Legal status of prostitution in the DR

[Jim Hinsch]

Is prostitution legal or illegal in the DR?

Robert (DR1) posted that it is illegal but tolerated.
Dolores (DR1) posted that it is "not illegal" (legal?).
Jim Hinsch posted his magazine BOHIO says it is legal.

This question has come up many times but has never been answered definitively. Mr. Guzman. Can we please have a legal opinion on this and if it is illegal, tell us what law and how the law reads?

History of posts:

==Date: 12-16-2001, 12:10 p.m., I have beem told it's illegal, but tolorated. Rob.==

==Date: Monday, 20 September 1999, at 10:15 a.m., We spoke to Mercedes Lora, legal counsel at the Ministry of Women, Tel. 809 685-3755, who told us that prostitution is not legal nor prohibited in the Dominican Republic. Dolores==

==Date: 12-17-2001, 10:23 a.m., Prostituion in the Dominican Republic has had legal status from the time of the colony. It was authorized by Royal Warrant of the King of Spain Carlos V on August 31, 1596, to Joan Sanchez Sarmiento to install a house of public women in Santo Domingo. Jim Hinsch==

[Pib]

That is one of the things I always wondered. Because if is legal (or not illegal for that matter) why are prostitutes detained by the police? On what charges?

[Rdc]

why are prostitutes detained by the police? On what charges?
Not signing revenue sharing contract!

[Fabio J. Guzman]

Art. 334 of the Dominican Penal Code, as amended by Law 24-97 of 1997, states the following:

Será considerado proxeneta aquél o aquélla:

Primero: Que de cualquier manera ayuda, asista o encubra personas, hombres o mujeres con miras a la prostitución o al reclutamiento de personas con miras a la explotación sexual;
Segundo: El o la que del ejercicio de esa práctica reciba beneficios de la prostitución.
Tercero: El que relacionado con la prostitución no pueda justificar los recursos correspondientes a su tren de vida.
Cuarto: El o la que consienta a la prostitución de su pareja y obtenga beneficios de éllo;
Quinto: Que contrata, entrena o mantiene, aún con su consentimiento, una persona, hombre o mujer, aun mayor de edad, con miras a la prostitución, la entrega a la prostitución, o al desenfreno y relajación de las costumbres;
Sexto: Que hace oficio de intermediario, a cualquer título, entre las personas (hombres o mujeres) que se dedican a la prostitución o al relajamiento de las costumbres o los individuos que explotan o renumeran la prostitución y el relajamiento de las costumbres de otro;
Séptimo: Que por amenazas, presión o maniobras, o por cualquier medio, perturba la acción de prevención, asistencia o reeducación emprendida por los organismos calificados en favor de las personas (hombres o mujeres) que se dedican a la prostitución o están en riesgo de prostitución.

El proxenetismo se castiga con prisión de seis meses a tres años y multa de cincuenta mil a quinientos mil pesos.

The law criminalizes the act of pimping in all its manifestations, defining as a procurer or pimp any third party involved in the business of prostitution. It does not criminalize, however, the conduct of the individual, isolated prostitute procuring for herself and having sexual intercourse with a paying partner.

Prostitutes, however, can be detained as material witnesses to the crime of "proxenetismo", for rowdy behavior in public ("escándalo en la vía pública"), etc.

www.drlawyer.com

[paul]

That one or that one will be considered proxeneta: First: That anyway aid, attends or conceals people, men or women with a view to the prostitution or to the recruitment of people with a view to the sexual operation; Second: Or the the one that of the exercise of that practice receives benefits of prostitution. Third: The one that related to prostitution cannot justify the resources corresponding to its train of life. Quarter: Or the the one that allows to the prostitution of its pair and obtains benefits of éllo; Fifth: That it contracts, trains or maintains, still with its consent, a person, man or woman, even of legal age, with a view to prostitution, the delivery to prostitution, or to I release the brakes and relaxation of the customs; Sixth: That he makes office of intermediary, to cualquer title, between the people (men or women) that is dedicated to the prostitution or the relaxation of the customs or the individuals that explode or you would renumeran the prostitution and the relaxation of the customs of another one; Seventh: That by threats, pressure or maneuvers, or by any means, he please disturbs the action of prevention, attendance or reeducación undertaken by the organisms described in the people (men or women) that is dedicated to prostitution or are in prostitution risk. The proxenetismo is punished with prison of six months to three years and fines of fifty thousands five hundred thousand pesos

[Jim Hinsch]

"It does not criminalize, however, the conduct of the individual, isolated prostitute procuring for herself and having sexual intercourse with a paying partner. "

Pimping (and most related activities) is illegal.
Prostitution is legal.

I've never heard of anybody ever being charged with prostitution. They are always locked up for "investigation", usually have to pay a fine to get out else they stay detained longer, and are never charged with any crime. However, they are told "El Capitan no quiere cueros en la calle ni en la playa.

[Robert]

Amazing the opinions I have heard over the years on this. Looks like it's very simple and clear.

[paul]

Please many of us do not yet have the spanish skills to translate these items- therefor we make do with these poor atrificial tranlations
" the Captain does not want leathers in the street nor in the beach"
from such as Alta Vista
http://world.altavista.com/
i assume there is a better translation than "leathers"

[Jim Hinsch]

"El Capitan no quiere cueros en la calle ni en la playa."

Cuero is "skin" and is a derogative term for prostitute, such as "whore".

As in, "The Captain doesn't want any whores in the street or on the beach."

[Jim Hinsch]

I guess DR1 will need to change their FAQ, http://dr1.com/travel/thedr/faq.shtml, where is reads "It is tolerated but it is not legal. "