Title: Is Prostitution Legal In All States? How Is Prostitution Punished? | CriminalDefenseLawyer.com
Headings: Prostitution Laws
Prostitution Laws
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The History of the Oldest Profession
A Victimless Crime?
Typical Legal Approaches to Prostitution
Crimes Related to Prostitution
Punishing Prostitution
Prostitution Laws by State

Content: The ban against prostitution is said to denounce the exploitation of sexual gratification. Prostitution laws are intended to protect public health and welfare (including the suppression of sexually transmitted diseases), protect minors who might otherwise become involved in the sex industry, thwart other associated forms of crime, and curb the incentive to exploit women. Typical Legal Approaches to Prostitution
In some states, prostitution is considered a form of disorderly conduct. In most the crime includes offering or agreeing to, or actually engaging in, a sexual act in exchange for money. Statutes typically describe the contemplated sexual activity vaguely. They use terms such as “ lewd acts ,” but invariably describe intimate physical contact of some form. They require that the defendant intend to receive compensation, either directly or through a third party, in exchange for that contact. In many states, the government must prove only that the prostitute offered or agreed to engage in sexual conduct for compensation, regardless of whether she or he intended to follow through on that offer or agreement. The only requirement is that the offer or agreement not be in jest. In some states, though, the prosecution must prove that the defendant specifically intended to engage in the sexual act in exchange for money.