We’re down to our third part in this informative legal series.
Afterwards we will only have Africa and the Asia-Pacific Region left. In the
blog posts to follow we will be sharing with you tips and tricks on how to
avoid problematic legal situations, how to prepare disclaimers, and everything
else you need to know as an escort or agency. With the help of these articles
you will be able to identify what legal issues should exist in your country as
concerns escorting, and how to best manage your situation.
Latin America – Where it’s legal
and where it’s not:
1. Argentina – Prostitution
is legal in Argentina as article 19 of the Constitution clearly states that “the
private actions of people that do not offend in any way the public order and
morality, nor damage a third person, are only reserved to God, and are exempt
from the authority of the magistrates.” Brothel ownership and pimping are,
however, illegal.
2. Bolivia – The same stands
for Bolivia: prostitution is legal, but owning a brothel or pimping are not.
3. Brazil – You’re in luck
here because adult prostitution is not only completely legal, but there are no
regulations for it either. Brother ownership and pimping are still illegal,
however.
4. Chile – Adult prostitution
is also legal in Chile, while brothel ownership ad pimping are not.
5. Colombia – Both brothel
ownership and prostitution are legal. Pimping, however, is not.
6. Costa Rica – Prostitution
and brothel ownership are legal, but prostitutes are required to carry a
medical card that can inform the authorities when their last medical check-up
happened. Pimping is illegal.
7. Cuba – All three,
prostitution, brothel ownership and pimping, are illegal in Cuba.
8. Dominican Republic – Adult
prostitution is legal, but there are regulations for it. It is illegal for
third parties to derive financial gain from prostitution, which means that both
brothel ownership and pimping are illegal.
9. Ecuador – All prostitution
businesses are legal in Ecuador as long as they are registered with the
government and follow a strict set of health regulations.
10. El Salvador –
Prostitution and brothel ownership are both legal, but pimping is not. It is
illegal, however, to induce, facilitate or promote prostitution.
11. Guatemala – While
prostitution and brothel ownership are both legal, pimping is not.
12. Haiti – Although all
businesses in prostitution are illegal, the practice is very common and the
police often ignore prostitute.
13. Honduras – Adult
prostitution is legal, while brothel ownership and pimping are not.
Facilitating prostitution is also considered illegal.
14. Mexico – Prostitution is
legal and all prostitutes are supposed to register, pay taxes and get health
examinations regularly. Many cities have red light districts.
15. Nicaragua – All
prostitution-related businesses are legal. Prostitutes must be at least
14-years-old.
16. Panama – Prostitution is
legal and regulated, and so is brothel ownership. Pimping, on the other hand,
is illegal and sex trafficking is a pretty big problem in Panama.
17. Paraguay – Prostitution
is legal for individuals aged 18 or older. Brothel ownership and pimping are
illegal.
18. Peru – Prostitution and
brothel ownership are legal in Peru, but sex workers are expected to register
with the authorities, pay taxes and submit to regular check-ups.
19. Uruguay – Prostitution Is
legal in Uruguay for anyone over 18, but brothel ownership and pimping are not.
20. Venezuela – Everything goes
in Venezuela. Prostitution, brothel ownership and pimping are all legal.
On to the final articles about Africa and the Asia-Pacific Region.
Afterwards we can finally talk strategies on how to avoid legal situations as
an escort. Stay tuned! You can also check out "Part 1 - Europe" and "Part 2 - United States" of our Where is Escorting Legal series.