Prostitution in the Dominican Republic
Encyclopedia
Prostitution in the Dominican Republic is legal, but a third party may not derive financial gain from prostitution (brothels or similar establishments are illegal). However, the government usually does not enforce prostitution laws.
The Dominican Republic has gained a reputation of being a major destination for international sex tourism
. Sex tourism is common, especially in Las Terrenas
, Cabarete
, Sosua
, and Boca Chica
. Child prostitution is a problem, particularly in major urban areas and popular tourist destinations, but there has been a decrease in child prostitution since 2001, with the increase in policing and the decrease in corruption.
According to newspaper reports there are about 30,000 children and adolescents involved in the sex industry. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has started prosecuting individuals whom are engaging in child prostitution.
HIV
prevalence in the country's estimated 100,000 female sex workers ranges from 2.5% to 12.4%, depending on the locale.
The Dominican Republic has gained a reputation of being a major destination for international sex tourism
Sex tourism
Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes.The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary...
. Sex tourism is common, especially in Las Terrenas
Las Terrenas
Las Terrenas is a town in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic.Samana was a famous slave trade port for the British in the early 17th century. Today, the people of these provinces are a mix of Taino, Spanish and African descent. The name originates in the French phrase "la terriene" .Las...
, Cabarete
Cabarete
Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic, noted for its tourism and beaches. It was founded in 1835 by Zephaniah Kingsley along with his mixed-race family, and 53 slaves he freed from his Florida plantations and brought here while the island was under Haitian...
, Sosua
Sosúa
Sosúa is a small town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic. Located approximately from the Puerto Plata International Airport , the town is accessed primarily by Camino Cinco, or Highway 5, which runs much of the length of the country's North coastline...
, and Boca Chica
Boca Chica
Boca Chica is a municipality of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district : La Caleta....
. Child prostitution is a problem, particularly in major urban areas and popular tourist destinations, but there has been a decrease in child prostitution since 2001, with the increase in policing and the decrease in corruption.
According to newspaper reports there are about 30,000 children and adolescents involved in the sex industry. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has started prosecuting individuals whom are engaging in child prostitution.
HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
prevalence in the country's estimated 100,000 female sex workers ranges from 2.5% to 12.4%, depending on the locale.