Prostitution in Barbados

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Prostitution in Barbados is legal but related activities such as brothel keeping and solicitation are prohibited. [1] The country is a sex tourism destination, [2] including female sex tourism. [3]

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In the capital Bridgetown, there is a red-light district in Nelson street, and street prostitution around The Garrison. [2] About half of the prostitutes are from Guyana. [2]

In 2014, a group of prostitutes in the south of the island started to blackmail clients. They would arrange group sex sessions with the client and later claim one of the prostitutes were underage. One man paid $70,000 to prevent a fake statutory rape claim. [4]

Sex trafficking is a problem in the country. [5]

2018 general election

In March 2018, local prostitute Natalie Harewood, announced her intention to stand as candidate for the Bridgetown City seat in the forthcoming general election. [6] [7] Initially her campaign manager was Charles Lewis, the President of the Adult Industry Association in Barbados. Lewis resigned and formed a new political party, the Political Prostitutes Party (PPP). His intention was to recruit sex workers, strippers, webcam performers and porn actresses to stand in all 30 seats in the election.[ citation needed ] However, Lewis was unable to find enough candidates and the PPP did not stand at the election. [8]

Sex trafficking

Barbados is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Authorities and NGOs report foreign women have been forced into prostitution in Barbados. Legal and undocumented immigrants from Jamaica and Guyana are especially vulnerable to trafficking. Child sex trafficking occurs in Barbados. There are anecdotal reports by authorities and NGOs that children are subjected to sex trafficking, including by parents and caregivers. Previously, traffickers operated as part of an organization; more recently they appear to operate individually. Authorities have noted an increased use of social media as a means of trolling for victims. [9]

In June 2016, the Trafficking In Persons Prevention Act (TIPPA) was enacted. The TIPPA criminalizes all forms of human trafficking and is generally in line with the definition of international law, defining “exploitation” broadly to include slavery, practices similar to slavery, forced labor, domestic and sexual servitude, and the exploitation of the prostitution of another or other forms of commercial sexual exploitation. It also requires “means” of force, fraud or coercion, except with regard to the exploitation of children. The TIPPA covers transnational as well as domestic trafficking crimes, makes evidence of past sexual behavior inadmissible, disallows the defense of consent, and makes withholding or destroying travel documents a crime. The punishment for labor or sex trafficking of adults is the same: 25 years in prison, a fine of one million Barbados dollar (BBD) ($495,050), or both penalties. Labor or sex trafficking of children is punished by a fine of two million (BBD) ($990,099), life imprisonment, or both penalties. [9]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Barbados as a 'Tier 2' country. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex tourism</span> Travel to engage in sexual activity

Sex tourism refers to the practice of traveling to foreign countries, often on a different continent, with the intention of engaging in sexual activity or relationships in exchange for money or lifestyle support. This practice predominantly operates in countries where sex work is legal. The World Tourism Organization of the United Nations has acknowledged about this industry is organized both within and outside the structured laws and networks created by them.

Child sex tourism (CST) is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, which is commercially facilitated child sexual abuse. The definition of child in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is "every human being below the age of 18 years". Child sex tourism results in both mental and physical consequences for the exploited children, which may include sexually transmitted infections, "drug addiction, pregnancy, malnutrition, social ostracism, and death", according to the State Department of the United States. Child sex tourism, part of the multibillion-dollar global sex tourism industry, is a form of child prostitution within the wider issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Child sex tourism victimizes approximately 2 million children around the world. The children who perform as prostitutes in the child sex tourism trade often have been lured or abducted into sexual slavery.

Prostitution in Jamaica is illegal but widely tolerated, especially in tourist areas. UNAIDS estimate there to be 18,696 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Colombia is legal, regulated and limited to brothels in designated "tolerance zones". Sex workers are required to have regular health checks. However, the laws are rarely applied and prostitution is widespread, partly due to poverty and internal displacement.

Prostitution in Costa Rica is legal. Costa Rica's legal system is based on Roman law rather than common law, and so for prostitution to be illegal it would have to be explicitly stated as such in a penal code, and it is not. Nevertheless, many of the activities surrounding it are illegal, as the law forbids promoting or facilitating the prostitution of another, and therefore pimping, brothels, or prostitution rings are illegal. Prostitution is common and is practiced openly throughout the country, particularly in popular tourism destinations.

Prostitution in Belize is legal, but the buying of sexual services is not. Associated activities such as operating a brothel, loitering for the purposes of prostitution and soliciting sex are also illegal.

Prostitution in Panama is legal and regulated. Prostitutes are required to register and carry identification cards. However, the majority of prostitutes are not registered. There are 2,650 sex workers registered with the government in 2008, but there was no accurate information regarding the total number of persons practising prostitution in the country. Some estimate put the number of unregistered prostitutes at 4,000.

Prostitution in Ethiopia is legal, and widespread. Procuring is illegal according to Article 634 of the Ethiopian Penal Code, as revised May 2005, however these laws are rarely enforced. Some feel it has contributed to the increased incidence of AIDS. UNAIDS estimate there are over 19,000 prostitutes in the major cities.

Prostitution in Haiti, although illegal, continues to be a widespread problem for the country, particularly in the form of street prostitution, as well as in bars, hotels and brothels. UNAIDS estimate there to be 70,000 prostitutes in the country. Law enforcement is generally lax.

Prostitution in Trinidad and Tobago is legal but related activities such as brothel keeping, soliciting and pimping are illegal.

Prostitution in Azerbaijan is illegal but common. Prostitution is an administrative offence and punishable by a fine. Keeping a brothel is a criminal offence and punishable by up to 6 years' imprisonment. In 2017 a draft law proposing to add heavy fines to the punishment for keeping a brothel was before the National Assembly. It has been estimated that there are 25,054 prostitutes in Azerbaijan, some of which are aged 15 to 18.

Prostitution in Suriname is illegal but widespread and the laws are rarely enforced. Human trafficking and Child prostitution are problems in the country. Prostitutes are known locally as "motyo". UNAIDS estimate there to be 2,228 prostitutes in the country.

Prostitution in Guyana is illegal but widespread. Prostitution law is antiquated and dates from the colonial era. Law enforcement is inconsistent and sex workers report violence and abuse by the police. Many turn to prostitution for economic reasons and the lack of other job opportunities. Prostitution continues to receive greater public attention due to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS among prostitutes. Prostitution in the country is separated into three types: "uptown", servicing affluent clients, "downtown", servicing the working classes, and mining sites. UNAIDS estimate there to be 6,000 prostitutes in the country.

Barbados is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution and forced labor. Some children in Barbados are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation in “transactional sex” wherein a third party such as a parent receives a benefit from the child's participation in sexual activity. Researchers identified patterns of transactional sex within families, most often by adult male caretakers such as step-fathers, as well as child prostitution outside the home. Women from the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Jamaica voluntarily enter Barbados as illegal migrants, and some expect to engage in prostitution. Some of these women are exploited in forced prostitution subsequent to their arrival. Some other foreign women who entered the country illegally are exploited in involuntary domestic servitude in private homes. Foreign men have been transported to Barbados for the purpose of labor exploitation in construction and other sectors. Sex traffickers, primarily organized criminals from Guyana, form partnerships with pimps and brothel owners from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, and lure women to Barbados with offers of legitimate work. Trafficking victims tend to enter the country through legal means, usually by air; traffickers later use force and coercion to obtain and maintain the victims' work in strip clubs, massage parlors, some private residences, and “entertainment clubs” which operate as brothels. Traffickers use methods such as threats of physical harm or deportation, debt bondage, false contracts, psychological abuse, and confinement to force victims to work in construction, the garment industry, agriculture, or private households.

Prostitution in Jordan is technically illegal, but in practice, tolerated, with authorities turning a blind eye to the act. Prostitution occurs mainly in the larger cities in their poor neighbourhoods. It occurs in brothels, restaurants, night clubs and on the streets. The prostitutes are mainly from Russia, Ukraine, the Philippines, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq as well as Jordanians.

Prostitution in Madagascar is legal, and common, especially in tourist areas. Related activities such as soliciting, procuring, living off the earnings of prostitution or keeping a brothel are prohibited. Public Order laws are also used against prostitutes. There are recent laws against "consorting with female prostitutes". People caught paying for sex with children under 14 can face criminal penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment. This is strictly enforced against foreign tourists. As well as in the tourist areas, prostitution also occurs around the mining towns of the interior such as Ilakaka and Andilamena. It was estimated that there were 167,443 sex workers in the country in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in the Americas</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in the Americas

Legality of prostitution in the Americas varies by country. Most countries only legalized prostitution, with the act of exchanging money for sexual services legal. The level of enforcement varies by country. One country, the United States, is unique as legality of prostitution is not the responsibility of the federal government, but rather state, territorial, and federal district's responsibility.

Prostitution in the Dutch Caribbean is legal and regulated. At least 500 foreign women are reportedly working in prostitution throughout the islands. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Curaçao are sex tourism destinations.

Prostitution in Antigua and Barbuda is legal and common. Related activities such as brothel keeping and solicitation are prohibited. UNAIDS estimate there to be 755 prostitutes on the islands, the majority are migrants from other Caribbean countries. They tend to move around the Caribbean, never staying in one territory for long. In 2011, prostitution was on the rise due to poor economic conditions.

Prostitution in the Bahamas is legal but related activities such as brothel keeping and solicitation are prohibited. The country is a sex tourism destination, including 'all in' tours. UNAIDS estimate there are 3,000 prostitutes in the Bahamas.

References

  1. ↑ "Sex Work Law - Countries". Sexuality, Poverty and Law. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Popular Caribbean Sex Tourism Destinations". Jamaica Inquirer. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Cawston, Alanna (28 October 2014). "Tourist Oriented Prostitution in Barbados". prezi.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Prostitutes blackmailing men in Barbados". Stabroek News. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "16 Caribbean Nations Where Sex Trafficking Remains A Problem | News Americas Now:Caribbean and Latin America Daily News". News Americas Now. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "BARBADOS – Notorious prostitute confirms intention to contest upcoming election". Caribbean News Service. 17 March 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  7. ↑ Goodridge-Boyce, Anmar (4 April 2018). "Spice party". Barbados Today. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "Prostitutes bow out of Barbados' general election". Jamaica Observer. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 "Barbados - 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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