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.

Statutory Rape: Consent is Irrelevant

Q: I had sex with a girl, but then I found out she was 15. She looked no younger than 21!



A: It is a well known fact that children are getting involved in sexual activity at the youngest ages we've ever seen, and sometimes subsequently having children, like this 13 year old father in England.

In Trinidad & Tobago, it is no different. A lot of girls use their school-time looking for older men, something which gives them "rank" amongst their peers.

Taking that into consideration, this advice is ESPECIALLY for men.

Statutory rape is a VERY serious offence, which is defined as sexual intercourse by an adult with a person below a statutorily designated age.

The legal age at which a male or a female citizen of Trinidad & Tobago is permitted to have sexual intercourse is sixteen (16) years and over. This is governed by Section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act 1986 as amended by Section 31 of the Sexual Offences Act 2000.

The criminal offense of statutory rape is committed when an adult sexually penetrates a person who, under the law, is incapable of consenting to sex. Minors and physically and mentally incapacitated persons are deemed incapable of consenting to sex.. These persons are considered deserving of special protection because they are especially vulnerable due to their youth or condition.

Statutory rape is different from other types of rape in that force and lack of consent are not necessary for conviction. A defendant will be convicted of statutory rape even if the complainant explicitly consented to the sexual contact and no force was used by the actor. By contrast, other rape generally occurs when a person overcomes another person by force and without the person's consent.

The actor's age is an important factor in statutory rape where the offense is based on the victim's age. Furthermore, a defendant may not argue that he was mistaken as to the minor's age or incapacity.