the Sharia states selling sex is zina for Muslims.",Criminal Code s. 1 (definition) | Criminal Code ss. 249–250 | Penal Code ss. 387–388 | Penal Code ss. 405–406,medium,2026-10-30,"Criminal Code read in the 2004 Laws of the Federation as published by PLAC; Penal Code read in the Federal Capital Territory version (Cap. 53 LFN Abuja). Each northern state has its own Penal Code law and each southern state may have its own Criminal Law (e.g. Lagos), which were not checked.",ng-cc | ng-pc-fct | ng-ostien-vices,https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/C38.pdf | https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(Northern%20States)%20Federal%20Provisions%20Act%20(1959)%20-%20OR(en).pdf | http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_3_3_chapter_3_part_II.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nigeria/
NG,Nigeria,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Neither the Criminal Code nor the Penal Code has an offence of paying for sex between adults. In the north the Penal Code's adultery offence (ss. 387–388) can apply to clients subject to a customary law that criminalises extra-marital sex, and in the Sharia states a Muslim client commits zina, punishable by 100 lashes or by stoning if married.","Penal Code ss. 387–388 | Sharia penal codes s. 125–126 (zina, harmonised numbering)",medium,2026-10-30,Status describes the Criminal Code position in the south. How often clients are prosecuted under the adultery or zina provisions was not found.,ng-cc | ng-pc-fct | ng-ostien-codes | ng-ostien-vices,https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/C38.pdf | https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(Northern%20States)%20Federal%20Provisions%20Act%20(1959)%20-%20OR(en).pdf | http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_4_4_chapter_4_part_III.pdf | http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_3_3_chapter_3_part_II.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nigeria/
NG,Nigeria,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or knowingly letting or permitting premises to be used as one, is punishable under the Criminal Code by a fine of 100 naira or six months, and 300 naira or one year on a repeat conviction (s. 225B). A brothel is any premises or room kept for prostitution. The Penal Code punishes keeping or managing a brothel with up to one year or a fine (s. 201).",Criminal Code s. 225B | Penal Code s. 201,medium,2026-10-30,Section 201 of the Penal Code was read in the annotated 1963 edition of the Northern Region law because the page is missing from the Abuja copy consulted; current state versions may set different penalties.,ng-cc | ng-pc-1963,"https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/C38.pdf | https://anticor.world/assets/brics/The%20Panel%20Code%20Law,%20Northern%20Region%20No.18%201959.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nigeria/
NG,Nigeria,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A man who knowingly lives wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution, or who persistently solicits in public for immoral purposes, faces two years and caning on a repeat conviction; a man who lives with or controls a sex worker is presumed to live on her earnings, and a woman who controls a sex worker's movements for gain faces two years (Criminal Code s. 225A). Procuring a woman or girl to become a ""common prostitute"" or to enter a brothel carries two years (s. 223).","Criminal Code s. 223 | Criminal Code s. 225A | Criminal Code s. 250(5) | Penal Code ss. 405(2)(d), 407 | Penal Code s. 278",medium,2026-10-30,"The Criminal Code's living-on-earnings offence for men and its control offence for women are drafted on gendered lines, as quoted.",ng-cc | ng-pc-fct,https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/C38.pdf | https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/NG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(Northern%20States)%20Federal%20Provisions%20Act%20(1959)%20-%20OR(en).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nigeria/
NG,Nigeria,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in the Criminal Code or the Penal Code. Soliciting in public by a sex worker is an offence (Criminal Code s. 249), and distributing obscene articles, judged by whether they tend to deprave and corrupt, carries up to three years (s. 233D). Whether an online advertisement amounts to soliciting, procuring or obscenity has not been checked against case law.",Criminal Code s. 249 | Criminal Code ss. 233B–233D | Penal Code s. 202,low,2026-10-30,"Classification inferred from general provisions. The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and its 2024 amendment, and state-level Sharia laws on immoral publications, were not opened.",ng-cc | ng-pc-1963,"https://www.placng.org/lawsofnigeria/laws/C38.pdf | https://anticor.world/assets/brics/The%20Panel%20Code%20Law,%20Northern%20Region%20No.18%201959.pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/nigeria/
KP,North Korea,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 months,"Prostitution is an administrative violation punished with up to three months of labour education (more in serious cases) and, according to the government, a crime punishable in serious cases by up to five years of reform through labour.",행정처벌법 (2008) 제160조 | 형법 제249조 (as cited by the government in 2016),low,2026-10-30,"No current official text could be checked: the Administrative Penalties Law text is the 2008 version held by WIPO Lex, and the Criminal Law article is as described by the government in 2016. Both laws have been amended since, and article numbers may have changed.",kp-admin-penalties-2008 | kp-cedaw-report-2016,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/es/text/331347 | https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=CEDAW/C/PRK/2-4&l=en&t=pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-korea/
KP,North Korea,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,,,"No provision aimed specifically at people who buy sex was found. The offences in the texts checked are framed around ""prostitution acts"" (매음행위) and encouraging them, and the government's report describes prostitution as a crime without distinguishing the parties. Whether and how buyers are punished could not be established.",행정처벌법 (2008) 제160조,low,2026-10-30,"The ""illegal"" status is an assumption from the general prohibition, not from a provision naming buyers. The term 매음 usually refers to selling sex.",kp-admin-penalties-2008 | kp-cedaw-report-2016,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/es/text/331347 | https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=CEDAW/C/PRK/2-4&l=en&t=pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-korea/
KP,North Korea,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No venue-specific provision was found, but arranging, forcing or luring women into prostitution is punishable under the Criminal Law according to the Women's Rights Law, and encouraging prostitution is an administrative violation punished with labour education.",녀성권리보장법 제40조 | 행정처벌법 (2008) 제160조,low,2026-10-30,Based on the government's description and a 2008 text; current provisions could not be checked.,kp-cedaw-report-2016 | kp-admin-penalties-2008,https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=CEDAW/C/PRK/2-4&l=en&t=pdf | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/es/text/331347,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-korea/
KP,North Korea,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Under Article 40 of the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Women, anyone who arranges for, forces or lures a woman into prostitution is punished under the Criminal Law. The government told the UN that people who arranged or forced prostitution were put on public trials and given heavy sentences.",녀성권리보장법 제40조,low,2026-10-30,Statute text not checked; content as reported by the government to CEDAW in 2016.,kp-cedaw-report-2016,https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=CEDAW/C/PRK/2-4&l=en&t=pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-korea/
KP,North Korea,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specific to advertising sexual services was found. Encouraging prostitution is an administrative violation, and bringing in, making, spreading or possessing material with ""degenerate, pornographic and obscene"" content is a crime with up to five years of reform through labour, according to the government.",행정처벌법 (2008) 제160조 | 형법 제183조 (as cited by the government in 2016),low,2026-10-30,Applying these provisions to advertising sexual services is an inference; no provision on advertising or online platforms was found.,kp-admin-penalties-2008 | kp-cedaw-report-2016,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/es/text/331347 | https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=CEDAW/C/PRK/2-4&l=en&t=pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-korea/
MK,North Macedonia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,€800 fine,"Engaging in prostitution is a misdemeanour under Article 19 of the 2007 Law on Misdemeanours against Public Order and Peace, punishable by a fine of EUR 600–800 in denar equivalent. Before 2007, the misdemeanour also covered mediation; that conduct has been a crime since 1996.",чл. 19 Закон за прекршоците против јавниот ред и мир (Сл. весник 66/2007),medium,2026-10-30,The official text of the 2007 law (amended in 2015) could not be retrieved; wording and fine are taken from a 2017 NGO analysis that quotes it. Later amendments were not checked.,mk-esem-2017,https://esem.org.mk/pdf/Publikacii/2017/Analiza%20na%20zakonska%20ramka.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-macedonia/
MK,North Macedonia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Using, or enabling another to use, sexual services of a person whom one knew or should have known to be a trafficking victim is punishable by six months to five years.",чл. 418-а ст. 3 Кривичен законик,medium,2026-10-30,Based on an unofficial consolidated text (amendments up to about 2013–2014); later amendments were not checked.,mk-kz | mk-esem-2017,https://jorm.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82.pdf | https://esem.org.mk/pdf/Publikacii/2017/Analiza%20na%20zakonska%20ramka.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-macedonia/
MK,North Macedonia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Renting out or providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (EUR 600–800). Enabling another person to use sexual services for gain is a crime punishable by three to five years, and organising such acts by at least ten years; legal persons can be fined.","чл. 19 Закон за прекршоците против јавниот ред и мир | чл. 191 ст. 2, 4 и 5 Кривичен законик",medium,2026-10-30,,mk-esem-2017 | mk-kz,https://esem.org.mk/pdf/Publikacii/2017/Analiza%20na%20zakonska%20ramka.pdf | https://jorm.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-macedonia/
MK,North Macedonia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Recruiting, inducing, inciting or luring a person into prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by five to ten years in the consolidated text (six months to five years in the original 1996 code). Forcing or deceiving a person into providing sexual services for gain carries at least eight years.",чл. 191 ст. 1 и 3 Кривичен законик,medium,2026-10-30,The consolidated text is unofficial and may not include amendments after about 2014.,mk-kz | mk-kz-1996,https://jorm.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82.pdf | https://slvesnik.com.mk/Issues/90E0B29D702D49A48DBCC2239374B927.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-macedonia/
MK,North Macedonia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the Criminal Code text checked. Advertising for a third party could fall under the broadly worded mediation offence, and an adult advertising their own services would be evidence of the selling misdemeanour.",чл. 191 Кривичен законик,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision; media, advertising and electronic communications laws were not reviewed.",mk-kz,https://jorm.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/north-macedonia/
NO,Norway,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling sex is not an offence. The Penal Code's prostitution provisions are aimed at buyers and third parties; the person who sells is not penalised under § 315 or § 316.,§§ 315-316 straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,no-strl-ch26 | no-stortinget-inns-428,https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_2-11 | https://www.stortinget.no/no/Saker-og-publikasjoner/Publikasjoner/Innstillinger/Stortinget/2025-2026/inns-202526-428s/?all=true,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/
NO,Norway,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Obtaining sexual intercourse or a sexual act for oneself or another by giving or agreeing payment, or benefiting from payment made by someone else, is punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison. Since 1 January 2021 it also covers paying someone to perform sexual acts on themselves, which reaches paid remote acts.",§ 316 straffeloven | § 5 first paragraph no. 9 straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,no-strl-ch26 | no-strl-ch1,https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_2-11 | https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_1-1,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/
NO,Norway,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel is covered by the offence of promoting another person's prostitution. Renting out premises while understanding, or being grossly negligent as to whether, they will be used for prostitution is a separate limb of the same offence. Both carry a fine or up to six years.",§ 315 first paragraph letters a and b straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,no-strl-ch26,https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_2-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/
NO,Norway,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting the prostitution of others (hallikvirksomhet) is punishable by a fine or up to six years in prison. The provision defines prostitution as receiving payment for sexual intercourse or a sexual act, including acts performed on oneself.",§ 315 straffeloven,high,2026-10-30,,no-strl-ch26,https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_2-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/
NO,Norway,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who, in a public announcement, unequivocally offers, mediates or requests prostitution is liable to a fine or up to six months in prison. The offence covers the person advertising their own services, a buyer posting a request, and an intermediary.",§ 315 second paragraph straffeloven,medium,2026-10-30,"The statutory text is clear. We did not verify case law or prosecution practice against online advertising platforms, so the platform point is a reading of the statute only.",no-strl-ch26,https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2005-05-20-28/KAPITTEL_2-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/
OM,Oman,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Anyone who practises prostitution or debauchery for a fee, indiscriminately, is punishable by one to three years' imprisonment (Art. 256). Being found in a public place inciting passers-by to prostitution by word, gesture or any other means carries six months to one year (Art. 253), and consensual sex outside marriage is a separate offence (Art. 259).",Art. 256 Penal Law | Art. 253 Penal Law | Art. 259 Penal Law,high,2026-10-30,"Text read from Qanoon.om, a non-governmental site that reproduces the Official Gazette text with amendments; the translations are ours.",om-penal,https://qanoon.om/p/2018/l2018007/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/oman/
OM,Oman,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Anyone caught in a place prepared for prostitution or debauchery with the intention of engaging in it is punishable by one month to one year (Art. 255). Consensual sex outside marriage carries six months to three years for both parties, at least two years if either is married (Art. 259).",Art. 255 Penal Law | Art. 259 Penal Law,high,2026-10-30,,om-penal,https://qanoon.om/p/2018/l2018007/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/oman/
OM,Oman,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Preparing or running a place for prostitution or debauchery, helping in any way to prepare or run one, letting a house or premises knowing it will be used for prostitution, or knowingly working or residing in such a place is punishable by one to three years' imprisonment and a fine of OMR 500 to 1,000. In every case the court orders the place closed.",Art. 255 Penal Law,high,2026-10-30,,om-penal,https://qanoon.om/p/2018/l2018007/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/oman/
OM,Oman,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting, luring, tempting or helping a person by any means into prostitution or debauchery, where the act results, carries three to seven years; up to ten with coercion, threats or trickery, a victim under 18, or an offender who is an ascendant, carer or person in authority (Art. 254). Living wholly or partly on another person's prostitution under one's protection or control carries one to three years and a fine (Art. 255(d)).",Art. 254 Penal Law | Art. 255(d) Penal Law,high,2026-10-30,,om-penal,https://qanoon.om/p/2018/l2018007/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/oman/
OM,Oman,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Using an information network or information technology to incite or seduce a man or woman into debauchery or prostitution, or to help them, carries three to five years' imprisonment and a fine of OMR 3,000 to 5,000; five to ten years and OMR 5,000 to 10,000 if the victim is under 18 (Art. 15, Cyber Crime Law). Public incitement of passers-by is covered by Art. 253 of the Penal Law.",Art. 15 Cyber Crime Law (Royal Decree 12/2011) | Art. 253 Penal Law,high,2026-10-30,"Whether Article 15 is applied to people advertising their own services, as distinct from inciting others, was not checked against case law.",om-cyber | om-penal,https://qanoon.om/p/2011/rd2011012/ | https://qanoon.om/p/2018/l2018007/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/oman/
PK,Pakistan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 5 years,"Selling sex is caught by the general fornication offence (up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees). Soliciting in or within sight of a street or public place is separately punishable under the 1961 Ordinance by up to six months or a fine of up to 200 rupees for a first offence.",s. 496B PPC | s. 4 Suppression of Prostitution Ordinance 1961,medium,2026-10-30,"The Penal Code was read on the official Pakistan Code portal. The 1961 Ordinance was read from a reproduction of the Punjab version (Nasir Law Associates) because the official provincial portals (punjablaws.gov.pk, kpcode.kp.gov.pk) did not respond. Penalties may differ slightly between provincial versions.",pk-ppc | pk-spo,https://pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administratord5622ea3f15bfa00b17d2cf7770a8434.pdf | http://nasirlawsite.com/laws/prostitu.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/pakistan/
PK,Pakistan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 5 years,"There is no buyer-specific offence, but the client commits fornication under section 496B like the seller. Buying, hiring or otherwise obtaining possession of a person so that she will be used for prostitution carries up to 25 years' imprisonment (section 371B).",s. 496B PPC | s. 371B PPC,high,2026-10-30,,pk-ppc,https://pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administratord5622ea3f15bfa00b17d2cf7770a8434.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/pakistan/
PK,Pakistan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing, financing or helping to manage a brothel, knowingly letting premises be used as one, or letting property knowing it will be a brothel, is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and a fine of up to 1,000 rupees. A brothel is any place where a sex worker lives or works, so a single woman's own home qualifies.","ss. 2(a), 3, 5 Suppression of Prostitution Ordinance 1961",medium,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial reproduction of the Punjab text; the official portals could not be opened.,pk-spo,http://nasirlawsite.com/laws/prostitu.htm,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/pakistan/
PK,Pakistan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Any person over 18 who knowingly lives on another's earnings from prostitution, or exploits another's prostitution even with consent, faces up to two years and a fine. Procuring or enticing a woman for prostitution, with or without consent, carries up to three years. Selling or hiring out a person for prostitution carries up to 25 years.","ss. 6, 8, 10 Suppression of Prostitution Ordinance 1961 | s. 371A PPC | s. 496A PPC",medium,2026-10-30,Penal Code provisions were checked on the official portal; the Ordinance provisions only on an unofficial reproduction.,pk-spo | pk-ppc,http://nasirlawsite.com/laws/prostitu.htm | https://pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administratord5622ea3f15bfa00b17d2cf7770a8434.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/pakistan/
PK,Pakistan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence targets advertising as such. Soliciting by words, gestures or ""otherwise"" in or within sight of a public place is an offence under the 1961 Ordinance, and offering sex for payment is offering a criminal act. The telecoms regulator can block content ""in the interest of ... decency or morality"" (PECA section 37) and order platforms to remove obscene content (section 2R, added in 2025).","s. 4 Suppression of Prostitution Ordinance 1961 | s. 292 PPC | ss. 2R, 37 PECA 2016",medium,2026-10-30,"PECA gives the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority blocking and removal powers over content, not a criminal offence of advertising sexual services. The liability of websites that host such ads was not established from a court decision.",pk-spo | pk-ppc | pk-peca,http://nasirlawsite.com/laws/prostitu.htm | https://pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administratord5622ea3f15bfa00b17d2cf7770a8434.pdf | https://www.pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administrator6a061efe0ed5bd153fa8b79b8eb4cba7.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/pakistan/
PW,Palau,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"A person who engages in, or agrees or offers to engage in, sexual conduct with another person for a fee commits the misdemeanour of prostitution. Loitering for the purpose of engaging in or advancing prostitution is a separate offence.",17 PNC §4801(a)(1) and (c) | 17 PNC §4805,high,2026-10-30,"Read from the annotated Penal Code (17 PNCA, Supplement 9) published by Palau's Office of the Special Prosecutor; amendments after that supplement were not checked.",pw-pc,https://palauosp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Penal-Code-17-PNCA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/palau/
PW,Palau,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"A person who pays, agrees to pay or offers to pay a fee to another to engage in sexual conduct commits the misdemeanour of prostitution.",17 PNC §4801(a)(2) and (c),high,2026-10-30,"Read from the annotated Penal Code (17 PNCA, Supplement 9) published by Palau's Office of the Special Prosecutor; amendments after that supplement were not checked.",pw-pc,https://palauosp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Penal-Code-17-PNCA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/palau/
PW,Palau,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Permitting premises to be regularly used for prostitution, or operating or assisting in the operation of a house of prostitution or a prostitution enterprise, is 'advancing prostitution', which is promoting prostitution in the second degree, a class B felony.",17 PNC §4802(a) | 17 PNC §4804,high,2026-10-30,"Read from the annotated Penal Code (17 PNCA, Supplement 9) published by Palau's Office of the Special Prosecutor; amendments after that supplement were not checked.",pw-pc,https://palauosp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Penal-Code-17-PNCA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/palau/
PW,Palau,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly advancing prostitution (other than as the sex worker or client) or profiting from it is a class B felony. Advancing it by compelling or inducing a person through force, threat, fraud or intimidation, or advancing or profiting from the prostitution of a person under 18, is a class A felony.",17 PNC §4802 | 17 PNC §4803 | 17 PNC §4804,high,2026-10-30,"Read from the annotated Penal Code (17 PNCA, Supplement 9) published by Palau's Office of the Special Prosecutor; amendments after that supplement were not checked.",pw-pc,https://palauosp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Penal-Code-17-PNCA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/palau/
PW,Palau,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no advertising-specific offence, but a sex worker's ad is an 'offer' under §4801, and anyone who 'procures or solicits patrons for prostitution' or engages in other conduct designed to 'aid, or facilitate' it advances prostitution, a class B felony. A site that knowingly publishes such ads could fall within that definition.",17 PNC §4801 | 17 PNC §4802(a) | 17 PNC §4804,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the statutory definitions; no case law or guidance on advertising or platform liability was found, and electronic-communications laws were not reviewed.",pw-pc,https://palauosp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Penal-Code-17-PNCA.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/palau/
PA,Panama,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,none,,"Selling sex carries no sanction since Executive Decree 332 of 29 July 2008 repealed Art. 12 of Decree 149 of 1949, which fined clandestine prostitution. The 1949 decree still bans prostitution within city limits, subjects it elsewhere to health inspection, and requires a health permit for hostesses and similar staff in bars, cabarets and nightclubs; registration covers venue-based workers only.","Arts. 1, 5 y 7 Decreto 149 de 20 de mayo de 1949 | Decreto Ejecutivo 332 de 29 de julio de 2008 (deroga el art. 12 del Decreto 149)",medium,2026-10-30,The 1949 decree was read from an OCR of the scanned Gaceta; Executive Decree 332 of 2008 itself was not opened (its effect is stated by the Ombudsman). Current Health Ministry rules on health cards were not reviewed.,pa-dto-149-1949 | pa-defensoria-2019 | pa-estrella-2015,https://docs.panama.justia.com/federales/decretos/149-de-1949-jun-6-1949.pdf | https://www.defensoria.gob.pa/defensoria-del-pueblo-realiza-reunion-para-la-prevencion-de-situaciones-de-violencia-contra-las-trabajadoras-sexuales/ | https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/nacional/quedo-vacio-legal-panama-prostitucion-FNLE152236,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/panama/
PA,Panama,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the Penal Code. Sexual exploitation of minors, including paid sexual acts, is a separate group of offences in the same chapter.",,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 2016 consolidated text published by the Public Prosecutor's Office; later amendments were not checked.,pa-cp,https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/codigo-penal-2016.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/panama/
PA,Panama,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Bars, cabarets and nightclubs employing hostesses operate under the 1949 decree's health control and permit system. Outside that, anyone who for profit facilitates, recruits or organises in any form the 'sexual exploitation' of others commits a crime punishable by four to six years and a fine (Art. 180).","Arts. 2, 4 y 5 Decreto 149 de 1949 | Art. 180 Código Penal (Texto Único)",low,2026-10-30,"Where the line falls between a licensed nightclub and criminal 'sexual exploitation' is not defined in the texts checked, and case law was not reviewed.",pa-dto-149-1949 | pa-cp,https://docs.panama.justia.com/federales/decretos/149-de-1949-jun-6-1949.pdf | https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/codigo-penal-2016.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/panama/
PA,Panama,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Facilitating, instigating, recruiting or organising the sexual exploitation of others for profit: four to six years and 150–200 day-fines (Art. 180), eight to ten with aggravating factors. Moving a person into, out of or within the country to subject them to 'unauthorised paid sexual activity': four to six years (Art. 181). Living off a person held in sexual servitude by threats or violence: three to five years (Art. 182).","Arts. 180, 181 y 182 Código Penal (Texto Único) | Art. 456-A Código Penal (Texto Único)",high,2026-10-30,Consolidated 2016 text; later amendments were not checked.,pa-cp,https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/codigo-penal-2016.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/panama/
PA,Panama,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no offence for advertising sexual services as such, but the trafficking offence covers anyone who promotes, finances, advertises ('publicite'), invites or arranges 'by any means of individual or mass communication' a person's entry, exit or movement within the country to carry out acts of prostitution: fifteen to twenty years, with no requirement of coercion (Art. 456-A).",Art. 456-A Código Penal (Texto Único),medium,2026-10-30,A sex workers' organisation warns that the article could be read as covering any invitation to a sex worker to travel for work; no case law on advertisements or platforms was found.,pa-cp | pa-redtrasex-2020,https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/codigo-penal-2016.pdf | https://redtrasex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mapeo_de_leyes_panama_rts2020.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/panama/
PG,Papua New Guinea,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Selling sex is not named as an offence, but in Wemay v Tumdual [1978] PNGLR 173 the court held that a sex worker paid for her services was living, at least in part, on the earnings of prostitution under s. 55 of the Summary Offences Act (fine up to K400 or one year). In Jon v Kuman [1980] the court required more than an isolated transaction.",s. 55 Summary Offences Act 1977,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.",pg-amnesty,https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/png_report_-_sex_workers_rights_-_embargoed_-_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/
PG,Papua New Guinea,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was identified in the sources reviewed.,,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.",pg-amnesty,https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/png_report_-_sex_workers_rights_-_embargoed_-_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/
PG,Papua New Guinea,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, or knowingly financing one, carries a fine of up to K800 or two years. An owner, tenant or occupier who uses or permits premises to be used as a brothel or for any purpose connected with prostitution, or who lets them knowing this, faces a fine of up to K200. Section 231 of the Criminal Code Act is reported to prohibit brothels with up to three years.",s. 56 Summary Offences Act 1977 | s. 57 Summary Offences Act 1977 | s. 231 Criminal Code Act 1974,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.",pg-amnesty,https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/png_report_-_sex_workers_rights_-_embargoed_-_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/
PG,Papua New Guinea,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries a fine of up to K400 or one year. Living with or constantly accompanying a sex worker, or exercising control over their movements, is prima facie evidence of the offence.",s. 55 Summary Offences Act 1977,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.",pg-amnesty,https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/png_report_-_sex_workers_rights_-_embargoed_-_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/
PG,Papua New Guinea,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The sources reviewed do not discuss advertising or online platforms.,,low,2026-10-30,"The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.",pg-amnesty,https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/png_report_-_sex_workers_rights_-_embargoed_-_final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/
PY,Paraguay,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling sex is not an offence under the Penal Code.,,medium,2026-10-30,Municipal ordinances (for example on street work or venues in Asunción) and police practice were not reviewed.,py-cp | py-ley-3440,https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3497/ley-n-1160-codigo-penal | https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3485/ley-n-3440-modifica-varias-disposiciones-de-la-ley-n-116097-codigo-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/paraguay/
PY,Paraguay,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the Penal Code. Sexual offences against children and adolescents apply separately.,,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the Penal Code chapters on sexual offences; later amendments after 2008 were not consolidated in the texts checked.,py-cp | py-ley-3440,https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3497/ley-n-1160-codigo-penal | https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3485/ley-n-3440-modifica-varias-disposiciones-de-la-ley-n-116097-codigo-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/paraguay/
PY,Paraguay,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No Penal Code provision specifically bans keeping a brothel. Operators may be liable for rufianería if they exploit a person who sells sex by taking advantage of her earnings (up to five years), and for proxenetismo or trafficking where minors or coercion are involved.","Código Penal, arts. 129a, 139",medium,2026-10-30,"Where the line between a venue's commercial share and ""exploiting"" earnings lies was not checked in case law; municipal licensing of venues was not reviewed.",py-ley-3440,https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3485/ley-n-3440-modifica-varias-disposiciones-de-la-ley-n-116097-codigo-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/paraguay/
PY,Paraguay,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Inducing into prostitution a person under 16, or aged 16 to the age of majority by abusing helplessness, trust or naivety or while in charge of their education, carries up to five years or a fine (six if commercial, eight if under 14). Exploiting a person who sells sex by taking advantage of their earnings carries up to five years. Inducing an adult into prostitution without exploitation is not an offence.","Código Penal, arts. 129a, 129b, 139",medium,2026-10-30,"Whether later laws, such as the 2012 comprehensive anti-trafficking law, changed these articles was not verified.",py-ley-3440 | py-cp,https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3485/ley-n-3440-modifica-varias-disposiciones-de-la-ley-n-116097-codigo-penal | https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3497/ley-n-1160-codigo-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/paraguay/
PY,Paraguay,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No Penal Code provision specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising involving minors would fall under the offences protecting children.,,low,2026-10-30,"Only the Penal Code was reviewed; media, telecommunications, municipal and platform rules were not checked.",py-cp | py-ley-3440,https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3497/ley-n-1160-codigo-penal | https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3485/ley-n-3440-modifica-varias-disposiciones-de-la-ley-n-116097-codigo-penal,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/paraguay/
PE,Peru,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code does not punish a person who sells sex; the prostitution offences are aimed at third parties who promote, favour, manage or profit from another person's prostitution.",,medium,2026-10-30,"Municipal ordinances that prohibit or restrict prostitution locally, and any health-card requirements, were not reviewed.",pe-ley-30963 | pe-larepublica-2022,https://leyes.congreso.gob.pe/Documentos/2016_2021/ADLP/Normas_Legales/30963-LEY.pdf | https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/2022/12/06/los-prostibulos-son-legales-en-peru-y-pueden-obtener-licencia-de-funcionamiento-conoce-el-caso-de-las-sirenitas-y-lady-scort,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/peru/
PE,Peru,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Paying for sexual acts with a victim of sexual exploitation carries 9 to 12 years (art. 153-E), and with an adolescent aged 14 to 17, 15 to 20 years (art. 179-A).","Código Penal, arts. 153-E, 179-A",high,2026-10-30,,pe-ley-30963,https://leyes.congreso.gob.pe/Documentos/2016_2021/ADLP/Normas_Legales/30963-LEY.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/peru/
PE,Peru,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No national licensing regime exists, and running a brothel falls within the offences of favouring (art. 179) and directing or managing (art. 181) another person's prostitution, aggravated to 6 to 12 years when committed through a legal person or in any economic activity. Some municipalities have nonetheless issued operating licences to brothels.","Código Penal, arts. 179, 181",medium,2026-10-30,How courts treat licensed brothel operators under arts. 179 and 181 was not checked in case law.,pe-ley-30963 | pe-larepublica-2022,https://leyes.congreso.gob.pe/Documentos/2016_2021/ADLP/Normas_Legales/30963-LEY.pdf | https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/2022/12/06/los-prostibulos-son-legales-en-peru-y-pueden-obtener-licencia-de-funcionamiento-conoce-el-caso-de-las-sirenitas-y-lady-scort,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/peru/
PE,Peru,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting or favouring another person's prostitution carries 4 to 6 years; managing the economic or other benefit of another's prostitution (rufianismo) 4 to 8 years; directing or managing another's prostitution (proxenetismo) 4 to 6 years. Each rises to 6 to 12 years with aggravating circumstances, including acting in tourism, through a legal person or in any economic activity, or where it is the offender's means of subsistence.","Código Penal, arts. 153-B, 153-D, 153-F, 153-G, 179, 180, 181",high,2026-10-30,,pe-ley-30963,https://leyes.congreso.gob.pe/Documentos/2016_2021/ADLP/Normas_Legales/30963-LEY.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/peru/
PE,Peru,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No provision specifically on advertising adult sexual services was found. Advertising another person's sexual services could amount to promoting or favouring their prostitution under article 179; publicising child sexual-abuse material is a separate offence.,"Código Penal, arts. 179, 183-A",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the wording of article 179; no case law, media regulation or platform rules were reviewed.",pe-ley-30963,https://leyes.congreso.gob.pe/Documentos/2016_2021/ADLP/Normas_Legales/30963-LEY.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/peru/
PH,Philippines,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,≈€280 or 30 days,"Women who, for money or profit, habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct commit an offence punishable by arresto menor (one to thirty days) or a fine of up to ₱20,000; for recidivists, arresto mayor in its medium period to prisión correccional in its minimum period or a fine of ₱20,000–200,000, or both.",Art. 202 Revised Penal Code (as amended by RA 10158 and RA 10951),high,2026-10-30,Statutes read on the LawPhil Project (Arellano Law Foundation); the Official Gazette site blocked automated access.,ph-ra10158 | ph-ra10951,https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2012/ra_10158_2012.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2017/ra_10951_2017.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/philippines/
PH,Philippines,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Paying an adult for sex is not itself an offence. Any person who buys or engages the services of a trafficked person for prostitution faces six to twelve years and a fine of ₱50,000–100,000, with far heavier penalties where the victim is a child; probation is excluded.",Sec. 11 RA 9208 (as amended by RA 10364),high,2026-10-30,"Whether a person is ""trafficked"" depends on the means listed in Section 4 of RA 9208 as amended in 2022 (which include taking advantage of vulnerability); for children no means are required.",ph-ra10364 | ph-ra11862,https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2013/ra_10364_2013.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11862_2022.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/philippines/
PH,Philippines,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who in any manner engages in the business of prostitution, profits by it or enlists women for it commits the white slave trade offence (prisión correccional in its medium and maximum periods). Knowingly leasing or allowing premises, vehicles or digital platforms to be used to promote trafficking is a separate offence.",Art. 341 Revised Penal Code | Sec. 5(a) RA 9208 (as amended by RA 11862),high,2026-10-30,,ph-rpc | ph-ra11862,https://lawphil.net/statutes/acts/act1930/act_3815_1930.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11862_2022.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/philippines/
PH,Philippines,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Profiting from prostitution is punished under Article 341. Recruiting, maintaining or hiring a person for prostitution is trafficking (twenty years and a fine of ₱1–2 million) when done by threat, force, coercion, fraud, abuse of power, taking advantage of vulnerability or payment to a person in control; for children, no such means are required.",Art. 341 Revised Penal Code | Sec. 4 RA 9208 (as amended by RA 10364 and RA 11862) | Sec. 10(a) RA 9208 (as amended by RA 10364),high,2026-10-30,,ph-rpc | ph-ra10364 | ph-ra11862,https://lawphil.net/statutes/acts/act1930/act_3815_1930.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2013/ra_10364_2013.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11862_2022.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/philippines/
PH,Philippines,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed at advertising adult sexual services as such was found. Advertising, publishing or distributing material that promotes trafficking is a crime, and since 2022 internet intermediaries that knowingly or through gross negligence allow their infrastructure to be used to promote trafficking are liable.",Sec. 5(c) RA 9208 | Sec. 5(k) RA 9208 (as amended by RA 11862) | Sec. 9 RA 9208 (as amended by RA 11862),medium,2026-10-30,The cybercrime law and local ordinances were not reviewed; the application of the trafficking provisions to ads for consenting adults is untested in the sources reviewed.,ph-ra9208 | ph-ra11862,https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2003/ra_9208_2003.html | https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11862_2022.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/philippines/
PL,Poland,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,soliciting: 30 days,"Selling sex is not an offence. Proposing a sexual act to another person importunately, by imposing oneself or in another way that breaches public order, with a view to material gain, is a petty offence (Art. 142 Petty Offences Code), punishable by arrest, restriction of liberty or a fine.",Art. 142 Kodeksu wykroczeń,high,2026-10-30,"Petty offences (wykroczenia) are tried under a separate code; they are not crimes, although arrest is a possible sanction.",pl-kw,https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1372/text.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/poland/
PL,Poland,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Paying an adult for sex is legal. Having sexual intercourse or another sexual act with a minor in exchange for, or on the promise of, a financial or personal benefit is a crime (Art. 199 § 3 Criminal Code, three months to five years).",Art. 199 § 3 Kodeksu karnego,high,2026-10-30,,pl-kk,https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1342/text.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/poland/
PL,Poland,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no specific brothel offence, but running a brothel, renting rooms to sex workers or otherwise facilitating another person's prostitution for financial gain falls under Art. 204 § 1 Criminal Code (three months to five years), and deriving financial benefit from it under Art. 204 § 2.",Art. 204 § 1-2 Kodeksu karnego,high,2026-10-30,,pl-kk,https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1342/text.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/poland/
PL,Poland,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing a person into prostitution or facilitating it for financial gain, and deriving financial benefit from another person's prostitution, are crimes (Art. 204 §§ 1-2, three months to five years; one to ten years if the person is a minor). Bringing a person into prostitution by abusing dependence or a critical situation carries one to ten years, and by force, unlawful threat or deceit two to fifteen years (Art. 203).",Art. 203 Kodeksu karnego | Art. 204 Kodeksu karnego,high,2026-10-30,,pl-kk,https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1342/text.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/poland/
PL,Poland,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services as such, and advertising one's own services is not an offence. Putting up an indecent notice, sign or drawing in a public place is a petty offence (Art. 141 Petty Offences Code). A third party who publishes ads for profit could in principle be charged with facilitating prostitution for financial gain (Art. 204 § 1 Criminal Code).",Art. 141 Kodeksu wykroczeń | Art. 204 § 1 Kodeksu karnego,medium,2026-10-30,How courts apply Art. 204 § 1 to advertising websites was not verified; the statement on third-party liability rests on the statutory wording only.,pl-kw | pl-kk,https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1372/text.pdf | https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2026/1342/text.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/poland/
PT,Portugal,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sexual services as an adult is not an offence. No provision of the Penal Code penalises the person who sells sex, and there is no registration or licensing regime.",Art. 169 Código Penal (third parties only),high,2026-10-30,,pt-cp-169 | pt-tc-72-2021,https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0169&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao= | https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20210072.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/portugal/
PT,Portugal,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Buying sex from an adult is legal. It is a crime for an adult to pay for sexual acts with a minor aged 14 to 18 (art. 174, up to two or three years), and for anyone who knows a person is a trafficking victim to use that person's services (art. 160(6), one to five years).",Art. 174 Código Penal | Art. 160(6) Código Penal,high,2026-10-30,,pt-cp-174 | pt-cp-160,https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0174&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao= | https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0160&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao=,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/portugal/
PT,Portugal,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel or any business that profits from other people's prostitution falls under lenocínio (art. 169): six months to five years' imprisonment, even where the sex workers consent and are not exploited.",Art. 169(1) Código Penal,high,2026-10-30,,pt-cp-169 | pt-tc-72-2021,https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0169&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao= | https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20210072.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/portugal/
PT,Portugal,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Lenocínio (art. 169): six months to five years for professionally or for profit fostering, favouring or facilitating another's prostitution; one to eight years where committed with violence or serious threat, deception, abuse of authority or dependence, or exploitation of vulnerability.",Art. 169 Código Penal | Art. 160 Código Penal (trafficking),high,2026-10-30,,pt-cp-169 | pt-cp-160 | pt-tc-144-2004 | pt-tc-134-2020 | pt-tc-72-2021,https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0169&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao= | https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0160&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao= | https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20040144.html | https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20200134.html | https://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/20210072.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/portugal/
PT,Portugal,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No specific offence prohibits advertising sexual services. A sex worker advertising her own services is not committing a crime, but a publisher or website that professionally or for profit facilitates another's prostitution may fall within the broad wording of lenocínio (art. 169).",Art. 169 Código Penal,low,2026-10-30,"Based on the statutory wording only. No advertising-specific provision was found, and no court decision applying art. 169 to an ad publisher or website could be verified (web search was unavailable for this part of the research).",pt-cp-169,https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?artigo_id=109A0169&nid=109&tabela=leis&pagina=1&ficha=1&so_miolo=&nversao=,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/portugal/
QA,Qatar,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 10 years,"Anyone who makes prostitution or sodomy a profession or a means of living is punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment (Art. 298). A woman aged 16 or over who consents to sex outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years (Art. 281), and for Muslims the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).",Art. 298 Penal Code | Art. 281 Penal Code | Art. 1 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,The official text is in Arabic; the translations are ours. Sentencing practice under the hudud rules was not examined.,qa-penal,https://almeezan.qa/legislations/415d8273-12e0-4e2c-aa02-5c0bf0a5c53c,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/qatar/
QA,Qatar,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 7 years,"There is no offence aimed at clients as such, but a man who has consensual sex with a woman aged 16 or over outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment, the same as the woman (Art. 281). For Muslims, the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).",Art. 281 Penal Code | Art. 1 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,,qa-penal,https://almeezan.qa/legislations/415d8273-12e0-4e2c-aa02-5c0bf0a5c53c,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/qatar/
QA,Qatar,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Preparing or running a house for prostitution, or helping in any way to prepare or run one, carries one to three years' imprisonment; so does letting a house or premises one owns or manages knowing it will be used for prostitution (Art. 295). In every case the premises are closed and may reopen only for a lawful purpose with the Public Prosecution's approval (Art. 299).",Art. 295 Penal Code | Art. 299 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,,qa-penal,https://almeezan.qa/legislations/415d8273-12e0-4e2c-aa02-5c0bf0a5c53c,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/qatar/
QA,Qatar,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Leading a woman into prostitution, or inciting, luring or tempting her by any means to practise it or to frequent a brothel, in Qatar or abroad, carries one to five years (Art. 296). Coercion, threats, trickery or a victim under 16 raise this to up to fifteen years (Art. 297). Exploiting another person's prostitution by any means carries up to ten years (Art. 298).",Art. 296 Penal Code | Art. 297 Penal Code | Art. 298 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,,qa-penal,https://almeezan.qa/legislations/415d8273-12e0-4e2c-aa02-5c0bf0a5c53c,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/qatar/
QA,Qatar,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Being found in a public place inciting debauchery or prostitution by word, gesture or any other means carries six months to three years (Art. 294), and inciting a person by any means to prostitution is covered by Art. 296. Advertising, displaying or distributing indecent writings, pictures or other material carries up to one year and/or a fine of up to QAR 5,000 (Art. 292).",Art. 294 Penal Code | Art. 296 Penal Code | Art. 292 Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in the Penal Code. Qatar's Cybercrime Law (Law No. 14 of 2014) was not checked.,qa-penal,https://almeezan.qa/legislations/415d8273-12e0-4e2c-aa02-5c0bf0a5c53c,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/qatar/
CG,Republic of the Congo,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code contains no offence of selling sex. A court official quoted in 2020 said there is no criminal qualification for prostitution. Article 334 bis refers to ""provisions punishing public soliciting"", but no such provision was found in the reference edition. Adultery by a married woman remains an offence on her husband's complaint (Article 337), which can apply to a married woman who sells sex.",Code pénal art. 334 bis | Code pénal art. 337,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Ministry of Justice's 'Codes d'audience' compilation (scanned, undated, OCR text). A separate soliciting offence in police regulations or the contraventions part could not be checked.",cg-cp | cg-labreve-2020,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1836)%20-%20OR-OFF(fr).pdf | https://labreveonline.com/prostitution-deguisee-au-congo/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/republic-of-the-congo/
CG,Republic of the Congo,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision penalises paying an adult for sex. The adultery provisions (Articles 336 to 339) can reach the partner of a married woman, who is punished as her accomplice, and a husband who keeps a concubine in the marital home, but they are not aimed at buying sex.",Code pénal arts. 336–339,medium,2026-10-30,"Inferred from the absence of a client offence in the reference edition; later amendments, if any, could not be checked against an official consolidated text.",cg-cp,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1836)%20-%20OR-OFF(fr).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/republic-of-the-congo/
CG,Republic of the Congo,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who holds, directly or through an intermediary, manages, directs or runs an establishment of prostitution, or habitually tolerates prostitution inside a hotel, furnished house, bar, club, dance hall or other place open to the public that they hold or manage, is punished with the penalties of the preceding article; penalties double for a repeat within ten years, and the licence is withdrawn and the venue may be closed (Article 335).",Code pénal art. 335,medium,2026-10-30,"Article 335 refers to ""the penalties of the preceding article"", which in this edition is Article 334 bis (two to five years and 1 to 10 million francs); the exact reading of that cross-reference was not confirmed by case law.",cg-cp,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1836)%20-%20OR-OFF(fr).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/republic-of-the-congo/
CG,Republic of the Congo,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring covers knowingly aiding, assisting or protecting another's prostitution or soliciting, sharing its proceeds, living with a person who habitually sells sex without sufficient own means, recruiting or keeping a person, even a consenting adult, and acting as intermediary: six months to two years and 400,000 to 4 million francs (Article 334). Aggravated cases (minors, coercion, weapons, relatives, officials): two to five years and 1 to 10 million francs (Article 334 bis).",Code pénal art. 334 | Code pénal art. 334 bis | Law No. 22-2019 of 17 June 2019 (trafficking),medium,2026-10-30,The penalty ranges in the reference edition match those cited by the Ministry of Justice in its report to the UN study on violence against children. The text of the 2019 trafficking law was not opened.,cg-cp | cg-govreport | cg-upr-2023,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1836)%20-%20OR-OFF(fr).pdf | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRBodies/CRC/StudyViolenceChildren/Responses/Congo.pdf | https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/country-document/2024-01/A_HRC_WG.6_45_COG_1_FR.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/republic-of-the-congo/
CG,Republic of the Congo,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. A third party who publishes or carries such advertising could be charged under Article 334 as someone who aids another's prostitution or soliciting, and exhibiting or distributing images contrary to good morals is punishable by one month to one year (Article 287).",Code pénal art. 334 | Code pénal art. 287,low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no prosecution of an advertiser or website was found.,cg-cp,https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/CG%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1836)%20-%20OR-OFF(fr).pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/republic-of-the-congo/
RO,Romania,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,soliciting: ≈€280 fine,"Attracting people in any form in venues, parks, streets or other public places for paid sexual relations, or urging a person to do so, is a contravention punishable by a fine of RON 500–1,500. Selling sex in private is not sanctioned.",art. 2 pct. 6) și art. 3 alin. (1) lit. c) din Legea nr. 61/1991 (republicată),high,2026-10-30,,ro-l61,https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/125693,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/romania/
RO,Romania,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Using the services of a person whom the buyer knows to be a victim of trafficking in persons or minors is punishable by six months to three years or a fine; any sexual act with a minor who practises prostitution carries six months to three years.,art. 216 Cod penal | art. 216^1 Cod penal,high,2026-10-30,,ro-cp,https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/109855,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/romania/
RO,Romania,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Facilitating the practice of prostitution, or obtaining financial gain from another person's prostitution, is procuring, punishable by two to seven years. Managers of hotels, bars, clubs and similar venues who accept or tolerate public soliciting on their premises commit a contravention, and the venue's activity can be suspended for 10 to 30 days.",art. 213 alin. (1) Cod penal | art. 2 pct. 7) și art. 3 alin. (3) din Legea nr. 61/1991,high,2026-10-30,,ro-cp | ro-l61,https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/109855 | https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/125693,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/romania/
RO,Romania,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing or facilitating the practice of prostitution, or obtaining financial gain from the prostitution of one or more persons, is punishable by two to seven years and a ban on certain rights. The aggravated forms in paragraphs (2), (3) and (3^1) were repealed by Law No. 269/2024 with effect from 3 November 2024.",art. 213 Cod penal,high,2026-10-30,,ro-cp,https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/109855,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/romania/
RO,Romania,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of another person could amount to ""facilitating"" prostitution under Article 213, and inciting a person in a public place to paid sex is covered by the Law No. 61/1991 contravention.",art. 213 Cod penal,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a specific provision; advertising and audiovisual legislation and case law on online ads were not reviewed.,ro-cp | ro-l61,https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/109855 | https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/125693,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/romania/
RU,Russia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"RUB 2,000 fine","Engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence punishable by a fine of RUB 1,500–2,000.",ст. 6.11 КоАП РФ,high,2026-10-30,The official portal pravo.gov.ru could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the text was checked in the КонсультантПлюс database (version of 4 August 2026).,ru-koap-6-11,https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_34661/954b8f2b542e295864cb885699926c73d2836835/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/russia/
RU,Russia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence; Article 6.11 targets the person engaging in prostitution, and no offence directed at adult buyers exists in the provisions checked.",,medium,2026-10-30,Absence of a buyer offence was checked in the Code of Administrative Offences (Chapter 6) and Criminal Code Articles 240–241 only.,ru-koap-6-11 | ru-uk-241,https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_34661/954b8f2b542e295864cb885699926c73d2836835/ | https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/3c75b4694749d34700b2195d2086060ae1171722/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/russia/
RU,Russia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising prostitution by others, keeping dens for prostitution or systematically providing premises for it is punishable by a fine of RUB 100,000–500,000, forced labour of up to five years or up to five years' imprisonment; up to six years in aggravated cases.",ст. 241 УК РФ,high,2026-10-30,The official portal pravo.gov.ru could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the text was checked in the КонсультантПлюс database (version of 4 August 2026).,ru-uk-241,https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/3c75b4694749d34700b2195d2086060ae1171722/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/russia/
RU,Russia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Receiving income from another person's prostitution is an administrative offence (RUB 2,000–2,500 or 10 to 15 days' arrest). Drawing a person into prostitution or compelling them to continue is a crime punishable by a fine of up to RUB 200,000 or other penalties, and organising prostitution falls under Article 241.",ст. 6.12 КоАП РФ | ст. 240 УК РФ | ст. 241 УК РФ,high,2026-10-30,The official portal pravo.gov.ru could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the text was checked in the КонсультантПлюс database (version of 4 August 2026).,ru-koap-6-12 | ru-uk-240 | ru-uk-241,https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_34661/f2a00a6684d3e918fc6216b6141c4d097db50e02/ | https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/26d5592e831f43e92f5f042b8082b6542264fb89/ | https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/3c75b4694749d34700b2195d2086060ae1171722/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/russia/
RU,Russia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,,,"The Federal Law on Advertising prohibits advertising goods whose sale is prohibited by law, and defines goods to include services. Sites carrying information whose distribution is prohibited can be entered in the federal blocking register on the basis of a court decision.",ст. 3 и ст. 7 п. 1 Федерального закона «О рекламе» | ст. 15.1 ч. 5 п. 2 Федерального закона «Об информации…»,medium,2026-10-30,"The application of these provisions to sexual-services ads is an inference from their wording; neither text names prostitution, and administrative sanctions for advertising breaches and blocking practice were not checked for this overview.",ru-38fz-7 | ru-38fz-3 | ru-149fz-15-1,https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/3bfc26317bd01efad6f67aadf9981b248a57ef4b/ | https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/4f41fe599ce341751e4e34dc50a4b676674c1416/ | https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_61798/38c8ea666d27d9dc12b078c556e316e90248f551/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/russia/
RW,Rwanda,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Selling sex is not an offence: Law No. 68/2018 has no prostitution article, and Law No. 059/2023 amending it did not add one. However, an April 2018 ministerial order on transit centres lists prostitution among the ""deviant behaviours"" for which a person may be admitted to a transit centre, where, according to reports raised by UN Human Rights Committee experts in 2026, people can be held for up to two months without further legal oversight. Public indecency remains an offence (Art. 143).",Law No. 68/2018 Art. 143,medium,2026-10-30,"The absence of a prostitution offence was checked by reading the full English text of Law No. 68/2018 and of Law No. 059/2023. The ministerial order on transit centres was not opened; its content is taken from Human Rights Watch and the 2026 UN Human Rights Committee review. The 2012 Penal Code, which punished prostitution, was not opened.",rw-penal-2018 | rw-amend-2023 | rw-hrw-2020 | rw-ohchr-2026,https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2018/68/eng@2018-09-27 | https://www.rlrc.gov.rw/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=87112&token=ac1d623da10a482e97655ad48472ab6c81e800ce | https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/rwanda | https://www.ohchr.org/en/meeting-summaries/2026/10/experts-human-rights-committee-welcome-rwandas-decriminalisation,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/rwanda/
RW,Rwanda,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Article 24(2) of the 2018 anti-trafficking law lists paying ""for sexual intercourse on his/her own behalf or on behalf of another person"" among the acts of sexual exploitation, punishable by three to five years and a fine of FRW 3–5 million, but only where done ""for the purpose of exploitation"", which the law defines by reference to obtaining benefits through another person's prostitution. Whether an ordinary client falls within it is unclear.",Law No. 51/2018 Art. 24(2),low,2026-10-30,No case law or official guidance on Art. 24(2) was found. The classification as restricted reflects this uncertainty.,rw-tip-2018,https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2018/51/eng@2018-09-24,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/rwanda/
RW,Rwanda,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running houses of sexual exploitation, investing in them, knowingly managing property derived from them, knowingly letting any place for sexual exploitation and knowingly hosting a person for that purpose are sexual exploitation, punishable by three to five years and a fine of FRW 3–5 million, doubled where several victims or co-offenders are involved (Art. 24). The premises may be closed or seized (Art. 25).","Law No. 51/2018 Art. 24(3), (6), (7) | Law No. 51/2018 Art. 25",medium,2026-10-30,Article 24 requires a purpose of exploitation; whether a venue where adults sell sex independently meets it was not established.,rw-tip-2018,https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2018/51/eng@2018-09-24,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/rwanda/
RW,Rwanda,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Encouraging, inciting, misleading, manipulating or forcing a person to have sexual relations, or luring them into it, and knowingly helping, assisting or protecting a person engaged in sexual exploitation are offences carrying three to five years and a fine of FRW 3–5 million, with heavier penalties where the victim is a child (Art. 24).","Law No. 51/2018 Art. 24(1), (5)",high,2026-10-30,,rw-tip-2018,https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2018/51/eng@2018-09-24,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/rwanda/
RW,Rwanda,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Announcing, by whatever means, that one facilitates sexual relations is an act of sexual exploitation when done for the purpose of exploitation, punishable by three to five years and a fine of FRW 3–5 million (Art. 24(4)). This reaches third parties such as agencies and, arguably, ad platforms. No rule specifically on a person advertising their own services was found.",Law No. 51/2018 Art. 24(4),low,2026-10-30,How Art. 24(4) applies to online advertising and to the person selling sex has not been tested in any case found. Online content regulation was not reviewed.,rw-tip-2018,https://rwandalii.org/akn/rw/act/law/2018/51/eng@2018-09-24,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/rwanda/
KN,Saint Kitts and Nevis,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,Selling sex in private is not an offence. Loitering or being in a public place for the purpose of prostitution or solicitation to the annoyance of the public carries up to two months; a 'common prostitute' wandering in public and behaving riotously or indecently carries up to six months.,"s. 40(3) and (5) Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Revised Edition showing the law as at 31 December 2017; no 2020 revised text of these Acts was found. Nevis Island ordinances were not checked.,kn-sca,https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_36-Small-Charges-Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-kitts-and-nevis/
KN,Saint Kitts and Nevis,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. A male person who in a public place persistently solicits or importunes for immoral purposes faces up to six months, which could reach clients.","s. 40(4) Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Revised Edition showing the law as at 31 December 2017; no 2020 revised text of these Acts was found. Nevis Island ordinances were not checked.,kn-sca,https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_36-Small-Charges-Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-kitts-and-nevis/
KN,Saint Kitts and Nevis,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a disorderly house or a brothel in any town or village, or allowing one's house to be used as a brothel, is punishable by a fine of up to $3,500. A tenant, occupier or person in charge who knowingly permits premises to be used for habitual prostitution faces up to six months.","s. 19 Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36 | s. 40(1) Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Revised Edition showing the law as at 31 December 2017; no 2020 revised text of these Acts was found. Nevis Island ordinances were not checked.,kn-sca,https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_36-Small-Charges-Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-kitts-and-nevis/
KN,Saint Kitts and Nevis,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"A woman who for gain controls a sex worker's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution faces up to six months. The Criminal Law Amendment Act penalises procuring sex by threats or fraud and detaining a woman or girl in a brothel. No general offence of living on the earnings of prostitution, or of procuring an adult for prostitution, was found in the two Acts reviewed.","s. 40(2) Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36 | ss. 2 and 9 Criminal Law Amendment Act, Cap. 4.05",low,2026-10-30,"Read from the Revised Edition showing the law as at 31 December 2017; no 2020 revised text of these Acts was found. Nevis Island ordinances were not checked. The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act and the Offences Against the Person Act provisions on procuring were not fully reviewed, so a wider third-party offence may exist.",kn-sca | kn-cla,https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_36-Small-Charges-Act.pdf | https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_05-Criminal-Law-Amendment-Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-kitts-and-nevis/
KN,Saint Kitts and Nevis,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The Small Charges Act offences cover public loitering and soliciting only.,"s. 40 Small Charges Act, Cap. 4.36",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",kn-sca,https://lawcommission.gov.kn/wp-content/documents/Act17TOC/Ch-04_36-Small-Charges-Act.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-kitts-and-nevis/
LC,Saint Lucia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,"soliciting: XCD 1,000 fine","Selling sex is not an offence as such. Loitering about or importuning a passer-by in a public place for prostitution carries a $1,000 fine; persistently soliciting or importuning in public for immoral purposes carries five years on indictment or two years summarily. A tenant or occupier who uses premises for their own habitual prostitution commits an offence punishable by up to $15,000 or three years.","s. 150 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | s. 151(1)(b) Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | s. 143(2)(b) and (5) Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Attorney General's Chambers online Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023).,lc-cc-150 | lc-cc-151 | lc-cc-143,http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-150 | http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-151 | http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-143,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-lucia/
LC,Saint Lucia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offences in ss. 150 and 151(1)(b) are not limited to sellers.,"s. 150 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | s. 151(1)(b) Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Attorney General's Chambers online Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023). Only the prostitution sections of the Code were reviewed.,lc-cc-150 | lc-cc-151,http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-150 | http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-151,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-lucia/
LC,Saint Lucia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who keeps or manages, or assists in the care or management of, a brothel is deemed its keeper and commits an offence. A tenant or occupier who knowingly permits premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution, and a landlord who lets premises knowing they will be so used, face up to $15,000 or three years; a police notice to the landlord fixes them with knowledge.","s. 143 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | ss. 144-146 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 (leases)",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Attorney General's Chambers online Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023). The penalty in s. 143(5) is expressed for subsections (2) and (3); the keeper offence in s. 143(1) states no separate penalty.,lc-cc-143,http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-143,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-lucia/
LC,Saint Lucia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring any person to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or Saint Lucia to frequent a brothel, carries seven years on indictment. Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution carries five years on indictment or two years summarily, with a presumption against anyone who lives with or controls a sex worker; a woman who controls a sex worker for gain faces the same.","s. 141(1)(b)-(d) Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | s. 151(1)(a) and (2) Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01 | s. 149 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01",high,2026-10-30,Read from the Attorney General's Chambers online Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023).,lc-cc-141 | lc-cc-151 | lc-cc-149,http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-141 | http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-151 | http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-149,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-lucia/
LC,Saint Lucia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places, and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.","s. 151 Criminal Code, Cap. 3.01",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",lc-cc-151,http://attorneygeneralchambers.com/laws-of-saint-lucia/criminal-code/section-151,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-lucia/
VC,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who solicits for any immoral purpose in any public place is deemed an idle and disorderly person and is liable to three months' imprisonment.,"s. 285(d) Criminal Code, Cap. 171",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested.",vc-cc,https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dlc/mesicic/docs/mesicic5_svg_annex8.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/
VC,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is not limited to sellers.,"s. 285(d) Criminal Code, Cap. 171",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested.",vc-cc,https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dlc/mesicic/docs/mesicic5_svg_annex8.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/
VC,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel carries fourteen years; letting premises, or being a party to their use, knowing they are to be used as a brothel carries seven years, or fourteen on a repeat conviction. A brothel is a house, room or other place 'resorted to by more than one prostitute' for prostitution, so a person working alone does not run one.","s. 136 Criminal Code, Cap. 171 | s. 137 Criminal Code, Cap. 171",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested. Under the bill reported passed in April 2024 the maxima become fifteen and ten years; its assent and commencement were not verified.",vc-cc | vc-news,https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dlc/mesicic/docs/mesicic5_svg_annex8.pdf | https://www.stvincenttimes.com/st-vincents-parliament-passes-bill-increasing-punishment-for-sexual-offences/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/
VC,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a woman to become a 'common prostitute' or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, a man knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution, a woman controlling a sex worker's movements for gain, and anyone living on a male sex worker's earnings each carry fourteen years. A man who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker is presumed to live on her earnings.","s. 131 Criminal Code, Cap. 171 | s. 133 Criminal Code, Cap. 171 | s. 134 Criminal Code, Cap. 171 | s. 135 Criminal Code, Cap. 171",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested. The 2024 bill raises these maxima to fifteen years; see pending.",vc-cc,https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dlc/mesicic/docs/mesicic5_svg_annex8.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/
VC,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is limited to public places; a third party profiting from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offences.,"s. 285 Criminal Code, Cap. 171",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",vc-cc,https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dlc/mesicic/docs/mesicic5_svg_annex8.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/
WS,Samoa,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"A person who has sexual intercourse or sexual connection, or agrees or offers to, with another person for gain or reward is liable to up to three years' imprisonment. A woman cannot be convicted for sex with her husband.",s. 72 Crimes Act 2013,high,2026-10-30,Read from the Crimes Act 2013 as enacted (copy on the Government of Samoa's mygov portal); later amendments were not checked.,ws-crimes,https://mygov.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Crimes-Act-2013.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/samoa/
WS,Samoa,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 5 years,A person who offers or agrees to pay or reward another person for sexual intercourse or sexual connection is liable to up to five years' imprisonment. A man cannot be convicted in respect of sex with his wife.,s. 73 Crimes Act 2013,high,2026-10-30,Read from the Crimes Act 2013 as enacted (copy on the Government of Samoa's mygov portal); later amendments were not checked.,ws-crimes,https://mygov.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Crimes-Act-2013.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/samoa/
WS,Samoa,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or knowingly assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as one; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used carry up to ten years. A brothel is any house, room or place used for prostitution 'whether by 1 woman or more', so a single worker's premises can qualify.",s. 70 Crimes Act 2013,high,2026-10-30,Read from the Crimes Act 2013 as enacted (copy on the Government of Samoa's mygov portal); later amendments were not checked.,ws-crimes,https://mygov.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Crimes-Act-2013.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/samoa/
WS,Samoa,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of another person's prostitution, or soliciting for any sex worker whether paid or not, carries up to ten years. Procuring, or agreeing or offering to procure, a woman or girl for gain or reward to have sex with a man who is not her husband carries seven years.",s. 74 Crimes Act 2013 | s. 75 Crimes Act 2013,high,2026-10-30,Read from the Crimes Act 2013 as enacted (copy on the Government of Samoa's mygov portal); later amendments were not checked.,ws-crimes,https://mygov.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Crimes-Act-2013.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/samoa/
WS,Samoa,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No advertising-specific offence was found, but a sex worker's advertisement is an 'offer' under s. 72, and anyone who knowingly 'solicits for any prostitute' (for example by placing or publishing ads for them) commits the s. 74 offence, with up to ten years.",s. 72 Crimes Act 2013 | s. 74(b) Crimes Act 2013,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability. Applying 'offers' and 'solicits for any prostitute' to advertising is an inference from the wording; no case was found.",ws-crimes,https://mygov.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Crimes-Act-2013.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/samoa/
SM,San Marino,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex privately is not in itself an offence. It is a criminal contravention (arrest or day-fine) to invite others to sex in a public place, to stand ostentatiously in public to find clients, to cause scandal to co-residents or neighbours by working at home, or to offer one's own prostitution through the mass media.",Art. 278 nos. 1–4 Codice penale | Art. 149 Codice penale (definitions) | Art. 273 Codice penale,medium,2026-10-30,"The code text checked is the 1974 original as published by the Consiglio Grande e Generale, plus the 2008 amendments. No official consolidated text was found. The 2026 court report confirms that art. 278 is in force under that number and title, but whether art. 273 (expulsion of foreigners) has been amended or repealed was not verified.",sm-cp-1974 | sm-libertas-2026,https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17019121.html | https://www.libertas.sm/prostituzione-sul-titano-patteggiano-una-escort-e-il-suo-protettore/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/san-marino/
SM,San Marino,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,via mass media: 2 months,"Buying sex from an adult is not an offence as such. Art. 278 no. 2 does, however, make it a contravention to seek to 'enter into relations with a person engaged in prostitution' by means of the mass media.",Art. 278 no. 2 Codice penale,medium,2026-10-30,"'Comunicazioni sociali' is defined in art. 149 as communication made for public dissemination (press, recordings, radio, television, cinema 'or other similar means'). Whether a client privately replying to an online ad falls within it has not been tested in any decision found.",sm-cp-1974,https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17019121.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/san-marino/
SM,San Marino,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a brothel ('casa di prostituzione') or letting property to be used as one is punished with imprisonment and disqualification; administering or working in a service role in one is also punished. Hotel, bar, club or venue operators who habitually tolerate prostitution on their premises lose their trading licence.",Art. 270 Codice penale | Art. 279 Codice penale,medium,2026-10-30,Article numbers and wording are from the 1974 original text; the official site offers no consolidated version.,sm-cp-1974,https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17019121.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/san-marino/
SM,San Marino,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Repeatedly exploiting another's prostitution (art. 271) and facilitating or favouring prostitution 'in any way' to serve another's lust (art. 272) are crimes. Inducing a person into prostitution is an offence against personal liberty (art. 168-bis, formerly art. 269), aggravated by violence, threats, deceit or a minor victim.",Art. 168-bis Codice penale | Art. 271 Codice penale | Art. 272 Codice penale | Art. 168 Codice penale,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 1974 code text and the 2008 amending law; later amendments to arts. 271–272 cannot be ruled out without a consolidated text.,sm-cp-1974 | sm-l97-2008 | sm-libertas-2026,https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17019121.html | https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17023744.html | https://www.libertas.sm/prostituzione-sul-titano-patteggiano-una-escort-e-il-suo-protettore/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/san-marino/
SM,San Marino,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Offering one's own or another person's prostitution through the mass media is a criminal contravention under art. 278 no. 2. The 2026 case shows prosecutions where contact was made through a website, so in practice advertised prostitution is exposed to fines.",Art. 278 no. 2 Codice penale | Art. 149 Codice penale,medium,2026-10-30,"The news report says both defendants were charged under art. 278 but does not say which numbered paragraph, so it does not by itself confirm that a website counts as 'comunicazioni sociali'. No decision was found on the liability of foreign ad sites; facilitation 'in any way' (art. 272) could in principle be relevant, but this is untested.",sm-cp-1974 | sm-libertas-2026,https://www.consigliograndeegenerale.sm/on-line/home/archivio-leggi-decreti-e-regolamenti/documento17019121.html | https://www.libertas.sm/prostituzione-sul-titano-patteggiano-una-escort-e-il-suo-protettore/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/san-marino/
ST,São Tomé and Príncipe,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex, or soliciting for it, an offence for an adult. The chapter on crimes against sexual freedom and self-determination targets those who traffic, exploit or facilitate others' prostitution, and adults who pay minors.",Código Penal arts. 172–173,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Diário da República text of 2012 and the 2021 amending law. Municipal regulations and minor-offence (contravenção) rules, if any, were not checked; enforcement practice was not assessed.",st-cp2012,https://cipstp.st/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/anp-lei-n%C2%BA-6-2012-c%C3%B3digo-penal-06.08.2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/
ST,São Tomé and Príncipe,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no offence of paying an adult for sex. An adult who pays or offers anything in return for sexual acts with a person aged 15 to 18 commits prostitution of minors: two to six years, or three to eight years for intercourse, since Law 15/2021 (Article 179; before 2021 the age band was 14 to 18 and the maximum two or three years).",Código Penal art. 179 (as amended 2021),medium,2026-10-30,,st-cp2012 | st-lei15-2021,https://cipstp.st/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/anp-lei-n%C2%BA-6-2012-c%C3%B3digo-penal-06.08.2012.pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/sao209843.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/
ST,São Tomé and Príncipe,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No article specifically on brothels was found. Running premises where others sell sex, professionally or for profit, falls within lenocínio, fostering, favouring or facilitating another person's prostitution, punishable by one to five years (Article 173(1)). Legal persons can be fined and dissolved for offences involving minors (Article 182(7)).",Código Penal art. 173 | Código Penal art. 182(7),medium,2026-10-30,"That a venue falls under Article 173 is an inference from its wording, which follows Portugal's lenocínio offence; no Santomean case law was found.",st-cp2012,https://cipstp.st/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/anp-lei-n%C2%BA-6-2012-c%C3%B3digo-penal-06.08.2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/
ST,São Tomé and Príncipe,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who, professionally or with intent to profit, fosters, favours or facilitates another person's prostitution or significant sexual acts is punished by one to five years, and by two to eight years if they use violence, serious threats, deceit, or exploit mental incapacity, abandonment or extreme economic need (Article 173). Facilitating the prostitution of a person under 18 carries two to six years since 2021, and four to ten years in aggravated cases (Article 181).",Código Penal art. 172 | Código Penal art. 173 | Código Penal art. 181 (as amended 2021),high,2026-10-30,,st-cp2012 | st-lei15-2021,https://cipstp.st/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/anp-lei-n%C2%BA-6-2012-c%C3%B3digo-penal-06.08.2012.pdf | https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/sao209843.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/
ST,São Tomé and Príncipe,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. A sex worker advertising her own services commits no offence, but a third party who publishes such advertisements professionally or for profit could be facilitating another person's prostitution under the lenocínio offence (Article 173). Distributing pornography involving minors is a separate offence (Article 180).",Código Penal art. 173 | Código Penal art. 180,low,2026-10-30,"Classification inferred from the general lenocínio offence; no case law on advertising or ad sites was found, and media and electronic-communications laws were not checked.",st-cp2012,https://cipstp.st/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/anp-lei-n%C2%BA-6-2012-c%C3%B3digo-penal-06.08.2012.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/
SA,Saudi Arabia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"No statute defines a prostitution offence. Extramarital sex is prohibited by reference to sharia and is punished as the hadd offence of zina (100 lashes if unmarried, death if married, subject to strict proof) or at the judge's discretion with imprisonment. In April 2020 the Supreme Court replaced flogging in discretionary sentences with prison and/or fines, but not for hadd offences.",Uncodified sharia (hadd of zina; ta'zir),medium,2026-10-30,Based on Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch analyses; there is no statute to check. The Bureau of Experts legislation portal (laws.boe.gov.sa) could not be reached.,sa-amnesty | sa-hrw,https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MDE2377832024ENGLISH.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/29/saudi-arabia-forthcoming-penal-code-should-protect-rights,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saudi-arabia/
SA,Saudi Arabia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"There is no client-specific offence, but the sharia-based prohibition of extramarital sex applies to both parties: the client commits zina or a discretionary offence just as the seller does.",Uncodified sharia (hadd of zina; ta'zir),medium,2026-10-30,Based on NGO analyses of an uncodified system; sentencing in individual cases varies with the judge.,sa-amnesty | sa-hrw,https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MDE2377832024ENGLISH.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/29/saudi-arabia-forthcoming-penal-code-should-protect-rights,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saudi-arabia/
SA,Saudi Arabia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No statute found defines a brothel offence; running premises for prostitution would be punished at the judge's discretion under sharia. Where people are recruited, harboured or received for sexual assault through coercion, deception or abuse of vulnerability, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law provides up to 15 years and/or SAR 1 million (Arts. 2 and 3).","Arts. 2-3 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law (Royal Decree M/40, 2009)",low,2026-10-30,The statement that brothel keeping is punished as a discretionary offence is an inference from the absence of a codified penal code; no court decision was checked.,sa-tip | sa-amnesty,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/anti-trafficking-in-persons-law-2009_html/Anti-Trafficking_in_Persons_Law_2009_Saudi_Arabia.pdf | https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MDE2377832024ENGLISH.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saudi-arabia/
SA,Saudi Arabia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring is not codified. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is punished under the 2009 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law by up to 15 years and/or SAR 1 million, with heavier penalties if the victim is a woman or a child (Arts. 3 and 4). The leaked draft penal code would punish inciting or luring a person to prostitution by two to five years and up to SAR 300,000, but it is not in force.","Arts. 2-4 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law (Royal Decree M/40, 2009)",medium,2026-10-30,"The Anti-Trafficking Law was read in the English translation hosted by UNODC SHERLOC, not on the Saudi portal, which could not be reached.",sa-tip | sa-amnesty,https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res/anti-trafficking-in-persons-law-2009_html/Anti-Trafficking_in_Persons_Law_2009_Saudi_Arabia.pdf | https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MDE2377832024ENGLISH.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saudi-arabia/
SA,Saudi Arabia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Producing, preparing, transmitting or storing material impinging on public order, religious values, public morals or privacy through an information network, or building or publicising a website to promote or facilitate human trafficking, is punishable by up to five years and/or a fine of up to SAR 3 million (Art. 6(1) and (2), Anti-Cyber Crime Law).","Art. 6 Anti-Cyber Crime Law (Royal Decree M/17, 2007)",medium,2026-10-30,"The law does not name sexual services; applying 'public morals' to sex-work ads is our reading of the text, not a checked court decision.",sa-cyber,https://mcit.gov.sa//sites/default/files/anti_cyber_crime_law_en_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/saudi-arabia/
SN,Senegal,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Selling sex is lawful for a person registered in the fichier sanitaire et social who holds an up-to-date carnet sanitaire, attends the required check-ups and does not solicit in public. Working unregistered, failing to show the booklet to police or missing a medical visit can be prosecuted. People under 21 who sell sex are brought before the juvenile court for protective measures (Article 327 bis).",Loi n° 66-21 du 1er février 1966 | Décret n° 69-616 du 20 mai 1969 | Code pénal art. 327 bis,medium,2026-10-30,"The texts of Law 66-21 and Decree 69-616 could not be found online; their content is taken from the government's own report to a UN committee and from peer-reviewed research. Those sources differ on the check-up interval (every 15 days or monthly) and on the minimum age (21 in the statute, 18 according to the government).",sn-crc-2016 | sn-plos-2024 | sn-cp | sn-loi-69-27,https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=9ISxTbXLrS5RN4yqbeg/z/beeLLAPEd1xUbh2/pCCZqumOOvg7pX+G4QvJHBVftBq6hSSN8RKkA65ckjss++MQ%3D%3D | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11326597 | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/fr/legislation/details/6336 | https://www.vie-publique.sn/documents/7049/69%2027.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/senegal/
SN,Senegal,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Penal Code or in official descriptions of the 1966 law. The procuring and corruption-of-youth offences (Articles 323 and 324) target those who organise, profit from or habitually encourage the prostitution or debauchery of others, not clients as such.",Code pénal art. 323 | Code pénal art. 324,medium,2026-10-30,The 1966 law and 1969 decree themselves were not read.,sn-cp | sn-crc-2016,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/fr/legislation/details/6336 | https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=9ISxTbXLrS5RN4yqbeg/z/beeLLAPEd1xUbh2/pCCZqumOOvg7pX+G4QvJHBVftBq6hSSN8RKkA65ckjss++MQ%3D%3D,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/senegal/
SN,Senegal,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, managing, running or financing a prostitution establishment, or habitually accepting or tolerating prostitution or the seeking of clients in a hotel, furnished house, bar, restaurant, club, dance hall or any place open to the public, carries two to five years and a fine of 300,000 to 4,000,000 francs (Article 325), doubled for a repeat within ten years. The court must withdraw the licence and close the premises for three months to five years (Article 326).",Code pénal art. 325 | Code pénal art. 326,high,2026-10-30,"Read in the consolidated text published on WIPO Lex, which includes amendments up to the late 1990s; later amendments to the Code (2016, 2020) were not checked for these articles.",sn-cp,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/fr/legislation/details/6336,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/senegal/
SN,Senegal,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, knowingly lives with such a person, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual contact with sex workers, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: one to three years and 250,000 to 2,500,000 francs (Article 323), two to five years if aggravated (Article 324).",Code pénal art. 323 | Code pénal art. 324 | Code pénal art. 327,high,2026-10-30,The 'lives with' and 'cannot justify resources' limbs can reach partners and family members of registered sex workers.,sn-cp,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/fr/legislation/details/6336,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/senegal/
SN,Senegal,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind whatever its terms, carries the penalties of Article 256: one month to two years and a fine of 25,000 to 300,000 francs (Article 257). Publicly soliciting people for debauchery by gestures, words, writings or any other means is a police contravention, and helping another person's soliciting is procuring (Article 323).",Code pénal art. 257 al. 2 | Code des contraventions art. 9(3) | Code pénal art. 323(1),high,2026-10-30,No case applying Article 257 to online advertisements or to websites was found.,sn-cp,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/fr/legislation/details/6336,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/senegal/
RS,Serbia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"RSD 150,000 or 60 days","Engaging in prostitution is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Prostitution is defined as providing sexual services for money or other value.",чл. 3 ст. 1 тач. 15 Закона о јавном реду и миру | чл. 16 ст. 1 Закона о јавном реду и миру,high,2026-10-30,"The Equality Commissioner, citing research, states that sellers are penalised in practice far more often than buyers; no official statistics were checked for this overview.",rs-zjrm,https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2016/6/2/reg,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/serbia/
RS,Serbia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"RSD 150,000 or 60 days","Using prostitution services is a misdemeanour carrying the same penalty as selling: a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Buyers were first made liable by the 2016 law.",чл. 16 ст. 1 Закона о јавном реду и миру,high,2026-10-30,,rs-zjrm | rs-poverenik-2024,https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2016/6/2/reg | https://www.paragraf.rs/dnevne-vesti/061224/061224-vest11.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/serbia/
RS,Serbia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days); providing premises to a minor for prostitution carries 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Inducing others into prostitution, or handing a person over to another for it, is a separate crime under Article 184 of the Criminal Code.",чл. 16 Закона о јавном реду и миру | чл. 184 Кривичног законика,high,2026-10-30,,rs-zjrm | rs-kz,https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2016/6/2/reg | https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2005/85/6/reg,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/serbia/
RS,Serbia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing or inciting another person to prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by six months to five years and a fine; one to ten years where a minor is involved.",чл. 184 Кривичног законика,high,2026-10-30,,rs-kz,https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2005/85/6/reg,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/serbia/
RS,Serbia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media or other similar means is a crime under the same article as procuring, punishable by six months to five years and a fine. Unlike in Croatia, the wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.",чл. 184 ст. 1 Кривичног законика,high,2026-10-30,"How courts apply ""other similar means"" to websites and online ad platforms was not checked against case law for this overview.",rs-kz,https://pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/eli/rep/sgrs/skupstina/zakon/2005/85/6/reg,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/serbia/
SC,Seychelles,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 years,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution is liable to two years' imprisonment (s. 154). A ""common prostitute"" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place is an idle and disorderly person, liable to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both (s. 173(a)).",Penal Code s. 154 | Penal Code s. 173(a),high,2026-10-30,"Text read in the Laws.Africa consolidation to 1 June 2020; SeyLII, which would show later amendments, refused access (403). In a 2015 integrated bio-behavioural survey cited by Seychelles Nation, 50.6% of sex workers reported having been arrested; among female sex workers the reasons included loitering (16%) and selling sex (7%).",sc-pc | sc-nation-2018,https://www.vertic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_Criminal_Code.pdf | https://www.nation.sc/archive/259731/workshop-to-discuss-creation-of-legal-environment-for-sex-workers,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/seychelles/
SC,Seychelles,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 years,"Paying for sex with an adult is not itself an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 154 is worded for ""a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution"" and is not limited to the seller, so a client who solicits in public may also be covered.",Penal Code s. 154,medium,2026-10-30,Application of s. 154 to clients is a reading of the gender-neutral text; no prosecutions of clients were found.,sc-pc,https://www.vertic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_Criminal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/seychelles/
SC,Seychelles,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in it, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, or letting premises knowing they are to be used as one, is punishable by three years' imprisonment (s. 155(1)). A ""brothel"" is any premises or part of premises resorted to or used by any person for the purposes of prostitution or lewd sexual practices (s. 155(2)).",Penal Code s. 155,high,2026-10-30,"Consolidation to 1 June 2020. The definition (""any person"") appears wide enough to cover a sex worker working alone from rented premises; no case law was checked.",sc-pc,https://www.vertic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_Criminal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/seychelles/
SC,Seychelles,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring, enticing or leading away a person for prostitution, knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of another's prostitution, knowingly exploiting it, or for gain controlling another person's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution, carries five years (s. 156). Procuring or exploiting prostitution for gain, even with consent, is also a misdemeanour (s. 143), as is doing so without gain where the person is under 21, is sent abroad or is coerced (s. 144).",Penal Code ss. 143–144 | Penal Code s. 156,high,2026-10-30,Sections 143–144 state no specific penalty; under s. 35 an unspecified misdemeanour is punishable by up to two years or a fine or both.,sc-pc,https://www.vertic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_Criminal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/seychelles/
SC,Seychelles,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting for prostitution is an offence (s. 154), and publishing or advertising indecent material is punishable by five years (s. 152); a third party carrying adverts could also be exposed under s. 156 (exploiting the prostitution of another).",Penal Code s. 152 | Penal Code s. 154 | Penal Code s. 156,low,2026-10-30,"Inferred from general provisions; whether an online advert is soliciting ""in a public place"" is untested as far as found. Cybercrime legislation was not checked.",sc-pc,https://www.vertic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SC_Criminal_Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/seychelles/
SL,Sierra Leone,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence of selling sex was found. Sex workers are, however, arrested under loitering and vagrancy laws: section 7 of the Public Order Act 1965, section 13(1)(e) and (f) of the Criminal Procedure Act and section 31 of the Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance 1906. In November 2024 the ECOWAS Court found these laws discriminatory and ordered them amended or repealed.",Public Order Act 1965 s. 7 | Criminal Procedure Act s. 13(1)(e)–(f) | Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance 1906 s. 31,medium,2026-10-30,"The older statutes (Public Order Act, Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance) could not be opened, so it cannot be ruled out that one of them contains a prostitution-specific offence. No repeal following the ECOWAS judgment was found as of October 2026.",sl-soa | sl-salc-2024,https://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf | https://www.southernafricalitigationcentre.org/ecowas-court-orders-sierra-leone-to-repeal-loitering-laws/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sierra-leone/
SL,Sierra Leone,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Participating as a client in child prostitution (under 18) carries up to fifteen years (section 30); a defendant may show that they took reasonable steps and reasonably believed the person was 18 or over (section 33).,Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 30 | Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 33,medium,2026-10-30,Amendments made by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019 were not checked.,sl-soa,https://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sierra-leone/
SL,Sierra Leone,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No brothel-keeping offence was found in the 2012 Act. Running a venue in which the operator controls sex workers' activities for gain falls under section 17(1)(b), punishable by up to ten years.",Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 17(1)(b),low,2026-10-30,"Older statutes were not checked for a separate brothel offence, and the position of a landlord who does not control the work is unclear.",sl-soa,https://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sierra-leone/
SL,Sierra Leone,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A person who intentionally causes or incites another to become a sex worker, or controls any of their activities relating to prostitution, in return for or in expectation of gain for themselves or a third person, faces up to ten years (section 17). 'Gain' includes any financial advantage, including sexual services, and goodwill likely to bring financial advantage.",Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 17 | Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 31 | Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 32,high,2026-10-30,,sl-soa,https://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sierra-leone/
SL,Sierra Leone,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A third party who advertises in a way that causes or incites someone to become a sex worker, or as part of controlling their work, for gain could fall under section 17.",Sexual Offences Act 2012 s. 17,low,2026-10-30,Older statutes were not checked; no case on advertising or websites was found.,sl-soa,https://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sierra-leone/
SG,Singapore,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: ≈€700 fine,"Offering sex for payment is not itself an offence, but persistently loitering or soliciting in a public road or place for prostitution is fined up to S$1,000, and up to S$2,000 or six months for a repeat. Migrant sex workers who are arrested are deported and barred from returning.",s. 2 Women's Charter 1961 | s. 19 Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906,high,2026-10-30,"The licensed-brothel and yellow-card arrangements are not set out in published law; they are described from sex workers' accounts (Project X, 2017) and may have changed.",sg-wc | sg-moa | sg-projectx2017,https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WC1961?ProvIds=P111- | https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/MOPONA1906?ProvIds=pr19- | https://theprojectx.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2017-Singapore-CEDAW-Stakeholders-Report-by-Project-X-68th-Session-final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/singapore/
SG,Singapore,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Procuring or obtaining a woman or girl for prostitution, and offences involving minors, remain crimes under the Women's Charter.",s. 140 Women's Charter 1961,high,2026-10-30,,sg-wc | sg-projectx2017,https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WC1961?ProvIds=P111- | https://theprojectx.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2017-Singapore-CEDAW-Stakeholders-Report-by-Project-X-68th-Session-final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/singapore/
SG,Singapore,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel, and knowingly letting or occupying a place used as one, carries up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to S$100,000 (seven years and S$150,000 for repeat offenders). A brothel is a place used habitually by two or more women for prostitution, or advertised as such. Police nonetheless tolerate licensed brothels in designated red-light areas.",s. 147 Women's Charter 1961 | s. 148 Women's Charter 1961,high,2026-10-30,"The tolerance of licensed brothels rests on police practice, not on any published licensing law; the parliamentary answer is cited as quoted by Project X.",sg-wc | sg-projectx2017,https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WC1961?ProvIds=P111- | https://theprojectx.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2017-Singapore-CEDAW-Stakeholders-Report-by-Project-X-68th-Session-final.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/singapore/
SG,Singapore,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of a woman's prostitution, or taking payment for a service that aids it, carries up to seven years and a fine of up to S$100,000. Procuring, buying, selling or detaining women or girls for prostitution carries the same.",s. 140 Women's Charter 1961 | s. 146 Women's Charter 1961,high,2026-10-30,,sg-wc,https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WC1961?ProvIds=P111-,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/singapore/
SG,Singapore,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone, in or outside Singapore, who in the course of business uses a website, app, messaging or telephone service accessible from Singapore to offer or facilitate paid sexual services by a woman in Singapore, or to organise them, faces up to five years and a S$100,000 fine. Advertising a place as used for prostitution also makes it a brothel in law.","s. 146A Women's Charter 1961 | s. 2 Women's Charter 1961 (""brothel"" (c))",high,2026-10-30,,sg-wc,https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WC1961?ProvIds=P111-,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/singapore/
SK,Slovakia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling sexual services as an adult is not a criminal or administrative offence at national level. The Criminal Code defines prostitution only for the purpose of the offences committed by third parties. Local public-order ordinances and the general offence of causing public outrage can apply to conduct in public.,§ 132 ods. 1 Trestného zákona (č. 300/2005 Z. z.),high,2026-10-30,,sk-tz | sk-priestupky | cz-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/ | https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/1990/372/ | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Sexual abuse of a child in the form of child prostitution, i.e. sexual contact with a person under 18 for a reward or its promise, is a criminal offence under § 202(1)(b) Criminal Code (one to five years).",§ 132 ods. 2 Trestného zákona | § 202 ods. 1 písm. b) Trestného zákona,high,2026-10-30,,sk-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Brothels cannot be licensed. § 367(1) Criminal Code punishes anyone who profits from prostitution carried on by another or enables it ('umožní jej vykonávanie'), so operating premises where others sell sex is procuring, punishable by up to three years and more in aggravated cases.",§ 367 Trestného zákona,high,2026-10-30,,sk-tz | sk-tz-2006 | cz-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/ | https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/20060101 | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision addresses sex workers who share a flat. Because § 367 also punishes whoever 'enables' another person's prostitution, a sex worker who provides or sublets premises to another, or arranges clients for her, risks committing procuring even without taking a share of earnings.",§ 367 ods. 1 Trestného zákona,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the statutory wording; no Slovak court decision on shared premises among sex workers or on the scope of 'enabling' was located for this profile.,sk-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (kupliarstvo, § 367 Criminal Code) covers arranging, inducing, seducing, using, recruiting or offering another person for prostitution, profiting from another's prostitution and enabling it. Up to three years; one to five years for a more serious manner of commission; three to ten years against a protected person; seven to twelve years for substantial gain or in a dangerous group; ten to fifteen years for grievous bodily harm or death.",§ 367 Trestného zákona | § 179 Trestného zákona,high,2026-10-30,,sk-tz | sk-minv-2024,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/ | https://www.minv.sk/swift_data/source/policia/statistiky_2024/12_december/3statistika_podla_paragrafov_3_31.12.2024.xml,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No law specifically bans advertising sexual services; sex workers can advertise their own services. Offering another person for prostitution is itself one of the acts listed in § 367(1), so advertising someone else's services can be procuring. The Advertising Act bars advertisements contrary to good morals (§ 3(5)).",§ 367 ods. 1 Trestného zákona | § 3 ods. 5 zákona č. 147/2001 Z. z.,medium,2026-10-30,How Slovak prosecutors and courts apply § 367 to advertising was not verified; no case law was located.,sk-tz | sk-reklama,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/ | https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2001/147/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no statute on ad sites for sexual services. A site operator could in principle fall under § 367 if it offers persons for prostitution, profits from it or enables it; no prosecution of a Slovak ad platform was found. Hosting liability and notice-and-action follow the EU Digital Services Act, supervised by the Council for Media Services (Rada pre mediálne služby).",§ 367 Trestného zákona | Regulation (EU) 2022/2065,medium,2026-10-30,No Slovak case law or prosecutorial guidance on ad platforms was located; the application of § 367 to platforms is an inference from its wording.,sk-tz | eu-dsa | ec-dsc | cz-lupa-2026 | cz-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/ | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj | https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-dscs | https://www.lupa.cz/aktuality/inzerce-neni-kuplirstvi-soud-smetl-ze-stolu-zalobu-kolem-erotickych-webu-sex-cz/ | https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2009-40#p189,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"No national offence targets soliciting in public, but municipalities set out by ordinance activities banned or restricted at certain times or places, and some make offering sexual services in public spaces an offence (e.g. Bratislava-Staré Mesto, VZN 3/1997). Breaching an ordinance is a minor offence (fine up to EUR 100 for individuals; up to EUR 6,638 for legal persons and entrepreneurs). Causing public outrage is a separate offence.","§ 4 ods. 3 písm. n), § 4 ods. 5 písm. a) bod 5 a § 6 zákona č. 369/1990 Zb. | § 27b zákona č. 369/1990 Zb. | § 46–48 zákona č. 372/1990 Zb. | § 1 VZN mestskej časti Bratislava-Staré Mesto č. 3/1997",medium,2026-10-30,"The statutory framework and the Staré Mesto ordinance are verified from their texts. Press reports (2007–2017) say Bratislava-Nové Mesto and Podunajské Biskupice had similar ordinances; whether those remain in force, which other municipalities have one, and how any of them are enforced was not verified.",sk-obce | sk-priestupky | sk-ba-sm-vzn-3-1997,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/1990/369/ | https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/1990/372/ | https://www.staremesto.sk/zverejnovanie/detail/364596/vzn-31997-ktorym-sa-ustanovuje-ze-ponukanie-a-poskytovanie-sluzieb-smerujucich-bezprostredne-k-uspokojovaniu-sexualnych-potrieb-na-verejnych-priestranstvach-mestskej-casti-bratislava-stare-mesto-j,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no registration, licence or mandatory health check for sex workers. The Slovak Trade Licensing Act, unlike its Czech counterpart, does not mention sexual services at all. Slovakia is a party to the 1950 UN Convention, whose Article 6 requires states to abolish special registration of persons in prostitution.",zákon č. 455/1991 Zb. (živnostenský zákon),medium,2026-10-30,The absence of a registration regime is verified from the statutes; the trade-licence position is not settled in any source located.,sk-zivnost | un-1950 | un-1950-text,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/1991/455/ | https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=VII-11-a&chapter=7&clang=_en | https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/trafficpersons.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,The Income Tax Act (No. 595/2003 Coll.) taxes income generally and contains no provision on prostitution. No Slovak court ruling or Financial Administration guidance on taxing income from prostitution was located for this profile.,§ 6 zákona č. 595/2003 Z. z.,low,2026-10-30,"Statutory text only; no case law or administrative guidance was found, so the tax treatment in practice is uncertain.",sk-dane,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2003/595/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SK,Slovakia,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,legal,Legal,none,,No immigration rule addresses prostitution. EU citizens are in the same position as Slovak nationals. Trafficking for prostitution or sexual exploitation is punished under § 179 Criminal Code.,,low,2026-10-30,Residence and work-authorisation rules for third-country nationals who sell sex were not checked.,sk-tz,https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/2005/300/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovakia/
SI,Slovenia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,soliciting: fine,"Selling sex is not an offence. Whoever has sexual intercourse, exposes their genitals or offers sexual services in an importunate way (""na vsiljiv način"") in a public place, and thereby disturbs others or causes alarm or outrage, commits a minor offence punished by a fine (Art. 7(3) ZJRM-1).",7. člen (3) ZJRM-1,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the 2006 text as published in the Official Gazette (fines then in tolars); the current consolidated text on PISRS could not be opened, so later amendments and the current fine amounts are not reflected.",si-zjrm1,https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2006-01-2998,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovenia/
SI,Slovenia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the Criminal Code or the public-order act. Offences protecting minors and victims of trafficking apply separately.,,medium,2026-10-30,Based on the 2008 Criminal Code as published; amendments since then were not checked against a consolidated text.,si-kz1-2008 | si-zjrm1,https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2008-01-2296 | https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2006-01-2998,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovenia/
SI,Slovenia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No law licenses or expressly bans brothels. A venue operator who takes part in a sex worker's prostitution for the purpose of exploitation commits abuse of prostitution (Art. 175 KZ-1, three months to five years). Whether a venue run without exploitation is lawful is not settled by the statute.",175. člen KZ-1,low,2026-10-30,No case law or official guidance on venues was found; treat the status as uncertain.,si-kz1-2008,https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2008-01-2296,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovenia/
SI,Slovenia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Abuse of prostitution (Art. 175 KZ-1): whoever takes part in another person's prostitution for the purpose of exploitation, or recruits, obtains or incites another person into prostitution by force, threat or deception, faces three months to five years. If committed against a minor, against several persons or within a criminal association, the penalty is one to ten years.",175. člen KZ-1,medium,2026-10-30,"Wording and penalties are from the Criminal Code as published in 2008 (Uradni list RS, št. 55/2008); the current consolidated text on PISRS could not be opened, so amendments since then are not reflected.",si-kz1-2008,https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2008-01-2296,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovenia/
SI,Slovenia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,No provision specific to advertising sexual services was found in the Criminal Code or the public-order act. A third party who profits from advertising would only be caught by Art. 175 KZ-1 if they take part in a sex worker's prostitution for the purpose of exploitation. No rule on the liability of ad websites was found.,175. člen KZ-1,low,2026-10-30,"Media, advertising and e-commerce legislation were not checked; a restriction elsewhere cannot be excluded.",si-kz1-2008 | si-zjrm1,https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2008-01-2296 | https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2006-01-2998,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/slovenia/
SB,Solomon Islands,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. Soliciting for immoral purposes in a public place, or a 'common prostitute' behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, makes a person an idle and disorderly person (two months or a $20 fine); persistently soliciting or importuning in public for immoral purposes is a misdemeanour.","s. 175(c) and (f) Penal Code, Cap. 26 | s. 153(1)(b) Penal Code, Cap. 26",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Penal Code (Cap. 26) as amended to 1990 hosted by the University of Nottingham; the 2016 amending Act (a scanned copy hosted by antislaverylaw.ac.uk, read by OCR) repealed and replaced ss. 136-150 and s. 156 but not ss. 153-155 or s. 175. The consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers.",sb-pc,https://cjad.nottingham.ac.uk/documents/implementations/pdf/Solomon_Islands_-_Penal_Code_1963_amended_1990.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/solomon-islands/
SB,Solomon Islands,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found; the 2016 Act criminalises obtaining commercial sexual services from a child. The public soliciting offences are not limited to sellers.,"s. 175(f) Penal Code, Cap. 26",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Penal Code (Cap. 26) as amended to 1990 hosted by the University of Nottingham; the 2016 amending Act (a scanned copy hosted by antislaverylaw.ac.uk, read by OCR) repealed and replaced ss. 136-150 and s. 156 but not ss. 153-155 or s. 175. The consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers.",sb-pc | sb-2016,https://cjad.nottingham.ac.uk/documents/implementations/pdf/Solomon_Islands_-_Penal_Code_1963_amended_1990.pdf | https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Solomon-Islands-Penal-Code-Amdt-Sexual-Offences-Act-2016.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/solomon-islands/
SB,Solomon Islands,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are misdemeanours.","s. 155 Penal Code, Cap. 26 | s. 154 Penal Code, Cap. 26 (search warrant)",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Penal Code (Cap. 26) as amended to 1990 hosted by the University of Nottingham; the 2016 amending Act (a scanned copy hosted by antislaverylaw.ac.uk, read by OCR) repealed and replaced ss. 136-150 and s. 156 but not ss. 153-155 or s. 175. The consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. The general penalty for a misdemeanour was not checked.",sb-pc,https://cjad.nottingham.ac.uk/documents/implementations/pdf/Solomon_Islands_-_Penal_Code_1963_amended_1990.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/solomon-islands/
SB,Solomon Islands,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution, and for gain controlling a sex worker's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution, are misdemeanours, with a presumption against anyone who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker. Procuring or attempting to procure a person to provide commercial sexual services, in the Solomon Islands or elsewhere, carries up to fifteen years (twenty if the person is under 15).","s. 153(1)(a), (c) and (2) Penal Code, Cap. 26 | s. 142(2) Penal Code, as inserted by Act No. 3 of 2016",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from a copy of the Penal Code (Cap. 26) as amended to 1990 hosted by the University of Nottingham; the 2016 amending Act (a scanned copy hosted by antislaverylaw.ac.uk, read by OCR) repealed and replaced ss. 136-150 and s. 156 but not ss. 153-155 or s. 175. The consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. The number s. 142 is read from the page header of the OCR'd 2016 Act.",sb-pc | sb-2016,https://cjad.nottingham.ac.uk/documents/implementations/pdf/Solomon_Islands_-_Penal_Code_1963_amended_1990.pdf | https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Solomon-Islands-Penal-Code-Amdt-Sexual-Offences-Act-2016.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/solomon-islands/
SB,Solomon Islands,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.,"s. 153 Penal Code, Cap. 26",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",sb-pc,https://cjad.nottingham.ac.uk/documents/implementations/pdf/Solomon_Islands_-_Penal_Code_1963_amended_1990.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/solomon-islands/
SO,Somalia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 2 years,"Whoever practises prostitution in any form is punishable with imprisonment from two months to two years and a fine of 100 to 2,000 Somali shillings; the penalty is increased for a married person (Article 405). Inciting anyone to lewd acts in a public place or place open to the public, even indirectly, carries up to one year or a fine (Article 406).",Penal Code 1962 art. 405 | Penal Code 1962 art. 406,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the semi-official English translation published on somalilandlaw.com (via FAOLEX); the authoritative text is Italian. An undated Library of Congress summary gives the penalty as two months to five years, but the translation and the 2018 UN assessment both give two years. Fine amounts are historical.",so-pc1962 | so-undp2018,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/somalia-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/somalia/
SO,Somalia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The Penal Code has no offence aimed specifically at paying for sex. Where Islamic courts apply Sharia, sex outside marriage is punished as zina, with flogging or stoning reported. A client who incites another to lewd acts in public falls under Article 406.",Penal Code 1962 art. 406,low,2026-10-30,"The classification as illegal rests on Sharia-based zina enforcement in parts of the country, documented only by a 2018 UN assessment; under the Penal Code alone, buying is not a specific offence. The extent of zina prosecutions was not checked.",so-pc1962 | so-undp2018,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/somalia-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/somalia/
SO,Somalia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no brothel-specific offence; running a brothel falls under aiding or in any manner facilitating prostitution, or exploiting its proceeds (Article 407), punishable like Article 405 and increased where the person is incapable of consent, a relative or in the offender's care.",Penal Code 1962 art. 407,medium,2026-10-30,Classification applies the general wording of Article 407; no case law was checked.,so-pc1962,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/somalia/
SO,Somalia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Instigating another to commit prostitution, aiding or in any manner facilitating it, or exploiting its proceeds wholly or in part, carries the Article 405 penalty, increased for relatives, guardians and carers (Article 407). Compelling another into prostitution by violence or threats carries two to six years and a fine (Article 408). A 2018 UN assessment found no comprehensive anti-trafficking law.",Penal Code 1962 art. 407 | Penal Code 1962 art. 408,medium,2026-10-30,Semi-official English translation.,so-pc1962 | so-undp2018,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf | https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/somalia-adjusted.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/somalia/
SO,Somalia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision names advertising of sexual services. Advertising one's own services in public can be inciting to lewd acts, ""even in an indirect manner"" (Article 406), and publishing ads for another person's services is facilitating prostitution (Article 407). Using publicity to facilitate the circulation of obscene objects is punished under Article 403(3).","Penal Code 1962 arts. 403, 406–407",low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no case law found.,so-pc1962,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/somalia/
ZA,South Africa,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Any person aged 18 or over who has unlawful carnal intercourse, or commits an act of indecency, with any other person for reward commits an offence (s. 20(1A)(a)), punishable by up to three years' imprisonment, with or without a fine of up to R6 000 (s. 22(a)). Enticing, soliciting or importuning in a public place for immoral purposes is a separate offence (s. 19(1); fine of up to R4 000 and/or up to two years).","Sexual Offences Act 23/1957 s. 20(1A)(a) | s. 19(1) | s. 22(a), (g)",high,2026-10-30,The text of the NPA directive was not published; its scope (for example whether it also covers clients under s. 11 of the 2007 Act) is known only from press reports.,za-soa1957 | za-jordan | za-groundup-2025 | za-groundup-2026,https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1957-023.pdf | https://collections.concourt.org.za/handle/20.500.12144/2131 | https://groundup.org.za/article/no-sex-workers-will-be-prosecuted-while-court-process-plays-out/ | https://allafrica.com/stories/202608170158.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-africa/
ZA,South Africa,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A person who unlawfully and intentionally engages the services of a person aged 18 or over for financial or other reward, for the purpose of a sexual act or by committing one, commits the offence of ""engaging the sexual services of a person 18 years or older"" (s. 11, Act 32 of 2007). The offence is complete whether or not the sexual act takes place. No specific penalty is set; the court sentences within its general jurisdiction (s. 56A(1)).",Act 32/2007 s. 11 | Act 32/2007 s. 56A(1),high,2026-10-30,,za-act32-2007,https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/2007-032.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-africa/
ZA,South Africa,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a brothel is an offence (s. 2), punishable by up to three years' imprisonment plus an optional fine of up to R6 000. Section 3 deems many people to keep a brothel, including anyone who lives in one or helps manage it, and landlords who let premises knowing they will be used as a brothel. Knowingly permitting premises to be used for any offence under the Act carries up to six years (s. 17).","Sexual Offences Act 23/1957 ss. 1–3 | s. 17 | s. 22(a), (f)",high,2026-10-30,,za-soa1957 | za-jordan,https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1957-023.pdf | https://collections.concourt.org.za/handle/20.500.12144/2131,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-africa/
ZA,South Africa,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution is an offence (s. 20(1)(a); up to three years), as is assisting in bringing about, or receiving any consideration for, an act of indecency by another person (s. 20(1)(c)). Procuring a woman to become a prostitute or an inmate of a brothel, or enticing her to a brothel, carries up to seven years (s. 10).","Sexual Offences Act 23/1957 s. 10 | s. 20(1)(a), (c) | s. 21(3) | s. 22(a), (e), (g)",high,2026-10-30,,za-soa1957,https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1957-023.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-africa/
ZA,South Africa,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no offence aimed at advertising as such. Instead, s. 12A punishes anyone who, for reward, performs any act calculated to enable a person to communicate with an adult who may have sex for reward, where they intended or ought reasonably to have foreseen this. The penalty is a fine or up to five years. This wording can reach paid advertising and introduction services, including publishers and ad sites that charge for adverts.",Sexual Offences Act 23/1957 s. 12A | s. 21(4) | s. 22(d),medium,2026-10-30,"The statutory wording was read directly. How courts have applied s. 12A to newspapers, websites or platforms in recent years was not checked.",za-soa1957,https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1957-023.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-africa/
KR,South Korea,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Selling sex is a crime: up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to 3 million won, detention or a petty fine. People recognised as victims of sex trade, for example those coerced by deceit or force, drug-dependent through a supervisor, minors or trafficked persons, are not punished.",성매매처벌법 제2조 | 성매매처벌법 제6조 | 성매매처벌법 제21조 제1항,high,2026-10-30,,kr-punishment-act | kr-khan-2016,https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=290119&efYd=20261002 | https://www.khan.co.kr/article/201603312215505,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-korea/
KR,South Korea,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Buying sex is punished under the same Article 21(1) as selling: up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to 3 million won, detention or a petty fine.",성매매처벌법 제21조 제1항,high,2026-10-30,,kr-punishment-act,https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=290119&efYd=20261002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-korea/
KR,South Korea,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Providing a place for sex trade, or knowingly providing funds, land or buildings for it, is an ""arranging"" offence: up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won, and up to 7 years or 70 million won when done as a business.",성매매처벌법 제2조 제1항 제2호 | 성매매처벌법 제19조,high,2026-10-30,,kr-punishment-act,https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=290119&efYd=20261002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-korea/
KR,South Korea,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Arranging, soliciting, inducing or forcing sex trade, recruiting people to sell sex and introducing them to such work carry up to 3 years or 30 million won, rising to 7 years or 70 million won as a business or for payment. Forcing someone to sell sex by violence, threats, deceit or abuse of a supervisory relationship carries up to 10 years, and more in aggravated cases.",성매매처벌법 제18조 | 성매매처벌법 제19조,high,2026-10-30,,kr-punishment-act,https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=290119&efYd=20261002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-korea/
KR,South Korea,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Advertising, including by telephone or online, to introduce people to selling sex, for venues where sex trade or arranging takes place, or inviting people to buy sex carries up to 3 years or 30 million won. Producing or supplying such ads, or publishing them, as a business carries up to 2 years or 10 million won; distributing them as a business up to 1 year.",성매매처벌법 제4조 제5호 | 성매매처벌법 제20조,high,2026-10-30,,kr-punishment-act,https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=290119&efYd=20261002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-korea/
SS,South Sudan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but whoever publicly solicits another person for the purposes of prostitution commits soliciting, punishable with up to six months' imprisonment, a fine or both (section 252). A person who in any public place solicits or importunes for immoral purposes is a vagabond, punishable with up to three months or a fine (section 379(1)(d)).",Penal Code Act 2008 s. 252 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 379(1)(d),high,2026-10-30,"Human Rights Watch reported in 2021 that the Juba mayor's office publicised the arrest of about 40 people, mainly women accused of witchcraft or sex work, some of whom received six-month sentences or fines and reported forced HIV testing.",ss-pc2008 | ss-hrw2021,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Sudan-Penal-Code.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/20/south-sudanese-officials-intimidate-sex-worker-camera,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-sudan/
SS,South Sudan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes paying for sex an offence. The soliciting offence in section 252 is worded for ""whoever publicly solicits another person"" and can apply to a client who solicits in public. Sexual intercourse with a person known to be another's spouse is adultery, punishable with up to two years or a fine, or dealt with under customary law (section 266).",Penal Code Act 2008 s. 252 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 266,high,2026-10-30,,ss-pc2008,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Sudan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-sudan/
SS,South Sudan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever keeps a brothel, or demands payment from a sex worker for keeping, managing or assisting in keeping the brothel where they live, commits facilitating prostitution, punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, a fine or both (section 253). A parent or guardian who allows a child to reside in a brothel faces up to ten years (section 258).",Penal Code Act 2008 s. 253 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 258,high,2026-10-30,"The Act does not define ""brothel""; whether sex workers sharing premises would be treated as keeping one was not checked.",ss-pc2008,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Sudan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-sudan/
SS,South Sudan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring a person to become a prostitute, to leave South Sudan to become one, or to leave home to become an inmate of a brothel elsewhere carries up to two years, or up to ten years where the person is a child (section 254). Demanding payment from a sex worker for soliciting on their behalf or bringing them into the country is facilitating prostitution (section 253), and knowingly living on a sex worker's earnings is vagrancy (section 379).",Penal Code Act 2008 ss. 253–256 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 276 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 379,high,2026-10-30,,ss-pc2008,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Sudan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-sudan/
SS,South Sudan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision names advertising of sexual services. Publicly soliciting for prostitution is an offence (section 252), soliciting on a sex worker's behalf for payment is facilitating prostitution (section 253(b)(ii)), and selling, distributing or publicly exhibiting obscene material carries up to three years (section 260).",Penal Code Act 2008 ss. 252–253 | Penal Code Act 2008 s. 260,low,2026-10-30,Whether online advertising counts as public soliciting has not been tested in any case found; the classification is inferred from the statutory wording.,ss-pc2008,https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Sudan-Penal-Code.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/south-sudan/
ES,Spain,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sex as an adult is not an offence under national law. On the street, police must order sex workers to stop offering services near places used by minors or where traffic is endangered; ignoring the order can be fined as disobedience under art. 36.6 LO 4/2015.","Arts. 36.6, 36.11 and 39 Ley Orgánica 4/2015",high,2026-10-30,,es-cp | es-losc,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1995-25444 | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-3442,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
ES,Spain,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,"in public: €30,000 fine","Buying sex from an adult is not a crime. A client who requests or accepts paid sexual services in public transit areas near places used by minors, or where it endangers road safety, commits a serious administrative infringement under art. 36.11 LO 4/2015 (fine EUR 601 to 30,000). Some municipalities also fine clients.",Art. 36.11 Ley Orgánica 4/2015 | Art. 39.1 Ley Orgánica 4/2015 | Art. 188 Código Penal (minors),high,2026-10-30,,es-losc | es-cp | es-bocg-2024-psoe-bill,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-3442 | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1995-25444 | https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L15/CONG/BOCG/B/BOCG-15-B-89-1.PDF,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
ES,Spain,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no offence of keeping a brothel or of renting premises for prostitution (tercería locativa). Operators of clubs and flats commit the art. 187 offence only if they profit by exploiting a sex worker, which the Code presumes where she is personally or economically vulnerable or is subject to burdensome, disproportionate or abusive conditions.",Art. 187.1 Código Penal,high,2026-10-30,,es-cp | es-bocg-2024-psoe-bill,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1995-25444 | https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L15/CONG/BOCG/B/BOCG-15-B-89-1.PDF,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
ES,Spain,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Art. 187 punishes inducing an adult into prostitution by violence, intimidation, deception or abuse (two to five years) and profiting from exploiting another's prostitution even with consent (two to four years). Profiting without exploitation is not an offence; bills to punish all procuring 'in all its forms' failed in 2022 to 2024.",Art. 187 Código Penal | Art. 177 bis Código Penal (trafficking),high,2026-10-30,,es-cp | es-bocg-2024-psoe-bill,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1995-25444 | https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L15/CONG/BOCG/B/BOCG-15-B-89-1.PDF,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
ES,Spain,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Since 7 October 2022 the General Advertising Law treats advertising that 'promotes prostitution' as unlawful advertising (art. 3.a Ley 34/1988, as amended by LO 10/2022). The remedy is civil (injunction and related actions under unfair-competition law), not a criminal or administrative fine. Barcelona's ordinance fines promotion of sexual services in public space.",Art. 3.a and 6 Ley 34/1988 General de Publicidad | Art. 11.1 and final provision 3 Ley Orgánica 10/2022 | Art. 16 Ley 34/2002 (LSSI) | Art. 40.2 Barcelona civic-coexistence ordinance (2005),medium,2026-10-30,The statutory wording is verified; no case law or enforcement data on online advertising under the 2022 clause was found.,es-lgp | es-lo-10-2022 | es-lssi | es-bcn-nomenclator-2019,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1988-26156 | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2022-14630 | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2002-13758 | https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/seguretatiprevencio/sites/default/files/2023-09/Nomenclator%20CONV-LOPSC%20per%20naturalesa%202019_cat_0.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
ES,Spain,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Street-based prostitution is not banned nationally, but clients soliciting near places used by minors or where traffic is endangered are fined (art. 36.11 LO 4/2015), and sex workers who ignore a police order to stop can be fined for disobedience (art. 36.6). Municipal ordinances, such as Barcelona's, add fines for public space.","Arts. 36.6, 36.11, 37.5 and 39 Ley Orgánica 4/2015",high,2026-10-30,,es-losc | es-bocg-2024-lopsc-reform | es-congreso-opendata-bills,https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-3442 | https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L15/CONG/BOCG/B/BOCG-15-B-148-1.PDF | https://www.congreso.es/webpublica/opendata/iniciativas/ProposicionesDeLey__20261030050154.json,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/spain/
LK,Sri Lanka,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. A ""common prostitute wandering in the public street or highway, or in any place of public resort, and behaving in a riotous or indecent manner"" commits an offence (up to 14 days or a fine on first conviction), and soliciting in a public place carries up to six months, a fine of up to 100 rupees, or both.",s. 3(1)(b) Vagrants Ordinance | s. 7(1)(a) Vagrants Ordinance,medium,2026-10-30,The Ordinance text was read from the consolidated Cap. 32 reproduced by the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library; Sri Lanka's official LawNet portal was not reached. The 2020 magistrate's ruling is known from press reporting; a magistrate's decision does not bind other courts.,lk-vagrants | lk-nsacp | lk-sundaytimes-2021,https://hrlibrary.umn.edu/research/srilanka/statutes/Vagrants_Ordinance.pdf | https://aidscontrol.gov.lk/images/publications/Laws_Concerning_en.pdf | https://www.sundaytimes.lk/210411/news/backlash-against-police-use-of-archaic-law-to-arrest-female-sex-workers-439574.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sri-lanka/
LK,Sri Lanka,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Paying for sex in private is not an offence. The public soliciting offence applies to ""any person"" who, in or about a public place, solicits any person for illicit sexual intercourse or indecency, so it can reach a client who solicits in public.",s. 7(1)(a) Vagrants Ordinance,medium,2026-10-30,Read from an unofficial reproduction of the consolidated Ordinance. How often clients are prosecuted was not found.,lk-vagrants,https://hrlibrary.umn.edu/research/srilanka/statutes/Vagrants_Ordinance.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sri-lanka/
LK,Sri Lanka,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel, knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution, and letting premises knowing they will be so used are offences. The Ordinance does not define ""brothel"". Courts require proof that the accused managed the place by providing women; a guest house used by couples is not a brothel.",s. 2 Brothels Ordinance 1889,medium,2026-10-30,"The Brothels Ordinance was read only as quoted in the National STD/AIDS Control Programme's legal guide, which does not state the penalties; the consolidated text could not be opened.",lk-nsacp,https://aidscontrol.gov.lk/images/publications/Laws_Concerning_en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sri-lanka/
LK,Sri Lanka,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution, or systematically procuring persons for illicit intercourse, is punishable by up to six months on summary conviction or up to two years on indictment. A man living with a sex worker, or anyone controlling her movements, is presumed to be living on her earnings unless proved otherwise.",s. 9 Vagrants Ordinance,medium,2026-10-30,"The Penal Code also contains procuration and trafficking offences added by amendments in 1995, 1998 and 2006 (per the police guide); their section numbers and penalties were not checked against the official text.",lk-vagrants | lk-nsacp,https://hrlibrary.umn.edu/research/srilanka/statutes/Vagrants_Ordinance.pdf | https://aidscontrol.gov.lk/images/publications/Laws_Concerning_en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sri-lanka/
LK,Sri Lanka,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence aimed at advertising sexual services was found. Soliciting ""in or about any public place"" for illicit sexual intercourse is an offence under the Vagrants Ordinance, and exhibiting obscene prints or pictures in public is punishable as a rogue and vagabond.",s. 7(1)(a) Vagrants Ordinance | s. 4(c) Vagrants Ordinance,low,2026-10-30,"Online advertising, platform liability and the Online Safety Act 2024 were not assessed because the official texts could not be opened.",lk-vagrants,https://hrlibrary.umn.edu/research/srilanka/statutes/Vagrants_Ordinance.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sri-lanka/
SD,Sudan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"A person who is in a place of prostitution with the intention of providing a service of a sexual nature to another, with or without compensation and with no legal relationship between them, is punishable by up to three years in prison (Article 154 as replaced in 2020). A ""place of prostitution"" is any place intended for prostitution, or one with previous convictions or repeated complaints. Sex outside marriage is also zina (Article 146).",Criminal Act 1991 s. 154 | Criminal Act 1991 ss. 145–146,medium,2026-10-30,Read in REDRESS's unofficial English translations of the 1991 Act and the 2020 Official Gazette. Before 2020 the offence also allowed up to 100 lashes.,sd-amend2020 | sd-ca1991 | sd-escwa,https://redress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-Sudan-Amendments-July-2020-English-REDRESS-translation.pdf | https://redress.org/storage/2021/09/Criminal-Act-1991-English.pdf | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/sudan.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sudan/
SD,Sudan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"Section 154 targets the person providing the service, but a client who has intercourse outside a lawful bond commits zina: 100 lashes if unmarried (with optional expatriation for a man for one year) and death by stoning if married (Section 146). The 2020 amendments did not change these penalties.",Criminal Act 1991 ss. 145–146,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation. Section 146(4) provided lighter penalties for the former Southern States; how zina is charged in practice against clients was not checked.,sd-ca1991 | sd-amend2020,https://redress.org/storage/2021/09/Criminal-Act-1991-English.pdf | https://redress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-Sudan-Amendments-July-2020-English-REDRESS-translation.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sudan/
SD,Sudan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a place for prostitution, or renting out or allowing the use of premises knowing they are used for it, is punishable by up to five years and possible closure or forfeiture; a second conviction carries up to ten years with forfeiture, and a third life imprisonment (Section 155). The 2020 amendments removed flogging and the death penalty from this section.",Criminal Act 1991 s. 155,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,sd-ca1991 | sd-amend2020,https://redress.org/storage/2021/09/Criminal-Act-1991-English.pdf | https://redress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-Sudan-Amendments-July-2020-English-REDRESS-translation.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sudan/
SD,Sudan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Seducing a person by inducing, taking, abducting or hiring them to commit zina, sodomy, prostitution, gross indecency or acts contrary to public morality is punishable by up to five years, and up to seven years if the person is a minor or of unsound mind or the acts are to take place abroad (Section 156, flogging removed in 2020).",Criminal Act 1991 s. 156,medium,2026-10-30,Unofficial English translation.,sd-ca1991 | sd-amend2020,https://redress.org/storage/2021/09/Criminal-Act-1991-English.pdf | https://redress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-Sudan-Amendments-July-2020-English-REDRESS-translation.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sudan/
SD,Sudan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Making, trading in or possessing material that violates public morals, defined as expression intended to arouse sexual instincts, is punishable by up to one month, and dealing in such material or presenting it in a public place by up to three years (Section 153 as replaced in 2020). Inducing a person into prostitution falls under Section 156.",Criminal Act 1991 s. 153 | Criminal Act 1991 s. 156,low,2026-10-30,"Classification inferred from general provisions. The Cybercrime Act, which the UN describes as punishing acts that violate public morals, was not opened.",sd-amend2020 | sd-ca1991,https://redress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-Sudan-Amendments-July-2020-English-REDRESS-translation.pdf | https://redress.org/storage/2021/09/Criminal-Act-1991-English.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sudan/
SR,Suriname,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not an offence under the Penal Code. According to press reporting, article 66 of the Police Penal Act (Politiestrafwet) makes it a petty offence, punishable by a fine or up to one month's detention, for a woman of known immoral conduct to attract the attention of passers-by on the public road.",,medium,2026-10-30,The Police Penal Act text could not be opened; the description of its article 66 comes from a De Ware Tijd report of 9 December 2024.,sr-wvs-2015 | sr-dwt-2024,https://www.dna.sr/media/vo4du3gs/s-b-_2015_no-_44_wet_van_30_mrt_15_wijz-_wetboek_van_strafrecht.pdf | https://dwtonline.com/sekswerkers-verbergen-zich-voor-politie-in-casino/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/suriname/
SR,Suriname,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Sexual acts with a person aged 16 or 17 who makes themselves available for paid sexual acts carry up to six years and a fifth-category fine.,"Wetboek van Strafrecht, art. 303a",high,2026-10-30,,sr-wvs-2015,https://www.dna.sr/media/vo4du3gs/s-b-_2015_no-_44_wet_van_30_mrt_15_wijz-_wetboek_van_strafrecht.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/suriname/
SR,Suriname,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Article 306, headed ""Bordeelhouder"" (brothel keeper), punishes whoever makes a profession or habit of intentionally causing or promoting sexual acts by others with third parties with up to two years' imprisonment and a fourth-category fine. Press reporting describes sex work in bars and casinos in Paramaribo despite the ban.","Wetboek van Strafrecht, art. 306",high,2026-10-30,,sr-wvs-2015 | sr-dwt-2024 | sr-wvs-2005,https://www.dna.sr/media/vo4du3gs/s-b-_2015_no-_44_wet_van_30_mrt_15_wijz-_wetboek_van_strafrecht.pdf | https://dwtonline.com/sekswerkers-verbergen-zich-voor-politie-in-casino/ | https://nl.wikisource.org/wiki/Wetboek_van_Strafrecht_Suriname_(misdrijven_tegen_de_zeden),https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/suriname/
SR,Suriname,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Habitual or professional promotion of others' sexual acts with third parties is punished under article 306 (up to two years). A man who as a pimp profits from a woman's prostitution commits a petty offence under article 503 (up to six weeks' detention and/or a fine). Procuring involving minors (art. 305) and trafficking for exploitation, including in prostitution (art. 334, up to nine years), carry heavier penalties.","Wetboek van Strafrecht, arts. 305, 306, 334, 503",high,2026-10-30,,sr-wvs-2015,https://www.dna.sr/media/vo4du3gs/s-b-_2015_no-_44_wet_van_30_mrt_15_wijz-_wetboek_van_strafrecht.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/suriname/
SR,Suriname,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No Penal Code article specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Advertising on behalf of a venue or third party that habitually promotes others' sexual acts with clients may support liability under article 306.,"Wetboek van Strafrecht, art. 306",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the general procuring offence; the Police Penal Act, media law and online rules were not reviewed.",sr-wvs-2015,https://www.dna.sr/media/vo4du3gs/s-b-_2015_no-_44_wet_van_30_mrt_15_wijz-_wetboek_van_strafrecht.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/suriname/
SE,Sweden,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Selling a sexual act is not an offence. The person who sells is treated in law as the exploited party; the criminal provisions target the buyer and third parties. In criminal proceedings sellers are usually treated as witnesses rather than injured parties.,6 kap. 11 § Brottsbalken (buyer only),high,2026-10-30,,brb | prop-2023-24-112 | rir-2026-18,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/atgarder-for-tryggare-bostadsomraden_hb03112/html/ | https://www.riksrevisionen.se/granskningar/granskningsrapporter/2026/arbetet-mot-manniskohandel-for-sexuella-andamal---otillrackligt-och-med-bristande-styrning.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 year,"Buying a sexual act ('köp av sexuell handling') is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year (BrB 6 kap. 11 §); attempts are also punishable. Fines were removed from the scale on 1 August 2022. Since 1 July 2025 the offence also covers acts performed at a distance where the buyer induces the act, such as paid live webcam shows.",6 kap. 11 § Brottsbalken | 6 kap. 15 § Brottsbalken (attempt) | 6 kap. 9 § Brottsbalken (buyer of a child under 18),high,2026-10-30,,brb | prop-2024-25-124 | sou-2023-80 | polisen-lr26 | prop-2025-26-313,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/skarpt-syn-pa-sexuella-krankningar-bedragerier_hc03124/html/ | https://data.riksdagen.se/dokument/hbb380.html | https://polisen.se/siteassets/dokument/manniskohandel/manniskohandel-lagesrapport-26.pdf | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/ett-nytt-brott-och-andra-atgarder-mot_hd03313/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Running a brothel or any managed venue is procuring (koppleri, BrB 6 kap. 12 §): up to four years' imprisonment, or two to ten years for aggravated procuring where the activity is large-scale, highly profitable or ruthlessly exploitative. Enforcement in recent years has focused on massage parlours and escort ads.",6 kap. 12 § Brottsbalken | 6 kap. 15 § Brottsbalken,high,2026-10-30,,brb | prop-2024-25-124 | polisen-lr26,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/skarpt-syn-pa-sexuella-krankningar-bedragerier_hc03124/html/ | https://polisen.se/siteassets/dokument/manniskohandel/manniskohandel-lagesrapport-26.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision exempts sex workers who share premises. Anyone who provides or lets premises for the sale of sexual acts, or organises another person's sale, risks liability for procuring. A landlord who learns that a flat is wholly or largely used for paid sex and does not end the lease is deemed to have promoted it.",6 kap. 12 § andra stycket Brottsbalken | 12 kap. 42 § första stycket 12 Jordabalken,medium,2026-10-30,Whether two sex workers simply sharing a flat or co-operating meets the 'promotion' threshold of 6 kap. 12 § depends on the facts. We found no published appellate ruling on that exact situation.,brb | jb | prop-2023-24-112 | prop-2024-25-124,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/jordabalk-1970994_sfs-1970-994/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/atgarder-for-tryggare-bostadsomraden_hb03112/html/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/skarpt-syn-pa-sexuella-krankningar-bedragerier_hc03124/html/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Promoting, or improperly profiting financially from, another person's sale of sexual acts is procuring (koppleri), punishable by up to four years' imprisonment, or two to ten years if aggravated. Since 1 July 2025 this also covers acts performed at a distance, such as arranging live webcam shows.",6 kap. 12 § Brottsbalken,high,2026-10-30,,brb | prop-2024-25-124 | bra-anm-2025 | bra-lagf-2025,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/skarpt-syn-pa-sexuella-krankningar-bedragerier_hc03124/html/ | https://bra.se/download/18.11dab50419d723e44d315606/1776153587771/10La_anm_10_ar.xlsx | https://bra.se/download/18.717461b919d9a6b3e6510b6c/1776861695251/40GLa.xlsx,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no specific offence of advertising sexual services, and a person advertising their own services commits no offence. A third party who writes or publishes ads for another person's sale of sexual acts can be convicted of procuring (koppleri), since publishing ads counts as promotion. Online ads are the main way police detect purchase offences.",6 kap. 12 § Brottsbalken,medium,2026-10-30,"The RH rulings are cited from the lagen.nu case-law summaries, not the full judgments. No statute addresses advertising directly; the rule comes from case law and preparatory works on the meaning of 'promotion'.",brb | sou-2023-80 | rh-2013-18 | rh-2010-47 | polisen-lr26 | bra-2022-3,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://data.riksdagen.se/dokument/hbb380.html | https://lagen.nu/dom/rh/2013:18 | https://lagen.nu/dom/rh/2010:47 | https://polisen.se/siteassets/dokument/manniskohandel/manniskohandel-lagesrapport-26.pdf | https://bra.se/rapporter/arkiv/2022-04-29-kop-av-sexuella-tjanster,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"People who run, administer or profit from escort-ad websites can commit procuring, and since July 2025 so can those running sites that arrange paid live webcam shows. In practice the sites used in Sweden are run from abroad, and Swedish jurisdiction then requires dual criminality, so a 2021 investigation into four such sites was closed.","6 kap. 12 § Brottsbalken | 2 kap. 3 och 5 §§ Brottsbalken (jurisdiction, dual criminality) | 5 § lag (1998:112) om ansvar för elektroniska anslagstavlor | 4 § förordning (2024:958)",high,2026-10-30,"Whether ads for paid sexual acts count as 'illegal content' for DSA notice-and-action has not, as far as we found, been addressed by PTS or a Swedish court.",sou-2023-80 | prop-2024-25-124 | brb | polisen-lr26 | bbs | dsa-ord,https://data.riksdagen.se/dokument/hbb380.html | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/skarpt-syn-pa-sexuella-krankningar-bedragerier_hc03124/html/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://polisen.se/siteassets/dokument/manniskohandel/manniskohandel-lagesrapport-26.pdf | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-1998112-om-ansvar-for-elektroniska_sfs-1998-112/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/forordning-med-kompletterande-bestammelser-till_sfs-2024-958/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,There is no soliciting or loitering offence for sellers. Street prostitution is reached only through the buyer: offering payment for a sexual act can already be an attempted purchase (BrB 6 kap. 11 and 15 §§; prop. 1997/98:55 p. 137). The 2010 government evaluation estimated that street prostitution had halved since 1999.,6 kap. 11 § Brottsbalken | 6 kap. 15 § Brottsbalken,high,2026-10-30,"The SOU 2010:49 finding on street prostitution is a government evaluation based on social-services and police estimates. The inquiry itself acknowledged gaps in the data, especially for indoor and online prostitution.",brb | sou-2010-49 | prop-2025-26-313,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/forbud-mot-kop-av-sexuell-tjanst-en-utvardering_gyb349/html/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/proposition/ett-nytt-brott-och-andra-atgarder-mot_hd03313/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no registration, licensing or mandatory health-check scheme for people who sell sex. The state's policy treats selling as a situation of exploitation to leave rather than an occupation to regulate. Support is organised through social services and a planned national exit programme.",,high,2026-10-30,,brb | sou-2023-97 | regeringen-handlingsplan-2026,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/brottsbalk-1962700_sfs-1962-700/ | https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2023/12/sou-202397/ | https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2026/06/handlingsplan-mot-utnyttjande-i-prostitution-och-manniskohandel/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,tax,Tax and social security,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Income from selling sexual services is taxable like any other income and must be declared: Skatteverket states that the law contains no exemption and that it has no power to grant one. Skatteverket has said it does not grant F-tax (business) registration to people selling sexual services, because the business depends on customers committing a crime.",,medium,2026-10-30,"The F-tax position comes from a Skatteverket post on X (31 March 2021); it is an agency statement, not a ruling. Which income category applies (employment or business) is not settled in the sources we found.",svar-2022-23-820 | skv-2023 | skv-x-2021,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svar-pa-skriftlig-fraga/skatt-for-prostituerade_ha12820/ | https://www.skatteverket.se/omoss/pressochmedia/debattartiklarochkommentarer/2023/2023/replikskatteverketvimastefoljalagen.5.7da1d2e118be03f8e4fabe.html | https://twitter.com/Skatteverket/status/1377239343870382081,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
SE,Sweden,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Selling sex is not an offence, but non-EU nationals can be refused entry if it is assumed they will not support themselves 'honestly' (Utlänningslagen 8 kap. 3 § 2). Border police use this and public-order grounds against sex workers, a practice Riksrevisionen in 2026 found incompatible with Sweden's anti-trafficking obligations.",8 kap. 3 § första stycket 2 och 6 Utlänningslagen (2005:716) | 8 kap. 11–12 §§ Utlänningslagen | 5 kap. 7 § Utlänningslagen (vandel for permanent residence),high,2026-10-30,,utl | interp-2022-23-36 | rir-2026-18 | prop-2025-26-264 | sfu36-beslut,https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/utlanningslag-2005716_sfs-2005-716/ | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/interpellation/prostitution-som-grund-for-utvisning-fran-sverige_ha1036/ | https://www.riksrevisionen.se/granskningar/granskningsrapporter/2026/arbetet-mot-manniskohandel-for-sexuella-andamal---otillrackligt-och-med-bristande-styrning.html | https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/a96eb8bb3bf24164b88f6716faf0d3d0/skarpta-och-tydligare-krav-pa-vandel-for-uppehallstillstand-prop.-202526264.pdf | https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/webb-tv/video/beslut/beslut-skarpta-och-tydligare-krav-pa-vandel-for_hdc320260615sfu36/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/sweden/
CH,Switzerland,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Legal throughout Switzerland. Cantons set the conditions: several require sex workers to register with the police (for example Geneva and Ticino) and may restrict street-based work to certain places and times. Breaching these cantonal rules is punished by a fine under Art. 199 StGB, a contravention rather than a misdemeanour. Since BGE 147 IV 73 (2021) the courts protect the agreed payment.",Art. 199 StGB | Art. 4 LProst (Genève) | Art. 4 LProst (Ticino),high,2026-10-30,,ch-stgb | ch-bge-147-iv-73 | ch-ge-lprost | ch-ti-lprost,https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20261001/de/html/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20261001-de-html-2.html | https://www.bger.ch/ext/eurospider/live/de/php/clir/http/index.php?highlight_docid=atf%3A%2F%2F147-IV-73%3Ade&lang=de&zoom=OUT&type=show_document | https://silgeneve.ch/legis/data/rsg_i2_49.htm | https://m3.ti.ch/CAN/RLeggi/public/index.php/raccolta-leggi/pdfatto/atto/9304,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/switzerland/
CH,Switzerland,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,,,"Paying an adult for sex is legal. Paying or promising payment for sexual acts with a person under 18 is a crime (Art. 196 StGB, up to three years). A motion to introduce a Nordic-model ban on buying sex (20.4216) was rejected by the National Council on 8 June 2022 by 172 votes to 11 with 4 abstentions; the Federal Council had recommended rejection.",Art. 196 StGB,high,2026-10-30,,ch-stgb | ch-mo-20-4216,https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20261001/de/html/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20261001-de-html-2.html | https://www.parlament.ch/de/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20204216,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/switzerland/
CH,Switzerland,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Brothels, salons and escort agencies are legal, regulated by the cantons. Geneva requires a prior written declaration by a responsible person who meets conditions of nationality or work authorisation, good repute and solvency; Ticino requires a prior authorisation for each erotic venue. Operating in breach of cantonal rules is fined (Art. 199 StGB and cantonal penalty provisions).","Art. 9-21 LProst (Genève) | Art. 6, 14, 25 LProst (Ticino) | Art. 199 StGB",high,2026-10-30,,ch-ge-lprost | ch-ti-lprost | ch-stgb,https://silgeneve.ch/legis/data/rsg_i2_49.htm | https://m3.ti.ch/CAN/RLeggi/public/index.php/raccolta-leggi/pdfatto/atto/9304 | https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20261001/de/html/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20261001-de-html-2.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/switzerland/
CH,Switzerland,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Profiting from someone else's prostitution is not in itself a crime. Art. 195 StGB punishes, with up to ten years or a monetary penalty, bringing a minor into prostitution or promoting it for gain; bringing a person into prostitution by exploiting dependence or for a financial advantage; restricting a sex worker's freedom by supervising them or deciding the place, time, extent or other conditions; and keeping a person in prostitution.",Art. 195 StGB | Art. 182 StGB,high,2026-10-30,,ch-stgb,https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20261001/de/html/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20261001-de-html-2.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/switzerland/
CH,Switzerland,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,administrative,,"Federal law has no offence of advertising sexual services; cantons may regulate it as part of the manner of prostitution. Ticino requires venue advertising to state that the venue is authorised and bans roadside billboards within municipal perimeters; Geneva's law has no advertising rule. A website is only blocked where its content is illegal under federal law, such as illegal pornography (Art. 197 StGB).",Art. 24 LProst (Ticino) | Art. 199 StGB | Art. 197 StGB | Art. 46a FMG,medium,2026-10-30,Only the Geneva and Ticino laws were checked; the other 24 cantons may have their own advertising rules.,ch-ti-lprost | ch-ge-lprost | ch-stgb | ch-q-26-7855 | ch-ip-26-4329,https://m3.ti.ch/CAN/RLeggi/public/index.php/raccolta-leggi/pdfatto/atto/9304 | https://silgeneve.ch/legis/data/rsg_i2_49.htm | https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/20261001/de/html/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-54-757_781_799-20261001-de-html-2.html | https://www.parlament.ch/de/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20267855 | https://www.parlament.ch/de/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20264329,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/switzerland/
SY,Syria,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 3 years,"Anyone who habitually practises debauchery or prostitution is punishable by three months to three years and/or a fine of 250 to 3,000 Syrian pounds (Law No. 10/1961 Article 9(c)). Anyone who works or habitually resides in a place of prostitution, knowing it, faces up to one year (Article 13). Practising secret prostitution is also an offence under Penal Code Article 509.",Law No. 10/1961 art. 9(c) | Law No. 10/1961 art. 13 | Penal Code art. 509,medium,2026-10-30,"Law No. 10 was read in the 1961 Official Gazette of the United Arab Republic, which sets separate fines for the Syrian region; later Syrian amendments, if any, were not checked. Article 509 is described from a 2022 UN review, not from the statute.",sy-law10 | sy-unfpa | sy-escwa,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://arabstates.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/2200890-gjr-syria-web.pdf | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/syria.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/syria/
SY,Syria,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Law No. 10 of 1961 contains no offence of paying for sex; its offences target the person practising prostitution habitually and third parties. Adultery is a separate offence under Articles 473 and 474 of the Penal Code.,Penal Code art. 473–474,low,2026-10-30,Whether clients are prosecuted as accomplices or under other provisions in practice was not checked.,sy-law10 | sy-escwa,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/syria.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/syria/
SY,Syria,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Opening or managing a place for debauchery or prostitution, or helping to manage it, is punishable by one to three years and a fine of 1,000 to 3,000 Syrian pounds, with closure and confiscation (Article 8). Renting out premises run for prostitution, or habitually facilitating it in furnished rooms or places open to the public, is punishable under Article 9. The 1961 law repealed Syria's 1933 law on licensed prostitution (Article 17).",Law No. 10/1961 art. 8–10 | Law No. 10/1961 art. 17–18,medium,2026-10-30,Fine amounts are those set in 1961 for the Syrian region.,sy-law10 | sy-unfpa,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://arabstates.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/2200890-gjr-syria-web.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/syria/
SY,Syria,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting, assisting or facilitating a person's prostitution, or employing or luring a person for it, is punishable by one to three years and a fine of 1,000 to 3,000 Syrian pounds (Article 1). Helping a woman to practise prostitution, even financially, or exploiting another's prostitution carries six months to three years (Article 6). The Penal Code also punishes habitually inciting people under 21 to debauchery and facilitating secret prostitution (Article 509).",Law No. 10/1961 art. 1 | Law No. 10/1961 art. 6 | Penal Code art. 509,medium,2026-10-30,,sy-law10 | sy-unfpa,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf | https://arabstates.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/2200890-gjr-syria-web.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/syria/
SY,Syria,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Announcing by any means of advertisement an invitation that entices to debauchery or prostitution, or draws attention to it, is punishable by up to three years and/or a fine of up to 1,000 Syrian pounds (Law No. 10/1961 Article 14).",Law No. 10/1961 art. 14,medium,2026-10-30,The 2022 Cybercrime Law (Law No. 20 of 2022) was not checked for provisions on online advertising.,sy-law10,https://manshurat.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/014408.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/syria/
TW,Taiwan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"TWD 30,000 fine","Engaging in a sex transaction is fined up to NT$30,000, as is soliciting in a public place with intent to trade sex. The fine does not apply to transactions that comply with a local ordinance under Article 91-1, but no city or county has adopted one creating a zone.",社會秩序維護法 第80條 | 社會秩序維護法 第91條之1,high,2026-10-30,,tw-soma | tw-taiwannews-2022,https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL004501 | https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/4563678,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/taiwan/
TW,Taiwan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"TWD 30,000 fine","Since the 2011 amendment, the same Article 80 fine of up to NT$30,000 applies to both parties to a sex transaction outside a lawful zone. Before that, only the seller was penalised, which the Council of Grand Justices held unconstitutional in 2009.",社會秩序維護法 第80條,high,2026-10-30,,tw-soma | tw-judicial-weekly-2011 | tw-ly-2011,https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL004501 | https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-1429-71172-d77b6-1.html | https://www.ly.gov.tw/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=5666&pid=48981,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/taiwan/
TW,Taiwan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping premises where others sell sex for profit is the crime of ""harbouring"" (容留) under Criminal Code Article 231, punishable by up to five years and a fine of up to NT$100,000. Article 91-1 would allow licensed venues inside local zones, exempt from Article 231, but no zone exists.",中華民國刑法 第231條 | 社會秩序維護法 第91條之1,high,2026-10-30,,tw-criminal-code | tw-soma | tw-taiwannews-2022,https://mojlaw.moj.gov.tw/LawContent.aspx?LSID=FL001424 | https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL004501 | https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/4563678,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/taiwan/
TW,Taiwan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inducing, harbouring or brokering sexual intercourse or obscene acts between others for profit is a crime with up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$100,000. Brokering a sex transaction without the criminal elements is an administrative offence: detention of up to three days plus a fine of NT$10,000–50,000.",中華民國刑法 第231條 | 中華民國刑法 第231條之1 | 社會秩序維護法 第81條,high,2026-10-30,,tw-criminal-code | tw-soma,https://mojlaw.moj.gov.tw/LawContent.aspx?LSID=FL001424 | https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL004501,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/taiwan/
TW,Taiwan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Spreading, transmitting or posting, including online, messages capable of inducing, brokering or hinting at sex trade involving children or young people is a crime with up to three years and a fine of up to NT$1 million (five years if for profit). Interpretation No. 623 limits this to messages not effectively restricted to adults, so unrestricted online sex ads are caught.",兒童及少年性剝削防制條例 第40條 | 司法院釋字第623號 | 社會秩序維護法 第91條之1第2項第10款,medium,2026-10-30,"The text of Article 40 was checked on an official government portal; the national law database and the Constitutional Court site could not be reached, so the content of Interpretation No. 623 is taken from search results quoting the official page.",tw-cyse-act | tw-interpretation-623 | tw-soma,https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL002523 | https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/ExContent.aspx?ty=C&CC=D&CNO=623 | https://laws.gov.taipei/Law/LawSearch/LawArticleContent/FL004501,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/taiwan/
TJ,Tajikistan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of 20 to 30 calculation indicators. A repeat within one year after an administrative penalty is punishable by 30 to 50 indicators or administrative arrest of 10 to 15 days.,ст. 130 КоАП РТ,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Russian and Tajik consolidated texts hosted by WIPO Lex; the Tajik text, amended to February 2026, shows the same amounts after Law No. 2051 of 20 June 2024. The Ministry of Justice database (adlia.tj) could not be reached.",tj-koap,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23714,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tajikistan/
TJ,Tajikistan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found in the Code of Administrative Offences or the Criminal Code; Article 130 targets the person engaging in prostitution.,,medium,2026-10-30,Checked by searching the consolidated texts for references to prostitution.,tj-koap | tj-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23714 | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23720,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tajikistan/
TJ,Tajikistan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping a brothel for prostitution is punishable by a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 calculation indicators or up to five years' imprisonment, and five to eight years if repeated or committed by an organised group.",ст. 239 УК РТ,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Russian consolidated text on WIPO Lex, which is labelled as amended to December 2025.",tj-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23720,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tajikistan/
TJ,Tajikistan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (сводничество) for mercenary motives and pimping carry the same penalty as brothel keeping. Drawing a person into prostitution by violence or threats, abuse of a dependent position, blackmail, destruction of property or deception carries a fine of 500 to 1,000 indicators, up to three years' restriction of liberty or up to two years' imprisonment, and two to five years if repeated or by an organised group.",ст. 238 УК РТ | ст. 239 УК РТ,medium,2026-10-30,,tj-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23720,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tajikistan/
TJ,Tajikistan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in either code. A third party who advertises a sex worker's services for gain risks liability for procuring or pimping, and the sex worker for engaging in prostitution.",ст. 239 УК РТ | ст. 130 КоАП РТ,low,2026-10-30,"The Law on Advertising was not checked. Applying Article 239 to advertisements is an inference from its wording, not a reported case.",tj-uk | tj-koap,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23720 | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/23714,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tajikistan/
TZ,Tanzania,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence on the mainland, but a common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place, or loitering or soliciting in a public place for prostitution, is an idle and disorderly person, liable to a fine of up to TZS 100,000, up to three months' imprisonment, or both (s. 176(a)). Anyone soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes is covered by s. 176(g).","Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 176(a), (g)",high,2026-10-30,"Mainland law only; Zanzibar has separate penal legislation, which could not be checked.",tz-penal-code,https://www.nps.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1751356809-THE%20PENAL%20CODE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tanzania/
TZ,Tanzania,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code has no offence aimed at clients. Soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes (s. 176(g)) applies to any person, and persistent soliciting in public by a male person is an offence under s. 145(1)(b), so a client who solicits in public can be charged.",Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 145(1)(b) | Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 176(g),medium,2026-10-30,Mainland law only. Enforcement against clients was not checked.,tz-penal-code,https://www.nps.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1751356809-THE%20PENAL%20CODE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tanzania/
TZ,Tanzania,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for the purposes of prostitution is an offence (s. 148), and a magistrate may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution (s. 147). A keeper of a bar, hotel, shop or other place of public resort who knowingly lets common prostitutes assemble there for prostitution is liable to a fine of up to TZS 50,000, or TZS 500,000 on repeat (s. 176A).",Penal Code (Cap. 16) ss. 147–148 | Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 176A,high,2026-10-30,Section 148 states no specific penalty; the applicable general penalty was not checked.,tz-penal-code,https://www.nps.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1751356809-THE%20PENAL%20CODE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tanzania/
TZ,Tanzania,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure any person, with or without consent, to become a prostitute in or outside Tanzania carries 10 to 20 years and/or a fine of TZS 100,000 to 300,000 (s. 139). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, and a woman who does so or controls a sex worker's movements for gain, commit offences (ss. 145–146); a man living with a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings, and a repeat s. 145 conviction may add corporal punishment.",Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 139 | Penal Code (Cap. 16) ss. 145–146,high,2026-10-30,,tz-penal-code,https://www.nps.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1751356809-THE%20PENAL%20CODE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tanzania/
TZ,Tanzania,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"The Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations 2020 include content related to prostitution (and adultery) in their list of prohibited online content, and empower the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority to order its removal; breaches carry a fine of at least TZS 5 million and/or at least 12 months. Public soliciting is also an offence (s. 176).",Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations 2020 | Penal Code (Cap. 16) s. 176,medium,2026-10-30,"The regulations' gazetted text was not opened; their content and penalties are taken from ARTICLE 19's 2020 analysis, which does not quote the exact wording on prostitution. Later amendments to the regulations were not checked.",tz-article19-2020 | tz-penal-code,https://www.article19.org/resources/tanzania-regulations-criminalise-free-speech/ | https://www.nps.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1751356809-THE%20PENAL%20CODE.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tanzania/
TH,Thailand,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 1 month,"No provision makes the sale of sex as such an offence, but the Act penalises the usual ways of selling it: soliciting in public (s. 5, administrative fine up to 1,000 baht), being in a prostitution establishment for one's own or another's prostitution (s. 6, up to one month's imprisonment and/or 1,000 baht) and advertising (s. 7, criminal).",s. 4 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539 (definition) | s. 5 (soliciting; phinai fine) | s. 6 (frequenting a prostitution establishment) | s. 7 (advertising) | ss. 33-34 (protection and occupational development),medium,2026-10-30,"Rated 'illegal' because every usual way of selling is an offence, although no provision penalises a private sale arranged without public soliciting or advertising. Translations of the Thai statute are our own.",pspa-1996 | ocs-878-2567 | fine-act-2022,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://comment.ocs.go.th/main/download/1721879522/pdf/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88_878-2567 | https://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2565/A/066/T_0022.PDF,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the 1996 Act, which has no purchase offence. A buyer can still commit an offence: s. 8 punishes sexual acts with a person aged 15 to 18 in a prostitution establishment, consent or not (1 to 3 years and a 20,000 to 60,000 baht fine; 2 to 6 years if the child is 15 or under).",s. 8 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539 (minors in a prostitution establishment) | ss. 5-6 (wording not limited to sellers),medium,2026-10-30,Sexual-offence provisions of the Penal Code protecting minors outside prostitution establishments were not checked for this profile.,pspa-1996 | ocs-878-2567 | ilaw-2025-04-06 | pattayamail-2026-08-11,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://comment.ocs.go.th/main/download/1721879522/pdf/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88_878-2567 | https://www.ilaw.or.th/articles/52099 | https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thailand-sex-workers-press-government-to-back-landmark-rights-bill-560895,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, supervising or managing a prostitution business or establishment, or controlling sex workers in one, carries 3 to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of 60,000 to 300,000 baht (s. 11), rising to 5 to 15 years if a person aged 15 to 18 works there and 10 to 20 years if a child of 15 or under does.","s. 11 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539 | s. 4 (definition of prostitution establishment) | ss. 3, 4, 6, 21 Entertainment Places Act B.E. 2509",high,2026-10-30,,pspa-1996 | epa-1966 | tip-2025,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://report.dopa.go.th/laws/document/1/35.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision exempts sex workers who share premises. A place arranged for or allowing prostitution is a prostitution establishment (s. 4); anyone in it for their own or another's prostitution commits s. 6, and whoever manages it or controls the workers commits s. 11.","ss. 4, 6, 11 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539",medium,2026-10-30,Reasoned from the statutory definitions; no case law or enforcement data on shared premises was found.,pspa-1996,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring, luring or taking away any person for prostitution, even with their consent and whether inside or outside Thailand, carries 1 to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 baht (s. 9). Penalties rise for minors and by one third where deception, threats, force or undue influence are used.","ss. 9, 10, 12 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539",high,2026-10-30,The Penal Code provisions on procuring and on living on a sex worker's earnings were not checked for this profile.,pspa-1996 | tip-2025,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Advertising, or accepting to publish an advertisement, or soliciting or introducing by documents, printed matter or any other means of making it known to the public, in a way that is evidently a request or contact for one's own or another person's prostitution, carries 6 months to 2 years' imprisonment, a fine of 10,000 to 40,000 baht, or both (s. 7).",s. 7 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539,high,2026-10-30,,pspa-1996 | ocs-878-2567,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://comment.ocs.go.th/main/download/1721879522/pdf/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88_878-2567,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no platform-specific rule in the prostitution law, but s. 7 penalises whoever 'accepts to advertise' prostitution by any means of public dissemination, so a website or app operator publishing ads for sexual services risks 6 months to 2 years' imprisonment. Running a place used to contact or procure people for prostitution is brothel-keeping (s. 11).","ss. 4, 7, 11 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539",medium,2026-10-30,"No case law on websites under s. 7 or s. 11 was found, and the Computer Crime Act's intermediary-liability rules were not checked.",pspa-1996 | tip-2025,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"Soliciting in a street or public place in a manner that is open and shameful or a nuisance to the public is a 'phinai' offence: since the 2022 Fine Act it is punished only by a non-criminal fine of up to 1,000 baht. The power to fine was transferred to officials of the social-development ministry from 25 October 2023, so police may not fine for it themselves.",s. 5 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539 | Act on Phinai Fines B.E. 2565 (schedule),medium,2026-10-30,"The Royal Gazette text of the Fine Act could not be opened (HTTP 403); its effect on s. 5 is taken from the Council of State opinion, and the 25 October 2023 date from the NHRC as reported by Naewna.",pspa-1996 | fine-act-2022 | ocs-878-2567 | nhrc-naewna-2025,https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th | https://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2565/A/066/T_0022.PDF | https://comment.ocs.go.th/main/download/1721879522/pdf/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88_878-2567 | https://www.naewna.com/local/875319,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"There is no registration, licence or health-check scheme for sex workers, since the activity is unlawful. Licensed entertainment venues must keep a history card for every employee before they start work (s. 14 Entertainment Places Act), must not employ anyone under 18 (s. 16(1)) and must check photo ID to keep out non-employees under 20 (s. 16/1).","ss. 10, 14, 16, 16/1, 17 Entertainment Places Act B.E. 2509 | ss. 26-38 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act B.E. 2539",high,2026-10-30,,epa-1966 | pspa-1996,https://report.dopa.go.th/laws/document/1/35.pdf | https://law.m-society.go.th/law/download/167/th,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,tax,Tax and social security,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"Sex work is not a recognised occupation, so sex workers have no labour-law status or social security as sex workers. Sex-worker groups report that they could not get state COVID-19 relief. We could not verify how the Revenue Department treats income from prostitution.",,low,2026-10-30,The Revenue Code and social-security law were not checked; the labour-status statements rely on news and NGO reporting.,ilaw-2026-05-28 | thaiexaminer-2026-07-11 | theactive-2024-02-09,https://www.ilaw.or.th/articles/58057 | https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2026/07/11/procedural-move-in-parliament-may-well-stall-the-sex-workers-act-making-prostitution-in-thailand-legal/ | https://theactive.thaipbs.or.th/news/lawrights-20240209,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
TH,Thailand,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Foreign nationals are subject to the same offences as Thai nationals, and undocumented migrants also risk detention and deportation. The US State Department reports that the law protects victims from prosecution for commercial sex only where it is a direct result of trafficking, and that undocumented migrants are not consistently screened for trafficking.",,medium,2026-10-30,The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 could not be opened for this profile; any entry ban relating to prostitution is not described here.,ocs-878-2567 | tip-2025,https://comment.ocs.go.th/main/download/1721879522/pdf/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88_878-2567 | https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/thailand/
GM,The Gambia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 2 years,"A man or a woman who 'commits, or is an accomplice in the commission of prostitution' commits a misdemeanour (sections 114(1)(c) and 115(c)), punishable by a fine, up to two years in prison, or both under the general penalty for misdemeanours (section 38).",Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 114(1)(c) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 115(c) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 38,medium,2026-10-30,"'Prostitution' is not defined in the Act. The repealed Criminal Code was not checked, so it is not known whether the 'commits prostitution' limb is new in 2025. No prosecution figures were found.",gm-coa,https://moj.gov.gm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assent-Copy-Criminal-Offences-Act-2025-Passed-28th-March-2025.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/the-gambia/
GM,The Gambia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 2 years,"No offence names clients, but sections 114(1)(c) and 115(c) also cover anyone who 'is an accomplice in the commission of prostitution', and section 26 treats those who aid or abet an offence as principal offenders. Read literally, a client can be prosecuted as an accomplice; no case doing so was found.",Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 114(1)(c) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 115(c) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 26,low,2026-10-30,This is a reading of the statutory text; no court decision or official guidance on whether clients are 'accomplices' was found.,gm-coa,https://moj.gov.gm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assent-Copy-Criminal-Offences-Act-2025-Passed-28th-March-2025.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/the-gambia/
GM,The Gambia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A person who keeps or manages a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for purposes of prostitution commits a misdemeanour (section 117). A magistrate may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution and to arrest a person living on the earnings or controlling a sex worker there (section 116).",Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 116 | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 117 | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 38,high,2026-10-30,,gm-coa,https://moj.gov.gm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assent-Copy-Criminal-Offences-Act-2025-Passed-28th-March-2025.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/the-gambia/
GM,The Gambia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A man who knowingly lives wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution commits a misdemeanour; living with or habitually being in the company of a sex worker, or controlling their movements, raises a presumption that he does (section 114). A woman commits the same offence by living on the earnings or, for gain, controlling a sex worker's movements in a way that shows she is aiding, abetting or compelling prostitution (section 115).","Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 114(1)(a), (2) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 115(a), (b)",high,2026-10-30,,gm-coa,https://moj.gov.gm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assent-Copy-Criminal-Offences-Act-2025-Passed-28th-March-2025.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/the-gambia/
GM,The Gambia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. Because prostitution itself is a misdemeanour, a person who advertises their own or another's services could be charged as a party to it (sections 26, 114 and 115), and a man who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place for immoral purposes commits an offence (section 114(1)(b)).",Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 26 | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 114(1)(b) | Criminal Offences Act 2025 s. 142,low,2026-10-30,No case applying these provisions to advertisements or to websites was found.,gm-coa,https://moj.gov.gm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assent-Copy-Criminal-Offences-Act-2025-Passed-28th-March-2025.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/the-gambia/
TL,Timor-Leste,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of selling sex between adults was found in the Penal Code. The prostitution offences target third parties who profit from or contribute to another person's prostitution.,Artigo 174.º Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the 2010 annotated edition published by the Court of Appeal on the Ministry of Justice site; amendments after 2010 and minor-offence or municipal rules were not checked.,tl-cp2009,https://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/files/Codigo_Penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/timor-leste/
TL,Timor-Leste,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Sexual acts with minors, including through child prostitution, are separate crimes.",Artigo 175.º Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Read in the 2010 annotated edition; later amendments not checked.,tl-cp2009,https://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/files/Codigo_Penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/timor-leste/
TL,Timor-Leste,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no separate brothel offence, but running a venue for profit from others' prostitution falls within Article 174, which punishes fostering or facilitating another's prostitution with intent to profit (three to ten years).",Artigo 174.º Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Inference from the wording of Article 174; no case law was reviewed.,tl-cp2009,https://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/files/Codigo_Penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/timor-leste/
TL,Timor-Leste,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Fostering, facilitating or in any way contributing to another person's prostitution, with intent to profit or as a way of life, carries three to ten years; four to twelve where there is exploitation of need, violence, threats, cross-border movement or retention of identity documents.",Artigo 174.º Código Penal | Artigos 163.º–164.º Código Penal,medium,2026-10-30,Translation of the Portuguese text by the editor of this entry; later amendments not checked.,tl-cp2009 | tl-tip2026,https://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/files/Codigo_Penal.pdf | https://www.state.gov/reports/2026-trafficking-in-persons-report/timor-leste,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/timor-leste/
TL,Timor-Leste,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found. A sex worker advertising their own services commits no offence, but anyone who advertises another person's services for profit could be ""contributing in any way"" to that person's prostitution under Article 174.",Artigo 174.º Código Penal,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the broad wording of Article 174; media and communications rules were not reviewed.,tl-cp2009,https://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/files/Codigo_Penal.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/timor-leste/
TG,Togo,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,"soliciting: XOF 300,000 fine","Selling sex is not an offence, but racolage is: publicly soliciting another person by any means, including a merely passive attitude, to induce them into sexual relations for payment or the promise of it (Art. 397). Doing so in order to prostitute oneself is fined 100,000 to 300,000 CFA francs; a repeat within a year is fined 300,000 to 500,000 and 10 to 30 days of community service (Art. 398).",Code pénal 2015 art. 397 | Code pénal 2015 art. 398 | Code pénal 2015 art. 410,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in a transcription of the Journal officiel of 24 November 2015; the official gazette PDF was downloaded but not read page by page. Loi n° 2016-027 amended the Code; its text was not found, so changes to these articles cannot be ruled out. The 2022 amendment (loi n° 2022-018) concerns other articles.",tg-cp2015 | tg-cp2015-text,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/Tog186175.pdf | https://jo-togo.darkaa.com/journal/2015-11-24-1dacb4f6922e,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/togo/
TG,Togo,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 10 years,"Art. 402, which sets the penalty for procuring, ends: the client of the person delivered to prostitution is punished under the same conditions as the procurer, that is five to ten years of criminal imprisonment and a fine of 5 to 20 million CFA francs. The national police cited Arts. 401 and 402 in April 2025 in warning that clients themselves are liable.",Code pénal 2015 art. 402,medium,2026-10-30,"The clause sits in the procuring article and refers to ""la personne livrée à la prostitution""; whether it covers every client or only clients of a person who is being procured is open to interpretation. No prosecution of a client was found.",tg-cp2015-text | tg-actulome-2025,https://jo-togo.darkaa.com/journal/2015-11-24-1dacb4f6922e | https://actulome.com/togo-police-nationale-proxenetisme/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/togo/
TG,Togo,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Owning, managing, running, financing or helping to finance a prostitution establishment; habitually tolerating prostitution or the seeking of clients in any establishment open to the public; and selling or making available non-public premises or vehicles knowing they are used for prostitution are punished by five to ten years and a fine of 5 to 20 million CFA francs (Art. 403). Courts may close the establishment (Art. 402).",Code pénal 2015 art. 403 | Code pénal 2015 art. 402,medium,2026-10-30,"Art. 403(3) on making premises available covers premises used by one or more people for prostitution, so on its face it could reach a landlord of a sex worker working alone or with others.",tg-cp2015 | tg-cp2015-text,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/Tog186175.pdf | https://jo-togo.darkaa.com/journal/2015-11-24-1dacb4f6922e,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/togo/
TG,Togo,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring is aiding, assisting or protecting another's prostitution, profiting from or sharing its proceeds, or recruiting or pressuring a person into it (Art. 401): five to ten years and 5 to 20 million CFA francs (Art. 402). Acting as an intermediary, or living or associating with sex workers without being able to justify one's income, is treated as procuring (Art. 404). Aggravated forms carry up to 20 years (Arts. 405–407).",Code pénal 2015 arts. 401–407,medium,2026-10-30,Read in a transcription of the official gazette. Art. 405 gives the same five-to-ten-year range as Art. 402 with a higher fine (10 to 30 million CFA francs).,tg-cp2015 | tg-cp2015-text,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/Tog186175.pdf | https://jo-togo.darkaa.com/journal/2015-11-24-1dacb4f6922e,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/togo/
TG,Togo,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No advert-specific offence was found, but racolage covers public soliciting by any means (Art. 397), and publicly spreading incitements to practices contrary to good morals by any means of communication carries six months to two years (Art. 394). Procuring by messages to the public over a telecommunications network is aggravated (Art. 405(9)), and aiding another's prostitution is procuring (Art. 401), which on its face could reach an ad site.",Code pénal 2015 art. 394 | Code pénal 2015 art. 397 | Code pénal 2015 art. 401 | Code pénal 2015 art. 405(9),low,2026-10-30,Classification inferred from general provisions; no case applying them to online adverts or ad sites was found. Togo's cybersecurity and electronic communications laws were not checked.,tg-cp2015-text,https://jo-togo.darkaa.com/journal/2015-11-24-1dacb4f6922e,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/togo/
TO,Tonga,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. Any person who in a public place solicits or importunes for immoral purposes is liable to up to six months; a man who, while soliciting in public for an immoral purpose, presents himself as a woman to deceive another person faces a fine of up to T$1,000 or one year, or both.","s. 81(4) Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04 | s. 81(5) Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04",high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Revised Edition of the Criminal Offences Act (Cap. 4.04) on the Attorney General's Office portal; amendments after that edition were not checked.,to-coa,https://ago.gov.to/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1924/1924-0010/CriminalOffencesAct_3.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tonga/
TO,Tonga,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offence in s. 81(4) applies to 'any person' and could reach clients.,"s. 81(4) Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Revised Edition of the Criminal Offences Act (Cap. 4.04) on the Attorney General's Office portal; amendments after that edition were not checked.,to-coa,https://ago.gov.to/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1924/1924-0010/CriminalOffencesAct_3.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tonga/
TO,Tonga,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel; a landlord letting premises knowing they will be used as a brothel; and a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution are offences punishable on summary conviction by a fine of up to T$5,000 or one year. A brothel is any place 'kept, used or resorted to for purposes of prostitution', and the section extends to premises used for 'lewd homosexual practices'.","s. 80 Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04",high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Revised Edition of the Criminal Offences Act (Cap. 4.04) on the Attorney General's Office portal; amendments after that edition were not checked.,to-coa,https://ago.gov.to/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1924/1924-0010/CriminalOffencesAct_3.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tonga/
TO,Tonga,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A man who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution faces up to two years, and on a second or later conviction the court may also order whipping; a man living with or controlling a sex worker is presumed to do so. A woman who for gain controls a sex worker's movements faces up to T$5,000 or two years. Procuring a woman or girl to leave home to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel carries five years.","s. 81(1)-(3) Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04 | s. 126(b) Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04",high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2020 Revised Edition of the Criminal Offences Act (Cap. 4.04) on the Attorney General's Office portal; amendments after that edition were not checked.,to-coa,https://ago.gov.to/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1924/1924-0010/CriminalOffencesAct_3.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tonga/
TO,Tonga,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 81(4) is limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face s. 81.,"s. 81 Criminal Offences Act, Cap. 4.04",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",to-coa,https://ago.gov.to/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1924/1924-0010/CriminalOffencesAct_3.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tonga/
TT,Trinidad and Tobago,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who 'in any place solicits for immoral purposes' is liable to five years under the Sexual Offences Act, and under the Summary Offences Act 'any woman loitering about and soliciting passers-by for the purpose of prostitution' may be deemed a rogue and vagabond and imprisoned for two months.","s. 23(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28 | s. 46(j) Summary Offences Act, Ch. 11:02",medium,2026-10-30,"The official PDF of the Sexual Offences Act uses a substituted font encoding; the text was decoded by hand and the section numbers were read from its arrangement of sections, so section numbers are medium confidence. How courts read 'immoral purposes' in s. 23(1)(b) was not researched.",tt-soa | tt-summary,https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf | https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.02.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/trinidad-and-tobago/
TT,Trinidad and Tobago,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found. The soliciting offence in s. 23(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act is not limited to sellers.,"s. 23(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28",medium,2026-10-30,Absence of an offence in the two acts reviewed; the Trafficking in Persons Act was not checked.,tt-soa,https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/trinidad-and-tobago/
TT,Trinidad and Tobago,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used each carry five years. A brothel is 'a place resorted to by persons of either sex for the purpose of prostitution'.","s. 22 Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28 | s. 2 Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28 (definitions)",medium,2026-10-30,"The official PDF of the Sexual Offences Act uses a substituted font encoding; the text was decoded by hand and the section numbers were read from its arrangement of sections, so section numbers are medium confidence.",tt-soa,https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/trinidad-and-tobago/
TT,Trinidad and Tobago,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or procuring a person to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, carries fifteen years. Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution and, for gain, controlling a sex worker's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution each carry five years.","s. 17 Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28 | s. 23(1)(a) and (3) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28 | s. 24 Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28",medium,2026-10-30,"The official PDF of the Sexual Offences Act uses a substituted font encoding; the text was decoded by hand and the section numbers were read from its arrangement of sections, so section numbers are medium confidence.",tt-soa,https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/trinidad-and-tobago/
TT,Trinidad and Tobago,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,"No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The Summary Offences Act penalises exhibiting obscene prints or representations to public view (s. 46(g)), and the soliciting offence in s. 23(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act applies 'in any place'.","s. 46(g) Summary Offences Act, Ch. 11:02 | s. 23(1)(b) Sexual Offences Act, Ch. 11:28",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",tt-summary | tt-soa,https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.02.pdf | https://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/11.28.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/trinidad-and-tobago/
TN,Tunisia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 2 years,"Outside the cases provided for by the regulations in force, women who offer themselves to passers-by by gestures or words, or engage in prostitution even occasionally, face six months to two years in prison and a fine of 20 to 200 dinars (Article 231). The only exception is registered work in a licensed house under the 1942 decree, and no such house was found to be operating in 2026.",Code pénal art. 231,high,2026-10-30,Article 231 is worded for women only. The status of licensed houses after 2021 could not be confirmed.,tn-cp | tn-escwa | tn-nawaat-2021,https://legislation-securite.tn/latest-laws/decret-du-9-juillet-1913-portant-promulgation-du-code-penal/ | https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/tunisia.pdf | https://nawaat.org/2021/08/17/a-tunis-et-a-sfax-les-travailleuses-du-sexe-victimes-collaterales-du-covid-19/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tunisia/
TN,Tunisia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 2 years,Anyone who has sexual relations with a woman covered by Article 231 is treated as an accomplice and faces the same penalty of six months to two years and a fine of 20 to 200 dinars. This paragraph was added in 1968.,Code pénal art. 231 al. 2,high,2026-10-30,,tn-cp,https://legislation-securite.tn/latest-laws/decret-du-9-juillet-1913-portant-promulgation-du-code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tunisia/
TN,Tunisia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"A decree of 30 April 1942 still provides for licensed houses in which registered women may work, subject to medical tests, a special tax and Interior Ministry registration. In practice the remaining houses in Tunis (Sidi Abdallah Guech) and Sfax have been closed since March 2020. Running prostitution outside that system falls under the procuring offence (Article 232).",Arrêté du 30 avril 1942 | Code pénal art. 232,medium,2026-10-30,The 1942 decree itself could not be opened; its content is taken from the UN ESCWA country matrix. Nawaat reported in 2021 that no authority had ordered the Sfax houses closed for good; their status since then was not confirmed.,tn-escwa | tn-nawaat-2021 | tn-cp,https://genderjustice.unescwa.org/extracts2025/tunisia.pdf | https://nawaat.org/2021/08/17/a-tunis-et-a-sfax-les-travailleuses-du-sexe-victimes-collaterales-du-covid-19/ | https://legislation-securite.tn/latest-laws/decret-du-9-juillet-1913-portant-promulgation-du-code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tunisia/
TN,Tunisia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who knowingly aids, protects or assists another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds, lives with a person habitually engaged in it without sufficient resources of their own, recruits or keeps a person for prostitution even with consent, or acts as an intermediary is a procurer, punishable by one to three years and a fine of 100 to 500 dinars (Article 232). Aggravating circumstances raise this to three to five years (Article 233).",Code pénal art. 232 | Code pénal art. 233 | Code pénal art. 235,high,2026-10-30,,tn-cp,https://legislation-securite.tn/latest-laws/decret-du-9-juillet-1913-portant-promulgation-du-code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tunisia/
TN,Tunisia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity to commit debauchery by writings, recordings, or audio, visual, electronic or optical messages is punishable by six months in prison and a fine of 1,000 dinars (Article 226 bis). Offering oneself to passers-by by gestures or words is covered by Article 231, and assisting another's soliciting is procuring under Article 232.",Code pénal art. 226 bis al. 2 | Code pénal art. 231 | Code pénal art. 232,high,2026-10-30,,tn-cp,https://legislation-securite.tn/latest-laws/decret-du-9-juillet-1913-portant-promulgation-du-code-penal/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tunisia/
TR,Turkey,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,none,,"Women may sell sex legally within the registration system: a commission registers them as ""genel kadın"" if they are at least 21, Turkish citizens and not stateless, and they must undergo periodic official medical examinations. The Penal Code does not make selling sex itself an offence.","Tüzük md. 15, 20–22, 25–26 | TCK md. 227",medium,2026-10-30,The regulation is written for women only. How people selling sex outside the registration system are sanctioned in practice (for example under misdemeanour law) was not checked for this overview.,tr-tuzuk | tr-tck,https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5984&MevzuatTur=2&MevzuatTertip=4 | https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5237&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkey/
TR,Turkey,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the Penal Code. Article 227 targets those who encourage, facilitate or mediate prostitution or provide a place for it.",TCK md. 227,high,2026-10-30,,tr-tck,https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5237&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkey/
TR,Turkey,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,criminal,,"Genel evler (brothels) may operate with permission: the applicant applies to the highest local civil administrator, the commission inspects the building and the people involved, and police grant permission. Operators may not admit women under 21 or women not registered by the commission. Providing a place for prostitution outside this system is a crime under Article 227(2).","Tüzük md. 16, 50–52, 62 | TCK md. 227/2",high,2026-10-30,,tr-tuzuk | tr-tck,https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5984&MevzuatTur=2&MevzuatTertip=4 | https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5237&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkey/
TR,Turkey,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Encouraging a person into prostitution, facilitating it, mediating it or providing a place for it is punishable by two to four years' imprisonment and a judicial fine of up to 3,000 days; living wholly or partly off the earnings of a person drawn into prostitution counts as encouragement. Force, threats, deceit or exploiting helplessness increase the penalty by half to double.",TCK md. 227/2 | TCK md. 227/4,high,2026-10-30,,tr-tck,https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5237&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkey/
TR,Turkey,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Giving, distributing or disseminating products containing images, texts or words prepared to facilitate or mediate prostitution is punishable by one to three years and a judicial fine of 200 to 2,000 days. The paragraph was reintroduced by Law No. 6763 in 2016.",TCK md. 227/3 | 5651 sayılı Kanun md. 8/1-a-6,high,2026-10-30,,tr-tck | tr-5651,https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5237&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5 | https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=5651&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkey/
TM,Turkmenistan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,fine,"Engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence fined at 10 to 20 times the base amount. A repeat within a year after an administrative penalty is a crime punishable by a fine of 20 to 40 average monthly wages, up to two years' corrective labour or up to two years' imprisonment.",ст. 360 КоАП Туркменистана | ст. 138 УК Туркменистана,medium,2026-10-30,"Read in Russian texts hosted by WIPO Lex: the Administrative Code as published around 2014, the Criminal Code as amended to 9 November 2013. The Ministry of Justice's online database (law.minjust.gov.tm) requires registration with a Turkmen phone number and could not be checked, so later amendments may be missing.",tm-koap | tm-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/13824 | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14676,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkmenistan/
TM,Turkmenistan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,"Having sexual relations with a person engaged in prostitution, with payment of remuneration, is an administrative offence fined at 5 to 10 times the base amount. Persons suspected of it may be detained for up to 24 hours pending the case.",ст. 361 КоАП Туркменистана,medium,2026-10-30,As for selling: text consolidated around 2014; later amendments could not be checked.,tm-koap,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/13824,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkmenistan/
TM,Turkmenistan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping a brothel for debauchery or prostitution is punishable by up to five years' imprisonment, with or without confiscation of property and an obligation to live in a designated locality for two to five years; three to eight years for a repeat.",ст. 140 УК Туркменистана,medium,2026-10-30,Criminal Code as amended to 9 November 2013.,tm-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14676,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkmenistan/
TM,Turkmenistan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring (сводничество) for debauchery or prostitution carries up to five years' imprisonment. Pimping, defined as using a person engaged in prostitution for sexual exploitation for mercenary motives, carries two to six years. Drawing a person into prostitution carries up to two years, and three to eight years with violence, blackmail, deception or a minor.",ст. 139 УК Туркменистана | ст. 141 УК Туркменистана | ст. 142 УК Туркменистана,medium,2026-10-30,Criminal Code as amended to 9 November 2013.,tm-uk,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14676,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkmenistan/
TM,Turkmenistan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Because both selling and buying are offences, an advertisement offers an unlawful act. A third party who arranges contacts between clients and sex workers commits procuring, which carries up to five years.",ст. 141 УК Туркменистана | ст. 360 КоАП Туркменистана,low,2026-10-30,The Law on Advertising and internet regulation were not checked. Applying the procuring offence to advertisers is an inference from the text.,tm-uk | tm-koap,https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14676 | https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/13824,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/turkmenistan/
TV,Tuvalu,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 2 months,"Selling sex in private is not an offence. Any person who solicits for immoral purposes in a public place, and any 'common prostitute' behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, is an idle and disorderly person liable to two months or a $20 fine.",s. 167(c) and (f) Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.,tv-pc,https://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-0007/1965-0007_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tuvalu/
TV,Tuvalu,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offences apply to 'any person' and could reach clients; a man persistently soliciting in public for immoral purposes commits a misdemeanour under s. 145(1)(b).,s. 145(1)(b) Penal Code | s. 167(f) Penal Code,medium,2026-10-30,Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.,tv-pc,https://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-0007/1965-0007_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tuvalu/
TV,Tuvalu,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are misdemeanours, punishable by up to two years and a fine under the general misdemeanour penalty.",s. 148 Penal Code | s. 147 Penal Code (search warrant),high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.,tv-pc,https://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-0007/1965-0007_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tuvalu/
TV,Tuvalu,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring or attempting to procure any woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, carries two years (corroboration required). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, presumed if he lives with or controls a sex worker, and a woman who controls a sex worker for gain, commit misdemeanours.",s. 136(1)(b)-(d) Penal Code | s. 145(1)(a) and (2) Penal Code | s. 146 Penal Code,high,2026-10-30,Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.,tv-pc,https://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-0007/1965-0007_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tuvalu/
TV,Tuvalu,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings or control offences.,s. 145 Penal Code | s. 146 Penal Code,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",tv-pc,https://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-0007/1965-0007_2.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/tuvalu/
UG,Uganda,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 7 years,"Any person who practises or engages in prostitution commits an offence punishable by seven years (s. 139). Soliciting or importuning for immoral purposes in any place also carries seven years (s. 136(1)), and a prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place, or anyone soliciting or loitering in public for immoral purposes, is an idle and disorderly person liable to three months or a fine (s. 167).","Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) ss. 136, 138, 139 | Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 167",medium,2026-10-30,"Read in the Laws.Africa consolidation as at 2014-05-09 (Cap. 120). Uganda's 2023 Revised Edition of the laws, launched in 2024, re-issued the Act as Cap. 128, reportedly with renumbered sections (not verified); that edition could not be opened (ULII blocked automated access), so current numbering and any later amendments were not verified.",ug-penal-code,https://www.jurisafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Uganda-Penal-Code-Act.pdf.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uganda/
UG,Uganda,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"The Penal Code Act has no offence aimed at clients. Soliciting or importuning for immoral purposes ""in any place"" (s. 136) applies to every person and can reach a client who solicits. The Sexual Offences Bill passed in May 2021, which kept prison terms for clients, was refused assent, and its 2024 re-introduction was withdrawn in March 2026.",Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 136(1),medium,2026-10-30,Whether clients are prosecuted as parties to the s. 139 offence of the person selling sex was not checked.,ug-penal-code | ug-hrw-2021 | ug-76crimes-2026,https://www.jurisafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Uganda-Penal-Code-Act.pdf.pdf | https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/05/06/uganda-reject-sexual-offenses-bill | https://76crimes.com/2026/05/08/uganda-drops-sexual-offenses-bill/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uganda/
UG,Uganda,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Any person who keeps a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for purposes of prostitution commits an offence punishable by seven years (s. 137). Detaining a person in a brothel, including by withholding clothing or property, is a separate offence (s. 134).",Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 137 | Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 134,medium,2026-10-30,Cap. 120 numbering (2014 consolidation); see the note under selling.,ug-penal-code,https://www.jurisafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Uganda-Penal-Code-Act.pdf.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uganda/
UG,Uganda,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries seven years; living with or habitually accompanying a sex worker, or controlling their movements, raises a rebuttable presumption (s. 136). Procuring or attempting to procure a woman or girl to become a common prostitute, or to leave home or Uganda to frequent a brothel, also carries seven years, with a corroboration requirement (s. 131).",Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 131 | Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) s. 136,medium,2026-10-30,Cap. 120 numbering (2014 consolidation); see the note under selling.,ug-penal-code,https://www.jurisafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Uganda-Penal-Code-Act.pdf.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uganda/
UG,Uganda,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found, but holding oneself out as available for sex for gain is part of the statutory definition of a prostitute (s. 138), so an advertisement by a person selling sex is evidence of the s. 139 offence, and soliciting ""in any place"" is itself an offence (s. 136). A third party publishing such ads for profit could fall under living on the earnings of prostitution, but no case law was found.","Penal Code Act (Cap. 120) ss. 136, 138, 139",low,2026-10-30,Inferred from the general provisions. The Anti-Pornography Act 2014 and the Computer Misuse Act as amended in 2022 were not reviewed.,ug-penal-code,https://www.jurisafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Uganda-Penal-Code-Act.pdf.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uganda/
UA,Ukraine,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,Engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence punishable by a warning or a fine of 5 to 10 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens; a repeat within a year after a penalty is fined 8 to 15.,ст. 181-1 КУпАП,medium,2026-10-30,"The official portal zakon.rada.gov.ua could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the wording was checked against the copy on protocol.ua, a private legal database.",ua-kupap | ua-protocol-181-1,https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/80731-10 | https://protocol.ua/ua/kodeks_ukraini_pro_administrativni_pravoporushennya_stattya_181_1/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ukraine/
UA,Ukraine,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the Code on Administrative Offences or the Criminal Code provisions checked; Article 181-1 is directed at the person engaging in prostitution.,,medium,2026-10-30,"The official portal zakon.rada.gov.ua could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the wording was checked against the copy on protocol.ua, a private legal database.",ua-kupap | ua-protocol-181-1 | ua-kk,https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/80731-10 | https://protocol.ua/ua/kodeks_ukraini_pro_administrativni_pravoporushennya_stattya_181_1/ | https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ukraine/
UA,Ukraine,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Creating or maintaining places of debauchery, or pandering for debauchery, is punishable by a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 non-taxable minimum incomes, probation supervision or restriction of liberty of up to two years; up to five years' restriction or deprivation of liberty where done for gain, by a repeat offender or by an organised group.",ст. 302 ККУ,medium,2026-10-30,"The official portal zakon.rada.gov.ua could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the wording was checked against the copy on protocol.ua, a private legal database.",ua-kk | ua-protocol-302,https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14 | https://protocol.ua/ua/kriminalniy_kodeks_ukraini_stattya_302/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ukraine/
UA,Ukraine,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Pimping (defined as actions ensuring another person's prostitution), or drawing a person into prostitution or compelling them to engage in it by deception, blackmail, exploiting their vulnerability or by violence or its threat, is punishable by three to five years; four to seven years for aggravated forms and more where minors are involved.",ст. 303 ККУ,medium,2026-10-30,"The official portal zakon.rada.gov.ua could not be reached from our location on 2026-10-30; the wording was checked against the copy on protocol.ua, a private legal database.",ua-kk | ua-protocol-303,https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14 | https://protocol.ua/ua/kriminalniy_kodeks_ukraini_stattya_303/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ukraine/
UA,Ukraine,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,none,,No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the provisions checked. Advertising that ensures another person's prostitution could fall within the definition of pimping in Article 303.,ст. 303 ККУ,low,2026-10-30,Inference from the absence of a specific provision; the Law on Advertising and media legislation could not be checked because the official portal was unreachable.,ua-kk | ua-protocol-303,https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14 | https://protocol.ua/ua/kriminalniy_kodeks_ukraini_stattya_303/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/ukraine/
AE,United Arab Emirates,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,up to 15 years,"Any habitual prostitute or debauchee is punished with temporary imprisonment, which lasts three to fifteen years unless the law states otherwise (Art. 422 with Art. 69). Soliciting passers-by on a public road is a separate offence (Art. 414: up to six months and/or up to AED 100,000), as is inciting prostitution through an information network (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021).",Art. 422 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 409 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 414 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 69 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 33 Federal Decree-Law 34/2021,high,2026-10-30,"Whether Article 33 of the cybercrime law, which targets inciting 'third parties' to prostitution, is applied to people advertising their own services was not checked against case law.",ae-penal | ae-cyber,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529 | https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
AE,United Arab Emirates,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,extramarital sex: 3 years,"No provision targets clients as such. Paying an adult for sex is covered by the general offence of consensual intercourse outside marriage (Art. 409(1)): at least six months' imprisonment for both parties. Under Art. 409(5) no prosecution may be brought except on a complaint by the spouse or guardian, and withdrawing the complaint ends the case or suspends the sentence.",Art. 409 Crimes and Penalties Law,medium,2026-10-30,"Status is 'illegal' because the act is an offence, but prosecution depends on a private complaint. Whether a client found in a brothel can be charged with assisting prostitution (Art. 417) or facilitating a brothel (Art. 419) was not checked against case law.",ae-penal,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
AE,United Arab Emirates,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Establishing or running a house for debauchery or prostitution, facilitating such practices, or assisting in any way in establishing or running such a house is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 100,000. The court must order the premises closed; they may reopen only for lawful business with the Public Prosecution's approval.",Art. 419 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ae-penal,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
AE,United Arab Emirates,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting, enticing or seducing anyone to prostitution, or assisting in it, carries at least two years' imprisonment and a fine (Art. 417, as amended in December 2025; previously at least one year). Using coercion, trickery or threats carries up to ten years' temporary imprisonment (Art. 418), and taking advantage of another person's prostitution by any means up to five years (Art. 420).",Art. 417 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 418 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 420 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 421 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ae-penal | ae-2025-amend,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529 | https://en.aletihad.ae/news/uae/4629449/uae-government-issues-federal-decree-law-amending-certain-pr,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
AE,United Arab Emirates,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting or tempting others to prostitution, or assisting them, through an information network is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of AED 250,000 to 1,000,000 (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021). Publicly prompting others to debauchery by any means is a further offence (Art. 415, up to one month and/or up to AED 100,000).",Art. 33 Federal Decree-Law 34/2021 | Art. 415 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 417 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ae-cyber | ae-penal,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526 | https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
AE,United Arab Emirates,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Creating, managing or supervising a website that displays obscene material or anything that violates public morals is punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000 (Art. 34, Decree-Law 34/2021). A site operator hosting sex-work ads would also be exposed to the offences of assisting online incitement (Art. 33) and facilitating prostitution (Art. 419 of the Crimes and Penalties Law).",Art. 33 Federal Decree-Law 34/2021 | Art. 34 Federal Decree-Law 34/2021 | Art. 419 Crimes and Penalties Law,medium,2026-10-30,This applies the statutory wording to ad sites; no prosecution of an ad-site operator was checked.,ae-cyber | ae-penal,https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526 | https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-arab-emirates/
GB,United Kingdom,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"Selling sexual services as an adult is not an offence in England and Wales. The law targets what surrounds it: persistent loitering or soliciting in a street or public place (Street Offences Act 1959), working with others from the same premises (brothel-keeping) and third parties who profit.",s.54 Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.1 Street Offences Act 1959,high,2026-10-30,,soa-2003-s54 | sto-1959-s1 | cps-prostitution,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/54 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/57/section/1 | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,"soliciting: ≈€1,200 fine","Paying an adult for sex is legal in England and Wales, with two exceptions: soliciting in a street or public place to buy sex (s.51A SOA 2003), and paying for the services of someone a third party has subjected to force, threats, coercion or deception (s.53A). Section 53A is strict liability: the buyer's knowledge is irrelevant. Both carry a fine up to level 3.",s.51A Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.53A Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.14 Policing and Crime Act 2009,high,2026-10-30,,soa-2003-s51a | soa-2003-s53a | pca-2009-prostitution | cps-prostitution | bills-api-3938-committee-lords | bills-api-3938-amd-311 | bills-api-3938-amd-304,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/51A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/53A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/26/part/2/crossheading/prostitution | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20237/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20237/Amendments/10027819 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20491/Amendments/10032978,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel is an offence. Section 33A of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (brothel used for prostitution) carries up to 7 years on indictment; the older s.33 offence and the landlord and tenant offences (ss.34-36) are summary only. Police can also close premises linked to causing, inciting or controlling prostitution for gain or to child sexual exploitation (Part 2A SOA 2003).",s.33 Sexual Offences Act 1956 | s.33A Sexual Offences Act 1956 | ss.34-36 Sexual Offences Act 1956 | Sch. 2 Sexual Offences Act 1956 | Part 2A (s.136A ff.) Sexual Offences Act 2003,high,2026-10-30,,soa-1956-s33 | soa-1956-s33a | soa-1956-s34 | soa-1956-s35 | soa-1956-s36 | soa-1956-sch2 | soa-2003-s136a | cps-prostitution | iasc-behind-the-profile-pdf | osa-2023-sch7,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/33 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/33A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/34 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/35 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/36 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/schedule/SECOND | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/136A | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution | https://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/media/dadhuq0a/report_behind-the-profile_sexual-exploitation-and-trafficking-through-adult-services-websites.pdf | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/7,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"A single worker selling sex from their own premises does not keep a brothel, but two or more sex workers sharing premises, even for safety and with no manager, can make the premises a brothel. Each of them can then be prosecuted for keeping or assisting in the management of it, and the landlord or tenant can also be liable.",s.33A Sexual Offences Act 1956 | ss.34-36 Sexual Offences Act 1956,high,2026-10-30,,soa-1956-s33a | soa-1956-s34 | soa-1956-s35 | soa-1956-s36 | cps-prostitution,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/33A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/34 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/35 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/36 | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Intentionally causing or inciting another person to become a prostitute (s.52 SOA 2003), or controlling any of their activities relating to prostitution (s.53), is an offence when done for or in the expectation of gain, with up to 7 years on indictment. Gain includes goodwill likely to bring financial advantage. Control does not require force: the Court of Appeal held in R v Massey that the person need not have acted against their free will.",s.52 Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.53 Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.54 Sexual Offences Act 2003 | s.2 Modern Slavery Act 2015,high,2026-10-30,,soa-2003-s52 | soa-2003-s53 | soa-2003-s54 | msa-2015-s2 | cps-prostitution | bills-api-3938-committee-commons | bills-api-3938-report-lords | bills-api-3938-committee-lords,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/52 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/53 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/54 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/section/2 | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/19748/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20491/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20237/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"There is no general offence of advertising sexual services, and sex workers advertise their own services legally, mostly online. The one specific offence is placing a prostitution advert on or near a public telephone (s.46 CJPA 2001). Third-party adverts can be evidence of brothel-keeping, inciting or controlling for gain. Every amendment to criminalise publishing prostitution adverts was not moved before the Crime and Policing Act 2026.",s.46 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001,high,2026-10-30,,cjpa-2001-s46 | cps-prostitution | bills-api-3938-stages | bills-api-3938-committee-commons | bills-api-3938-committee-lords | bills-api-3938-report-lords | cpa-2026 | iasc-behind-the-profile | iasc-behind-the-profile-pdf,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/16/section/46 | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages?Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/19748/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20237/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20491/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/20/contents | https://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/news-insights/report-behind-the-profile-sexual-exploitation-and-trafficking-through-adult-services-websites/ | https://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/media/dadhuq0a/report_behind-the-profile_sexual-exploitation-and-trafficking-through-adult-services-websites.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,"Hosting prostitution adverts is not itself an offence. Adult services websites that let users post profiles are regulated user-to-user services under the Online Safety Act 2023: since 17 March 2025 they must assess and mitigate the risk of illegal content and remove it once aware. Causing, inciting and controlling prostitution for gain are priority offences. Ofcom can impose fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater (Sch. 13 para. 4).",s.10 Online Safety Act 2023 | Sch. 7 paras 24-28 Online Safety Act 2023 | Sch. 13 para. 4 Online Safety Act 2023 | reg. 19 Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002,medium,2026-10-30,"Ofcom's own pages and guidance PDFs returned HTTP 403 when fetched, so the content of the Illegal Content Judgements Guidance is taken from the Anti-Slavery Commissioner's report rather than from Ofcom directly. Whether ad-site operators can be criminally liable under ss.52-53 SOA 2003 has not been decided by a court.",osa-2023-s10 | osa-2023-sch7 | osa-2023-sch13 | govuk-osa-explainer | ecommerce-regs-2002-r19 | iasc-behind-the-profile-pdf,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/section/10 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/7 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/13/paragraph/4 | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2013/regulation/19 | https://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/media/dadhuq0a/report_behind-the-profile_sexual-exploitation-and-trafficking-through-adult-services-websites.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"In England and Wales a person aged 18 or over who persistently loiters or solicits in a street or public place to offer sex commits an offence (s.1 Street Offences Act 1959): persistent means twice or more in three months. The fine is up to level 2 (level 3 after a previous conviction), or instead an order to attend three meetings with a supervisor. Buyers who solicit commit an offence under s.51A SOA 2003.",s.1 Street Offences Act 1959 | s.1A Street Offences Act 1959 | s.51A Sexual Offences Act 2003 | ss.16-17 Policing and Crime Act 2009 | ss.116-117 Crime and Policing Act 2026,high,2026-10-30,,sto-1959-s1 | sto-1959-s1a | soa-2003-s51a | pca-2009-prostitution | cpa-2026-s116 | cpa-2026-s117 | bills-api-3938-committee-lords | bills-api-3938-report-lords | cps-prostitution,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/57/section/1 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/57/section/1A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/51A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/26/part/2/crossheading/prostitution | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/20/section/116 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/20/section/117 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20237/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://bills-api.parliament.uk/api/v1/Bills/3938/Stages/20491/Amendments?SearchTerm=prostitution&Take=50 | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,legal,Legal,none,,"There is no registration, licensing or mandatory health-check regime for sex workers anywhere in the UK. Because organised and shared venues are offences, there is no licensing of brothels either.",,medium,2026-10-30,Stated from the absence of any such regime in the legislation reviewed; no single official source states it in these terms.,soa-2003-s54 | soa-1956-s33a | cps-prostitution,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/54 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/4-5/69/section/33A | https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Income from prostitution is taxable like any other trade. HMRC's Business Income Manual states that income tax on trading profits is not affected by the fact that an activity is wholly or partly illegal, and selling sex itself is legal throughout the UK. Self-employed sex workers are subject to the normal rules on income tax and National Insurance.",BIM22005 | BIM22008,medium,2026-10-30,"The HMRC manual pages do not mention prostitution expressly. The Aken holding is taken from the vLex headnote of the 1987 High Court judgment; the vLex page for the 1990 Court of Appeal judgment shows only an excerpt that does not reach the taxability point, so the appeal outcome rests on the law-report citation rather than on the judgment text.",hmrc-bim22005 | hmrc-bim22008 | irc-v-aken-1987 | irc-v-aken-1990,https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim22005 | https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim22008 | https://vlex.co.uk/vid/commissioners-of-inland-revenue-806334097 | https://vlex.co.uk/vid/commissioners-of-inland-revenue-793445265,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
GB,United Kingdom,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,,,"There is no immigration rule specific to prostitution. Whether a non-UK national may sell sex depends on general immigration status: visitors may not work, paid or unpaid, for a UK company or as self-employed. Potential victims of trafficking are referred to the National Referral Mechanism; in 2025 sexual exploitation was the exploitation type most often reported for female referrals.",s.2 Modern Slavery Act 2015,medium,2026-10-30,"The consequences of breaching visa conditions (curtailment, removal, the illegal-working offence) were not reviewed in detail for this profile.",govuk-standard-visitor | msa-2015-s2 | nrm-2025,https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/section/2 | https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/modern-slavery-nrm-and-dtn-statistics-end-of-year-summary-2025/modern-slavery-national-referral-mechanism-and-duty-to-notify-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2025,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-kingdom/
US,United States,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Selling sex is a crime, usually a misdemeanour, in the District of Columbia and in every state except Maine. In Nevada it is legal only inside a brothel licensed by a rural county, so it is illegal in Las Vegas (Clark County) and Reno (Washoe County). Maine repealed its offence of engaging in prostitution in 2023. There is no federal offence of selling sex as such.",Selling: state codes (see subnational entries) | NRS 207.030(1)(b) | NRS 244.345(8) | 17-A M.R.S. § 853-A (repealed 2023),high,2026-10-30,"The statute pages of Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Tennessee could not be opened from here; their entries rely on an NGO's reproduction of the statute. The Nevada Legislature's site blocks this network, so NRS chapters 201, 207 and 244 were read from Internet Archive copies captured in August-October 2026.",az-13-3214 | tx-pe-43 | ny-pen-230-00 | dc-22-2701 | co-18-7-201 | ia-725-1 | id-18-5613 | me-853-a | me-ld-1435 | nv-nrs-207 | nv-nrs-244 | ny-s3967b-2025 | ut-76-5d-202,https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03214.htm | https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/230.00 | https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/22-2701 | https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-7/part-2/section-18-7-201/ | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/725.1.pdf | https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch56/sect18-5613/ | https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec853-A.html | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1435&snum=131 | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-207.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-244.html | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3967/amendment/B | https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter5D/76-5d-S202.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Paying for sex is a crime in every state, including Maine, and in the District of Columbia; the only exception is a brothel licensed in one of Nevada's rural counties. Buying sex is illegal in Las Vegas. Several states now punish buyers more heavily than sellers: Texas made solicitation of prostitution a state jail felony in 2021, and Pennsylvania's Act 41 of 2026 makes a third offence a felony with minimum fines from $2,500.",NRS 201.354 | 17-A M.R.S. § 853-B | Tex. Penal Code § 43.021 | 18 Pa.C.S. § 3028,high,2026-10-30,"The Nevada Legislature's site blocks this network, so NRS chapters 201, 207 and 244 were read from Internet Archive copies captured in August-October 2026.",tx-pe-43 | pa-act-41-2026 | me-853-b | ma-272-53a | nv-nrs-201 | az-13-3214 | ia-725-1 | or-ors-167,https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2026&sessInd=0&actNum=41 | https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec853-B.html | https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section53A | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-201.html | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03214.htm | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/725.1.pdf | https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors167.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"Brothels are illegal everywhere except licensed houses in Nevada counties under 700,000 people that choose to license them. There are none in Las Vegas: state law forbids a brothel licence in Clark County, and Washoe County (Reno), Carson City, Douglas, Eureka, Lincoln and Pershing ban them by ordinance. In 2026 the Nevada Brothel Association counted 16 licensed brothels in seven counties.",NRS 244.345(8) | NRS 201.380 | NRS 201.390 | Tex. Penal Code § 43.04 | 11 Del. C. § 1352 | N.D.C.C. § 12.1-29-01,high,2026-10-30,"The brothel count is the industry association's, reported by the press; there is no official statewide register. The Nevada Legislature's site blocks this network, so NRS chapters 201, 207 and 244 were read from Internet Archive copies captured in August-October 2026.",nv-nrs-244 | nv-nrs-201 | nv-independent-2026 | tx-pe-43 | de-11-1342 | nd-12-1-29 | pa-act-41-2026,https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-244.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-201.html | https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sex-workers-at-a-nevada-brothel-are-making-headlines-how-much-do-you-know-about-the-industry | https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm | https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c005/sc07/index.html | https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c29.pdf | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2026&sessInd=0&actNum=41,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,shared_premises,Sex workers sharing premises,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Outside Nevada's licensed brothels, two or more sex workers working from the same place are generally caught by state offences of keeping a house of prostitution, promoting prostitution or permitting premises to be used for prostitution, and a landlord who knowingly lets premises for it commits an offence too.","Tex. Penal Code § 43.04 | 11 Del. C. §§ 1352, 1355 | N.D.C.C. §§ 12.1-29-02, 12.1-29-05 | Fla. Stat. § 796.07(2) | 18 Pa.C.S. § 3027",high,2026-10-30,,tx-pe-43 | de-11-1342 | nd-12-1-29 | pa-act-41-2026 | fl-796-07 | nv-nrs-201,https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm | https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c005/sc07/index.html | https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c29.pdf | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2026&sessInd=0&actNum=41 | https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0796/Sections/0796.07.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-201.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Profiting from or organising another person's prostitution is a crime in every state, including Nevada outside the licensed system and Maine. Federal law adds the Mann Act: transporting a person across state lines for prostitution (up to 10 years) and persuading or enticing a person to travel for it (up to 20 years), plus the sex-trafficking offence in 18 U.S.C. § 1591.",18 U.S.C. § 2421 | 18 U.S.C. § 2422 | 18 U.S.C. § 1591 | 18 Pa.C.S. § 3027 | Tex. Penal Code § 43.03 | N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1,high,2026-10-30,,usc-18-2421 | usc-18-2422 | usc-18-1591 | pa-act-41-2026 | tx-pe-43 | nd-12-1-29 | nj-2c-34-1,https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2421 | https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2422 | https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1591 | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2026&sessInd=0&actNum=41 | https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm | https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c29.pdf | https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2023/title-2c/section-2c-34-1/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no general federal ban on advertising, but because almost every state makes offering sex for a fee an offence, an advert offering sex for money is itself evidence of soliciting. Nevada also bans advertising a brothel in any county where prostitution is prohibited, which covers Las Vegas and Reno, and on public streets and highways. Adult advertising websites face federal liability under FOSTA (see platforms).",NRS 201.430 | NRS 201.440 | 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a),high,2026-10-30,"The Nevada Legislature's site blocks this network, so NRS chapters 201, 207 and 244 were read from Internet Archive copies captured in August-October 2026.",nv-nrs-201 | az-13-3214 | ny-pen-230-00 | usc-18-2421a | usc-18-1591 | wa-9a-88-030,https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-201.html | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03214.htm | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/230.00 | https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2421A | https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1591 | https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.88.030,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,platforms,Online platforms and ad sites,no,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"Since FOSTA-SESTA (signed 11 April 2018), 18 U.S.C. § 2421A makes it a federal crime to own, manage or operate an online service with intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person (up to 10 years; 25 years for five or more people or reckless disregard of trafficking), and Section 230 no longer blocks state prosecutions for that or federal sex-trafficking claims. Backpage was seized and its owners prosecuted.",18 U.S.C. § 2421A | 47 U.S.C. § 230(e)(5) | 18 U.S.C. § 1591 | 18 U.S.C. § 1595 | Pub. L. 115-164,high,2026-10-30,The outcome of Lacey's Ninth Circuit appeal was not found as of 2026-10-30; the case status is from a November 2024 report.,usc-18-2421a | pl-115-164 | usc-47-230 | woodhull-2023 | doj-backpage-2018 | cns-lacey-2024 | gao-21-385 | doe-twitter-2025,https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2421A | https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-115publ164/html/PLAW-115publ164.htm | https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/230 | https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/9412003/woodhull-freedom-foundation-v-united-states/ | https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-leads-effort-seize-backpagecom-internet-s-leading-forum-prostitution-ads | https://www.courthousenews.com/backpage-co-founder-granted-bail-pending-appeal/ | https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-385 | https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10646240/doe-1-v-twitter-inc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,street,Street-based sex work and soliciting,no,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Soliciting in public is an offence in every state that criminalises prostitution, and some add higher penalties for public places or near schools and churches. Two large states have repealed their offences of loitering with intent to commit prostitution: New York in 2021 and California in 2022. In Maine selling, including soliciting, is no longer an offence.",Minn. Stat. § 609.324 subd. 6 | MCL 750.448 | N.Y. Penal Law § 240.37 (repealed 2021) | Cal. Penal Code § 653.22 (repealed 2022),high,2026-10-30,,ny-s1351-2021 | ca-sb-357 | mn-609-324 | mi-750-448 | de-11-1342 | me-853-a | nv-nrs-207,https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S1351 | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB357 | https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.324 | https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-448 | https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c005/sc07/index.html | https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec853-A.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-207.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,registration,"Registration, licensing and health checks",no,varies,Varies by region,criminal,,"There is no registration of sex workers anywhere except in Nevada's licensed brothels, where the county issues work cards after background checks and workers must undergo weekly testing for sexually transmitted infections. Selling sex outside that system is a misdemeanour.",NRS 244.345,medium,2026-10-30,"The state health regulations that require testing in licensed brothels (Nevada Administrative Code chapter 441A) could not be opened from here; the testing and fee details come from a 2026 news report. The Nevada Legislature's site blocks this network, so NRS chapters 201, 207 and 244 were read from Internet Archive copies captured in August-October 2026.",nv-nrs-244 | nv-independent-2026 | nv-nrs-207,https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-244.html | https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sex-workers-at-a-nevada-brothel-are-making-headlines-how-much-do-you-know-about-the-industry | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-207.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,tax,Tax and social security,no,legal,Legal,none,,"Income from sex work is taxable like any other income. The Internal Revenue Service states that income from illegal activities must be reported, either as other income or, for self-employment, on Schedule C. Workers in Nevada's licensed brothels also pay county work-card and licence fees.",IRS Publication 525: illegal activities,medium,2026-10-30,The IRS guidance is general and does not mention prostitution specifically; whether licensed Nevada brothel workers are employees or independent contractors was not checked.,irs-p525 | nv-independent-2026,https://www.irs.gov/publications/p525 | https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sex-workers-at-a-nevada-brothel-are-making-headlines-how-much-do-you-know-about-the-industry,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
US,United States,migrants,Migrant sex workers,no,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"A non-citizen who comes to the United States to engage in prostitution, or has engaged in it within the previous 10 years, is inadmissible under federal immigration law, even if the work was legal where it took place, such as a licensed Nevada brothel. Procuring people for prostitution or receiving its proceeds is also a ground of inadmissibility.",8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(2)(D),high,2026-10-30,Waivers and the separate protections for trafficking victims (T visas) are not covered here.,usc-8-1182,https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/united-states/
UY,Uruguay,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Sex work is lawful for people over 18 who are listed in the National Sex Work Register and hold a valid health card. Registration is voluntary or ex officio, the card is valid nationwide for three years, and workers who skip health checks for a year are struck off. Working in breach of the law's conditions is fined 5 to 100 UR; registered workers cannot be detained by police for the activity alone.","Ley 17.515, arts. 1-3, 7-17, 18-21, 31",high,2026-10-30,,uy-17515,https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/17515-2002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/
UY,Uruguay,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Law 17.515 regulates sex workers and venues and contains no sanction for clients.,,high,2026-10-30,,uy-17515,https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/17515-2002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/
UY,Uruguay,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,regulated,Legal under licence / registration,administrative,,"Brothels (any premises offering sex work, whatever their name), whiskerías and ""bares de camareras"" may operate with a municipal licence and authorisation from the departmental police headquarters. Only a natural person may apply and is liable for violations; minors may not be employed in any role; gambling and noisy entertainment are banned. Therapeutic massage houses may not host sex work.","Ley 17.515, arts. 22-30",high,2026-10-30,,uy-17515,https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/17515-2002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/
UY,Uruguay,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Exploiting another person's prostitution for profit, by contributing to it in any way, is punished with 2 to 8 years even with the person's consent; inducing or determining someone into prostitution for profit carries 3 to 12 months. A venue operator who takes a price giving an excessive benefit may be presumed guilty of this offence.","Ley 8.080, arts. 1-2 | Ley 17.515, art. 34",high,2026-10-30,,uy-8080 | uy-17515,https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/8080-1927 | https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/17515-2002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/
UY,Uruguay,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,administrative,,Law 17.515 has no specific rules on advertising. It allows brothels to display signs that do not offend public morals or order; a breach falls under the law's general fines.,"Ley 17.515, arts. 26, 31",medium,2026-10-30,"Other laws on media, advertising or online platforms were not reviewed.",uy-17515,https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/leyes/17515-2002,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/
UZ,Uzbekistan,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,fine,Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of three to seven BCA. A repeat within a year after an administrative penalty is punishable by seven to ten BCA or administrative arrest of up to 15 days.,190-модда МЖтК,high,2026-10-30,The text was read in Uzbek on lex.uz and translated here. The BCA (базавий ҳисоблаш миқдори) is revised periodically.,uz-koao,https://lex.uz/docs/97664,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uzbekistan/
UZ,Uzbekistan,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of buying sex from an adult was found in the Code of Administrative Responsibility or the Criminal Code. Sex with a person under 16 in exchange for material goods or other benefit is a crime (Article 128 of the Criminal Code). A 2026 commentary notes that the Criminal Code has no general offence of child sexual exploitation.,128-модда ЖК,medium,2026-10-30,"Absence of a buyer offence was checked by searching both codes for the prostitution terms; Article 128 is cited from the Gazeta.uz commentary, not read in the code.",uz-koao | uz-uk | uz-gazeta-2026,https://lex.uz/docs/97664 | https://lex.uz/docs/111453 | https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2026/05/11/sexual-expluatation/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uzbekistan/
UZ,Uzbekistan,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Organising or keeping a brothel is punishable by a fine of 50 to 75 BCA, 360 to 480 hours of compulsory community work, one to three years' restriction of liberty or up to three years' imprisonment. A group acting by prior agreement faces three to five years, and the involvement of a minor, a repeat offence or an organised group five to eight years.",131-модда 2-қисм ЖК | 131-модда 3-4-қисм ЖК,high,2026-10-30,,uz-uk,https://lex.uz/docs/111453,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uzbekistan/
UZ,Uzbekistan,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Pimping (қўшмачилик) for mercenary or other base motives is punishable by a fine of 25 to 50 BCA, up to 360 hours of community work or up to three years' corrective labour, with heavier penalties for groups, repeat offenders and cases involving minors. Trafficking in persons for the purpose of drawing them into prostitution carries five to ten years.",131-модда 1-қисм ЖК | 135-модда ЖК,high,2026-10-30,,uz-uk,https://lex.uz/docs/111453,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uzbekistan/
UZ,Uzbekistan,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in the two codes. A third party who publicises a sex worker's services for gain risks liability for pimping under Article 131, and the sex worker for engaging in prostitution under Article 190.",131-модда ЖК | 190-модда МЖтК,low,2026-10-30,"The Law on Advertising and the rules on online content were not checked. Applying Article 131 to advertising is an inference from its wording, not a reported case.",uz-uk | uz-koao,https://lex.uz/docs/111453 | https://lex.uz/docs/97664,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uzbekistan/
VU,Vanuatu,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 3 months,"Selling sex is not an offence. A person who behaves in a disorderly or indecent manner in any public place for the purpose of prostitution, or who solicits for immoral purposes in any public place, is liable to three months' imprisonment.","s. 148(a) and (d) Penal Code, Cap. 135",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Consolidated Edition 2006 of the Penal Code (copy hosted by WIPO Lex); later amendments were not checked.,vu-pc,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/vu/vu034en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vanuatu/
VU,Vanuatu,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,No offence of paying an adult for sex was found; s. 101B criminalises participating as a client in an act of child prostitution. The public soliciting offence in s. 148(d) is not limited to sellers.,"s. 148(d) Penal Code, Cap. 135 | s. 101B Penal Code, Cap. 135",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Consolidated Edition 2006 of the Penal Code (copy hosted by WIPO Lex); later amendments were not checked.,vu-pc,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/vu/vu034en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vanuatu/
VU,Vanuatu,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"There is no brothel-specific offence, but procuring, aiding or facilitating the prostitution of another person carries five years, which covers running or providing premises for other people's sex work.","s. 101 Penal Code, Cap. 135",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Consolidated Edition 2006 of the Penal Code (copy hosted by WIPO Lex); later amendments were not checked. Application of 'facilitate' to premises is an inference from the wording.,vu-pc,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/vu/vu034en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vanuatu/
VU,Vanuatu,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No person may procure, aid or facilitate the prostitution of another person, share in the proceeds of such prostitution, whether habitual or otherwise, or be subsidised by any person engaging in prostitution: five years.","s. 101 Penal Code, Cap. 135",medium,2026-10-30,Read from the Consolidated Edition 2006 of the Penal Code (copy hosted by WIPO Lex); later amendments were not checked.,vu-pc,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/vu/vu034en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vanuatu/
VU,Vanuatu,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. Advertising another person's sexual services could amount to aiding or facilitating their prostitution under s. 101; a sex worker's own advertising is not addressed.,"s. 101 Penal Code, Cap. 135",low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.",vu-pc,https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/vu/vu034en.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vanuatu/
VE,Venezuela,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex between adults an offence; the prostitution offences target those who induce, facilitate or profit from the prostitution of others.",,low,2026-10-30,Based on a secondary copy of the 2000 Penal Code text; the official current text could not be opened. Municipal ordinances and police practice were not checked.,ve-cp,https://venezuela.justia.com/federales/codigos/codigo-penal/gdoc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/venezuela/
VE,Venezuela,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the Penal Code. Sexual acts with minors are covered by separate offences.,,low,2026-10-30,Based on a secondary copy of the 2000 Penal Code text; the official current text could not be opened.,ve-cp,https://venezuela.justia.com/federales/codigos/codigo-penal/gdoc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/venezuela/
VE,Venezuela,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No licensing regime for brothels was found. Running a venue where others sell sex, for profit, falls within the offence of inducing, facilitating or favouring the prostitution of any person repeatedly or for profit, punishable by one to six years.","Código Penal (texto de 2000), art. 382, segundo párrafo",low,2026-10-30,That the facilitation offence covers brothel keeping is an interpretation of its wording; no case law was checked. Article number is from the 2000 text and may have changed in later reforms.,ve-cp,https://venezuela.justia.com/federales/codigos/codigo-penal/gdoc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/venezuela/
VE,Venezuela,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Whoever, repeatedly or for profit and to satisfy the passions of another, induces, facilitates or favours the prostitution or corruption of any person is punished with one to six years; if the person is a minor, the penalty is applied between the midpoint and the maximum.","Código Penal (texto de 2000), art. 382, segundo párrafo | Código Penal, capítulo ""De los corruptores""",low,2026-10-30,"Quoted from a copy of the 2000 Penal Code (Gaceta Oficial N° 5.494 Extraordinario) supplied by the National Assembly's legislative information service to Justia; the official consolidated current text could not be opened, so the wording and numbering may differ.",ve-cp,https://venezuela.justia.com/federales/codigos/codigo-penal/gdoc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/venezuela/
VE,Venezuela,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Advertising a third party's sexual services for profit could fall within the facilitation offence; self-advertising by an adult who sells sex is not addressed.,,low,2026-10-30,"Not verified against current official law, telecommunications or media regulation; treat as unconfirmed.",ve-cp,https://venezuela.justia.com/federales/codigos/codigo-penal/gdoc/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/venezuela/
VN,Vietnam,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"VND 500,000 fine","Selling sex is prohibited. It is punished with a warning or a fine of VND 300,000–500,000, or VND 1–2 million for selling sex to two or more people at the same time; foreign nationals may be expelled and illicit profits must be surrendered.","Điều 3, 4, 23 Pháp lệnh 10/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Điều 33 Nghị định 282/2025/NĐ-CP",high,2026-10-30,,vn-pl2003 | vn-nd282-en | vn-ca-laichau | vn-asiacatalyst,https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=80891 | https://english.luatvietnam.vn/decreeno282-2025-nd-cpdatedoctober302025ofthegovernmentprescribingsanctionsforadministrativeviolationsofregulationsonsecuritypub-417708-doc1.html | https://congan.laichau.gov.vn/an-ninh-trat-tu/tu-ngay-15-12-2025-tang-cuong-xu-ly-te-nan-mai-dam-theo-nghi-dinh-moi-3892.html | https://asiacatalyst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Review-of-Detention-Centers-.pdf,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vietnam/
VN,Vietnam,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,"VND 2,000,000 fine","Buying sex is prohibited and fined VND 1–2 million, or VND 2–5 million for buying sex from two or more people at the same time. Buying sex from a person under 18 is a criminal offence.","Điều 4, 22 Pháp lệnh 10/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Điều 32 Nghị định 282/2025/NĐ-CP",high,2026-10-30,,vn-pl2003 | vn-nd282-en | vn-ca-laichau,https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=80891 | https://english.luatvietnam.vn/decreeno282-2025-nd-cpdatedoctober302025ofthegovernmentprescribingsanctionsforadministrativeviolationsofregulationsonsecuritypub-417708-doc1.html | https://congan.laichau.gov.vn/an-ninh-trat-tu/tu-ngay-15-12-2025-tang-cuong-xu-ly-te-nan-mai-dam-theo-nghi-dinh-moi-3892.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vietnam/
VN,Vietnam,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Harbouring prostitution, defined as using, renting or lending premises or vehicles for buying and selling sex, is a criminal offence under Article 327 of the Penal Code. Service businesses used for prostitution are fined and can lose their licences.","Điều 3(4), 24(2), 25 Pháp lệnh 10/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Điều 327 Bộ luật Hình sự 2015",high,2026-10-30,,vn-pl2003 | vn-vks-hanoi,https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=80891 | https://vkshanoi.gov.vn/Chi-ti%E1%BA%BFt/b224n-v%E1%BB%81-vi%E1%BB%87c-x225c-%C4%91%E1%BB%8Bnh-t%E1%BB%99i-danh-trong-tr%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Dng-h%E1%BB%A3p-ng%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Di-ph%E1%BA%A1m-t%E1%BB%99i-v%E1%BB%ABa-c243-h224nh-vi-ch%E1%BB%A9a-m%E1%BA%A1i-d226m-v%E1%BB%ABa-c243-h224nh-vi-m244i-gi%E1%BB%9Bi-m%E1%BA%A1i-d226m,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vietnam/
VN,Vietnam,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Brokering, organising and forcing prostitution must be prosecuted as crimes (Ordinance Article 24(2); Penal Code Articles 327–328). Where brokering is not serious enough for prosecution, Decree 282/2025 fines it VND 30–50 million; protecting prostitution is fined VND 5–10 million, or VND 50–75 million when done by abusing an official position.","Điều 3(5)–(8), 24 Pháp lệnh 10/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Điều 327, 328 Bộ luật Hình sự 2015 | Điều 34 Nghị định 282/2025/NĐ-CP",high,2026-10-30,,vn-pl2003 | vn-nd282-en | vn-vks-hanoi,https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=80891 | https://english.luatvietnam.vn/decreeno282-2025-nd-cpdatedoctober302025ofthegovernmentprescribingsanctionsforadministrativeviolationsofregulationsonsecuritypub-417708-doc1.html | https://vkshanoi.gov.vn/Chi-ti%E1%BA%BFt/b224n-v%E1%BB%81-vi%E1%BB%87c-x225c-%C4%91%E1%BB%8Bnh-t%E1%BB%99i-danh-trong-tr%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Dng-h%E1%BB%A3p-ng%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Di-ph%E1%BA%A1m-t%E1%BB%99i-v%E1%BB%ABa-c243-h224nh-vi-ch%E1%BB%A9a-m%E1%BA%A1i-d226m-v%E1%BB%ABa-c243-h224nh-vi-m244i-gi%E1%BB%9Bi-m%E1%BA%A1i-d226m,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vietnam/
VN,Vietnam,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,administrative,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Offering one's own services is part of the prohibited act of selling sex, and advertising on behalf of others would fall under brokering, which is fined or prosecuted.",Điều 4 Pháp lệnh 10/2003/PL-UBTVQH11 | Điều 34(4)(c) Nghị định 282/2025/NĐ-CP,low,2026-10-30,"Inference from the general prohibitions. The official Decree 282/2025 PDF is a scanned image and was read through an unofficial English translation; laws on cybersecurity, advertising and online content were not reviewed.",vn-pl2003 | vn-nd282-en,https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=80891 | https://english.luatvietnam.vn/decreeno282-2025-nd-cpdatedoctober302025ofthegovernmentprescribingsanctionsforadministrativeviolationsofregulationsonsecuritypub-417708-doc1.html,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/vietnam/
YE,Yemen,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"Anyone who practises debauchery or prostitution is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine (Art. 278). The act is also zina: 100 lashes as a hadd punishment if the offender is not muhsan, with up to one year's discretionary imprisonment, and stoning to death if muhsan (Art. 263).",Art. 278 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 263 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 265 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,The official text is in Arabic; the translations are ours. Enforcement in the areas held by the different authorities was not examined.,ye-penal,https://agoye.gov.ye/page.php?id=285&lng=arabic,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/yemen/
YE,Yemen,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,flogging; death if married,"There is no client-specific offence, but Art. 263 punishes both the man and the woman for zina: 100 lashes if not muhsan, with up to one year's discretionary imprisonment, and stoning to death if muhsan.",Art. 263 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ye-penal,https://agoye.gov.ye/page.php?id=285&lng=arabic,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/yemen/
YE,Yemen,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Anyone who runs a house or any place for debauchery or prostitution is punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment. In every case the court orders the house or place closed for up to two years and confiscates the furniture, equipment and other items found there during the activity.",Art. 281 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ye-penal,https://agoye.gov.ye/page.php?id=285&lng=arabic,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/yemen/
YE,Yemen,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Inciting another person to debauchery or prostitution carries up to three years, or up to seven if the act follows (Art. 279). If the person incited is under 15, or the inciter relies for a living on that person's prostitution, the penalty may reach ten years, and fifteen if both apply. Consenting to prostitution by one's wife or a female relative or ward carries up to fifteen years, and death on repetition (Art. 280).",Art. 279 Crimes and Penalties Law | Art. 280 Crimes and Penalties Law,high,2026-10-30,,ye-penal,https://agoye.gov.ye/page.php?id=285&lng=arabic,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/yemen/
YE,Yemen,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found, but inciting another person to debauchery or prostitution by any means is an offence carrying up to three years, or up to seven if the act follows (Art. 279).",Art. 279 Crimes and Penalties Law,medium,2026-10-30,Applying the incitement offence to advertisements is our reading of the text. Yemen's press and telecommunications laws were not checked.,ye-penal,https://agoye.gov.ye/page.php?id=285&lng=arabic,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/yemen/
ZM,Zambia,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 1 month,"Selling sex is not itself an offence. A person who persistently solicits or importunes for immoral purposes in a public place commits a felony carrying up to 15 years (s. 146(1)(b)). Soliciting in a public place, or a ""common prostitute"" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner there, makes a person ""idle and disorderly"" (s. 178(a), (g)). That carries up to one month or a fine of up to 60 penalty units.","Penal Code (Cap. 87) s. 146(1)(b) | s. 178(a), (g) | s. 181(d)",medium,2026-10-30,"The text was read from ZambiaLII's consolidation as at 26 December 2023, through the Internet Archive's copy because ZambiaLII blocks automated access. A Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2026 (No. 75 of 2026) is not yet applied in that consolidation; its visible text concerns stolen produce, but it was not read in full. Enforcement practice is as reported by sex worker organisations.",zm-pc | zm-upr-2022,"https://zambialii.org/akn/zm/act/1930/42/eng@2023-12-26 | https://www.sexualrightsinitiative.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/2022-12/UPR%2042%20Zambia,%20ZASWA,%20ASWA%20and%20SRI%20(1).pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zambia/
ZM,Zambia,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision of the Penal Code makes paying an adult for sex an offence. Sex worker organisations describe buying, like selling, as not illegal. A client who persistently solicits in a public place could fall under s. 146(1)(b) or s. 178(g), which apply to any person.",Penal Code s. 146(1)(b) | s. 178(g),medium,2026-10-30,No official statement or case law on clients was found.,zm-pc | zm-upr-2022,"https://zambialii.org/akn/zm/act/1930/42/eng@2023-12-26 | https://www.sexualrightsinitiative.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/2022-12/UPR%2042%20Zambia,%20ZASWA,%20ASWA%20and%20SRI%20(1).pdf",https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zambia/
ZM,Zambia,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for prostitution is a felony punishable by not less than 15 and not more than 25 years' imprisonment (s. 149, as substituted in 2005). Detaining a person in a brothel against their will carries at least 20 years (s. 144).",Penal Code s. 149 | s. 144,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the December 2023 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",zm-pc,https://zambialii.org/akn/zm/act/1930/42/eng@2023-12-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zambia/
ZM,Zambia,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Procuring any person to become a ""common prostitute"", or to become an inmate of a brothel, carries at least 20 years and up to life (s. 140). Knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 146(1)(a)) and controlling a sex worker's movements for gain (s. 147) are felonies carrying up to 15 years. A person who lives with, or is habitually in the company of, a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings (s. 146(2)).","Penal Code s. 140 | s. 146(1)(a), (2) | s. 147",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the December 2023 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",zm-pc,https://zambialii.org/akn/zm/act/1930/42/eng@2023-12-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zambia/
ZM,Zambia,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,,"No provision targets advertising sexual services as such. Soliciting is an offence only in a public place (ss. 146(1)(b), 178(g)). A third party who places or carries adverts for gain could face prosecution for aiding prostitution for gain (s. 147). Separately, publishing ""obscene"" material, or advertising how it can be obtained, carries up to five years (s. 177).",Penal Code s. 146(1)(b) | s. 147 | s. 177(1)(d) | s. 178(g),low,2026-10-30,"A reading of the statutory text only; no prosecutions of advertisers or websites were found, and newer cyber-crime legislation was not reviewed.",zm-pc,https://zambialii.org/akn/zm/act/1930/42/eng@2023-12-26,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zambia/
ZW,Zimbabwe,selling,Selling sexual services,yes,restricted,Legal with restrictions,criminal,soliciting: 6 months,"Selling sex is not itself an offence, but any person who ""publicly solicits another person for the purposes of prostitution"" commits the crime of soliciting. The penalty is a fine up to level five and/or up to six months' imprisonment (s. 81(2)). ""Publicly solicits"" covers soliciting in any place the public can access, and soliciting by publication in any printed or electronic medium.",Criminal Law Code s. 81,medium,2026-10-30,"The text was read from ZimLII's consolidation as at 11 March 2022, through the Internet Archive's copy because ZimLII blocks automated access. Two 2024 amending Acts (protection of children and young persons; death penalty abolition) are not yet applied there and were not checked.",zw-cl | zw-herald-2015,https://zimlii.org/akn/zw/act/2004/23/eng@2022-03-11 | https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/hooker-arrests-outlawed/,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zimbabwe/
ZW,Zimbabwe,buying,Buying sexual services,yes,legal,Legal,none,,"No provision makes paying an adult for sex an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 81 applies to ""any person"", so a client who publicly solicits a person for prostitution can also commit it.",Criminal Law Code s. 81,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",zw-cl,https://zimlii.org/akn/zw/act/2004/23/eng@2022-03-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zimbabwe/
ZW,Zimbabwe,brothels,Brothels and managed venues,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Keeping a brothel is the crime of ""living off or facilitating prostitution"", punishable by a fine up to level seven and/or up to two years (s. 82(a)). A brothel is any place occupied or used for prostitution, or visited for extra-marital sex for money or reward (s. 61).",Criminal Law Code s. 82(a) | s. 61,medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",zw-cl,https://zimlii.org/akn/zw/act/2004/23/eng@2022-03-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zimbabwe/
ZW,Zimbabwe,procuring,Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping),yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Demanding payment from a sex worker for keeping a brothel she lives in, for soliciting clients on her behalf, for getting her into a brothel or for bringing her into Zimbabwe is an offence (s. 82(b)), as is demanding payment for a past or present ""immoral connection"" with her (s. 82(c)). The penalty is up to two years. Procuring a person to become a prostitute, or to leave Zimbabwe or their home for that purpose, carries up to two years for an adult and ten for a young person (s. 83).","Criminal Law Code s. 82(b), (c) | s. 83",medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.",zw-cl,https://zimlii.org/akn/zw/act/2004/23/eng@2022-03-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zimbabwe/
ZW,Zimbabwe,advertising,Advertising sexual services,yes,illegal,Illegal,criminal,,"Soliciting for prostitution ""by publication of the solicitation in any printed or electronic medium for reception by the public"" counts as publicly soliciting (s. 81(1)(b)), so a public advert for sexual services is an offence (up to six months). A third party who solicits clients on a sex worker's behalf and demands payment for it commits a separate offence (s. 82(b)(ii)).",Criminal Law Code s. 81(1)(b) | s. 82(b)(ii),medium,2026-10-30,"Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive; no prosecutions for online adverts were found.",zw-cl,https://zimlii.org/akn/zw/act/2004/23/eng@2022-03-11,https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/zimbabwe/