Prostitution in Brunei

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Prostitution in Brunei is illegal [1] and can incur a punishment of imprisonment for 1 year and a fine of BN$ 5,000 for a first offence, or 3 years and BN$ 10,000 on a second or subsequent conviction. [2]

Contents

Legislation

In 2016 a new penal code was introduced which applied Sharia law to the country. [3] Prostitution is dealt with in two articles: [2]

Prostitution

(a) engages in, offers or agrees to engage in sexual services with another person for consideration; or
(b) loiters or solicits in any place for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose,
shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year and fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years and with a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000.

Paying for sexual services

(a) intentionally obtains for himself the sexual services of another person; and
(b) before obtaining those services, he has made or promised payment for those services to A or a third person, or knows that another person has made or promised such a payment,
shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year and fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years and with a fine of not less than $2,000 and not more than $10,000.
(2) In this section, “payment” means any financial advantage, including the discharge of an obligation to pay or the provision of goods or services (including sexual services) gratuitously or at a discount.

Scandals

Brunei beauties

In 1993, in a diplomatic affair dubbed the "Brunei beauties", Senator Ernesto Maceda, with testimony from Rosanna Roces, [4] claimed that there was illegal recruitment of Filipinas in Brunei as prostitutes and entertainers. [5] Prince Jefri, the brother of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was among those linked to the scandal, in which Ruffa Gutierrez, Vivian Velez, Lea Orosa, Aurora Sevilla, Sheila Israel, Rachel Lobangco, Tetchie Agbayani, Maritoni Fernandez, Gretchen Barretto, and Cristina Gonzales were alleged to be amongst the victims. [4] [6] The Philippine government downplayed the issue and described it as merely a "Senate affair" to safeguard relations between Brunei and the Philippines. [5]

Shannon Marketic

In 1997 Shannon Marketic, a former Miss USA, sued Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei, claiming that she and other women were hired for promotional work but instead were held as "virtual prisoners", drugged and used as a sex slaves. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] The Sultan denied the claims. [9] Marketic's lawsuit named Miss USA 1997 Brandi Sherwood as also being a victim, however Sherwood declined to file her own lawsuit. [12] After 18 months of litigation, a judge dismissed the suit on the grounds that the sultan had sovereign immunity as head of state. [13]

Sex Trafficking

Brunei is a destination and transit country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Some migrants who transit Brunei become victims of sex trafficking upon arrival in Malaysia or Indonesia. Some Bruneian women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking domestically. Retention of migrant workers’ travel documents by employers or agencies remains a widespread practice, although the law prohibits it. [14]

In 2016 there were prosecutions against three Thai nationals for sex trafficking. Courts sentenced all three individuals to four years in prison and fines of US$22,250, US$14,836, and US$7,418, respectively, but all three accepted time added to their prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 months in lieu of paying the fines. [14] [15]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Brunei as a 'Tier 2' country. [14]

Related Research Articles

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 possibly 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.

Call girl Type of sex worker

A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who does not display her profession to the general public, nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency. The client must make an appointment, usually by calling a telephone number. Call girls often advertise their services in small ads in magazines and via the Internet, although an intermediary advertiser, such as an escort agency, may be involved in promoting escorts, while, less often, some may be handled by a pimp. Call girls may work either incall, where the client comes to them, or outcall, where they go to the client. Some porn stars are known to escort as well.

Prostitution in Thailand

Prostitution has been common in Thailand for centuries. During the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767), prostitution was legal and taxed, and the state ran brothels. Prostitution is not illegal in Thailand, although many activities associated with it are. Nevertheless, it was estimated to be worth US$6.4 billion a year in revenue (2015), accounting for a significant portion of the national GDP.

Shannon LaRhea Marketic, is an American actress and beauty pageant titleholder who was Miss California USA and Miss USA 1992.

Prostitution in Asia

The legality of prostitution in Asia varies by country. In Asia, the main characteristic of the region is the significant discrepancy between the prostitution laws which exist on the books and what occurs in practice. In 2011, the Asian Commission on AIDS estimated there were 10 million sex workers in Asia and 75 million male customers.

Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei Prince of Brunei

HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah, full name His Royal Highness Pengiran Digadong Sahibul Mal Pengiran Muda Jefri Bolkiah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, is a member of the Brunei Royal Family. His elder brother is the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah.

Prostitution in Denmark was partly decriminalised in 1999, based partly on the premise that it was easier to police a legal trade than an illegal one. Third-party activities, such as profiting from brothel administration and other forms of procuring, remain illegal activities in Denmark, as do pimping and prostitution of minors.

Prostitution in Singapore in itself is not illegal, but various prostitution-related activities are criminalized. This includes public solicitation, living on the earnings of a prostitute and maintaining a brothel. In practice, police unofficially tolerate and monitor a limited number of brothels. Prostitutes in such establishments are required to undergo periodic health checks and must carry a health card.

Prostitution in Norway is illegal and a criminal act when sexual acts are purchased, but not when sold. The Norwegian law prohibiting the buying of sexual acts came into effect on 1 January 2009, following the passing of new legislation by the Norwegian parliament in November 2008. Soliciting and advertising "sexual services" is also illegal under the Norwegian Criminal Code section 378 and section 202(3).

Prostitution in Bangladesh Sex work and its regulation in Bangladesh

Prostitution in Bangladesh is legal and regulated. Prostitutes must register and state an affidavit stating that they are entering prostitution of their own free choice and that they are unable to find any other work. Bangladeshi prostitutes often suffer poor social conditions and are frequently socially degraded.

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

Kuwait is a destination and transit country for men and women for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Men and women migrate willingly from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines to work as domestic servants or low-skilled laborers. Upon arrival, however, some are subsequently subjected to conditions of forced labor, such as restrictions on movement, unlawful withholding of passports, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse. In addition, some women are forced into commercial sexual exploitation; for example, some female domestic workers are forced into prostitution after running away from abusive employers or after being deceived with promises of jobs in different sectors. Kuwait is also a transit country for South and East Asian workers recruited by Kuwaiti labor recruitment agencies for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, while others willingly transit to Iraq through Kuwait, but subsequently endure conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq. Some Kuwaiti nationals reportedly travel to destinations including Morocco, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to engage in commercial sex acts.

Prostitution in Rwanda is illegal in all aspects. Prostitutes, clients and any involved third parties are criminalised by the country's Penal Code. However, a draft of a new Penal Code that does not prohibit prostitution was presented for debate in the Rwandan Parliament in December 2017.

Prostitution in Northern Ireland is governed by the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act 2015, which makes it illegal to pay for sex in Northern Ireland. Prior to the act coming into effect, prostitution in Northern Ireland was regulated by the same or similar laws to those in England and Wales, as it is elsewhere in the United Kingdom. At that time, prostitution in Northern Ireland was legal subject to a number of restraints which controlled certain activities associated with prostitution, such as soliciting, procuring, living on the proceeds of prostitution (pimping), exploitation of prostitutes, under-age prostitution, and keeping a brothel. However, devolution provided the opportunity for separate legislation in Northern Ireland.

Human trafficking in Brazil is an ongoing problem. Brazil is a source country for men, women, girls, and boys subjected to human trafficking, specifically forced prostitution within the country and abroad, as well as a source country for men and boys in forced labor within the country. In 2012 there was a soap opera made about Human trafficking named Salve Jorge.

Prostitution in Maldives is illegal, but occurs on a small scale. A 2014 survey by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) estimated there were 1,139 female prostitutes on the islands. Some women enter the country posing as tourists but then engage in sex work.

Women in Brunei

Women in Brunei are women living in Brunei Darussalam. In Brunei, women are regarded as persons of "very high status". The U.S. Department of State has stated that discrimination against women is a problem in Brunei.

Prince Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah Prince of Brunei

Prince Abdul Hakeem Bolkiah is a sport shooter from Brunei, is a member of the Brunei Royal Family.

Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan of Brunei

Hassanal Bolkiah is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei and the Prime Minister of Brunei. He is one of the last absolute monarchs in the world. The eldest son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit, he succeeded to the throne as the sultan of Brunei, following the abdication of his father on 5 October 1967.

Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2015

The Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2015 (PHTA) is a statute of the Parliament of Singapore that criminalizes Trafficking-In-Persons (TIP) especially vulnerable individuals. The law is designed specifically to make acts of knowingly receiving payment in connection with the exploitation of a trafficked victim a criminal offence.

References

  1. "The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country". ChartsBin. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Laws of Brunei - Penal Code" (PDF). Attorney Generals Chambers. 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  3. "Brunei unveils tough Sharia code". BBC News. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 Salanga, Elyas Isabelo (2 June 2009). "Looking Back: Showbiz scandals that raised public outcry". PEP. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Palace washes hands off Brunei beauties". Manila Standard. 30 September 1993. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  6. Balingit, Ed (22 September 1993). "Bombshell on Brunei Beauties". Philippine Times Journal. pp. 1 & 6. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  7. "Former Miss USA sues Sultan of Brunei over sex". The Nation. 9 March 1997.
  8. "Former Miss USA wants court to have jurisdiction over Brunei prince". Gadsden Times. 17 December 1997.
  9. 1 2 "Sultan denies he kept girl as slave". The Free Lance-Star. 5 March 1997.
  10. "Media frenzy follows suit of ex-Miss USA". The Nation. 6 March 1997.
  11. Callahan, Maureen (10 May 2014). "The sex-obsessed world of Brunei". New York Post. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  12. "Miss USA won't sue Sultan of Brunei". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 4 June 1997.
  13. Graves, David (19 March 1998). "Of Sultans and Swinging". The Age.
  14. 1 2 3 "Brunei 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2018.PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  15. "Three Thais jailed, face caning for forcing a 17-year-old girl into prostitution in Brunei". The Nation. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2018.

Further reading