Prostitution by region
This is an overview of prostitution by region.
Africa
is illegal in the majority of African countries. HIV/AIDS infection rates are particularly high among African sex workers.Nevertheless, it is common, driven by the widespread poverty in many sub-Saharan African countries, and is one of the drivers for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Social breakdown and poverty caused by civil war in several African countries has caused further increases in the rate of prostitution in those countries. For these reasons, some African countries have also become destinations for sex tourism.
Long-distance truck drivers have been identified as a group with the high-risk behaviour of sleeping with prostitutes and a tendency to spread the infection along trade routes in the region. Infection rates of up to 33% were observed in this group in the late 1980s in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
| Prostitution in African areas |
| Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other territories |
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 North American areas |
| Sovereign states Dependencies and other territories |
| Prostitution in Central American areas |
| Sovereign states |
| Prostitution in Caribbean areas |
| Sovereign states Dependencies and other territories |
| Prostitution in South American areas |
| Sovereign states Dependencies and other territories |
Asia
In Asia, the main characteristic of the region is the very big discrepancy between the laws which exist on the books and what occurs in practice. For example, in Thailand prostitution is illegal, but in practice it is tolerated and partly regulated, and the country is a destination for sex tourism. Such situations are common in many Asian countries.In Japan, prostitution is legal with the exception of heterosexual, vaginal intercourse. Advertisements that detail what each individual prostitute will do are a common sight in the country, although many prostitutes disregard the law.
In India, prostitution is legal only if carried out in the private residence of a prostitute or others.
Child prostitution is a serious problem in this region. Past surveys indicate that 30 to 35 percent of all prostitutes in the Mekong sub-region of Southeast Asia are between 12 and 17 years of age.
| Prostitution in Asian areas |
| Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other territories |
Europe
Compared to other continents, Europe has very diverse laws when it comes to prostitution. The most common legal system in the European Union is that which allows prostitution itself but prohibits associated activities. Prostitution remains illegal in most of the ex-communist countries of Eastern Europe.In Sweden, Northern Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and France it is illegal to pay for sex.
In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offense, but prostitution itself is legal.
In Germany prostitution is legal, as are brothels.
The enforcement of the anti-prostitution laws varies by country. One example is Belgium, in which brothels are illegal, but in practice, they are tolerated, operate quite openly, and in some parts of the country, the situation is similar of that in neighboring Netherlands.
In Eastern Europe, prostitution was outlawed by the former communist regimes, and most of those countries chose to keep it illegal even after the fall of the Communists. In Hungary and Latvia however, prostitution is legal and regulated.
| Prostitution in European areas |
| Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other territories |
Oceania
Prostitution in Oceania varies greatly across the region. In American Samoa, prostitution is illegal, whereas in New Zealand most aspects of the trade are decriminalised.| Prostitution in Oceania areas |
| Sovereign states Associated states of New Zealand Dependencies and other territories |