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Wednesday 11 August 2010

Trinidad and Tobago Prostitution

Q: Are there any laws in T&T against prostitution?




A: Of course! Prostitution (women only) is illegal under 46(j) of the Summary Offences Act 1921, as amended.

The Sexual Offences Act - Chapter 1986, as amended also makes selling and buying any sex service illegal in Trinidad and Tobago.

A prostitute can serve 5 years if caught soliciting sex and there is a stiffer sentence of 15 years for the person obtaining the service.

Owning or knowingly leasing property to establish a brothel is also illegal under Section 22 and can bring a 5 year sentence, but they still remain open with the occasional police raid.

These places allow the human trafficking trade to flourish because many of the prostitutes in the clubs are illegal South Americans and Guyanese who are victims of the sex trade. When they get arrested, some are deported, but many are released because a person cannot be deported without a passport.

With the reputation of the T&T Police Service, I'm sure bribery has a lot to do with strip clubs and brothels remaining open.


Click here for a map and list of the legal status of prostitution around the world.

6 comments:

  1. I know of a brothel in Trinidad. The name is Rich Gold. It is located in Chase Village Trinidad. Smeone should do something about it.

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  2. Is it legal to open a brothel in a residential area? Sad because many young children live there.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Under Section 22 of the Sexual Offences Act 1986, as amended, it is illegal to operate a brothel in Trinidad and Tobago, period.

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  3. Is it legal to open a club wit exotic dancers

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    Replies
    1. I haven't seen anything on "exotic dancers" specifically, but I could be wrong.

      However, I believe that the purpose of the laws stated above are to suppress all such places.

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  4. Is it illegal to run an escort service. No property is owned or used for any sexual acts, we inform clients that we are selling our escorts time and NOT SEX. We have tried to keep everything in accordance to international laws (we have a website). All the employees are locals and professionals and male catering to women by providing companionship. As you know escorting is different from prostitution and pimping but it is also a gray period and classified with both. What is the law's interpretation on that in Trinidad?

    ReplyDelete

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