Laws for Las Vegas Sex Workers
While there are brothels authorized by the State government, certain situations regarding prostitution are always prohibited in Nevada, particularly on its vibrant places such as Las Vegas. Speaking of the city, there are many Las Vegas sex workers who are calling out for stronger sex workers rights; pushing for being able to work and promote Las Vegas sex tourism without legal retribution despite the act being outlawed in the metropolitan.
Read this article to learn more about laws for Las Vegas sex workers: how these laws could protect them and what could happen if you violate one. However, if you need a more elaborate explanation of these laws, consulting with a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney is much recommended.
The legality of prostitution in Las Vegas
Yes, there are permitted brothels in many counties in Nevada but this is only where sexual engagement in exchange for money should happen. Prostitution outside the premises is strictly prohibited by the State. Aside from this, there are other conditions sex workers and brothels must follow to keep their business going.
The Nevada Revised Statutes has a dedicated section for prostitution. It defines it as “engaging in sexual conduct with another person in return for a fee, monetary consideration, or other things of value.”
If you give money for sex when not in a State-approved brothel or any other places, you are committing a crime and there are chances of you being charged with a misdemeanor. In this case, if you are caught as the sex worker or someone engaging with Las Vegas sex workers, you will be arrested as there are no legal brothels in the city. Now, there are also other crimes with elements of prostitution that are firmly watched by the State such as pandering or pimping.
Escort services are different from prostitution. First, they are perfectly legal in all of the areas of the State as long as it remains as that: an escort service. When the companionship turns sexual, it will be marked as prostitution and will be penalized since the act cannot be taken out of brothels and there are areas where it is not permitted.
Laws protecting sex workers in Las Vegas
In 2016, there are reported 800 cases of sexual assault in Las Vegas and it continues to grow as of 2018. It should not be difficult to imagine that some of these cases involve sex workers who are sexually assaulted by their clients. While prostitution provides sex, abuse of this privilege or bordering it to assault, especially when the sex worker refuses or does not give consent, it becomes a criminal act. This is the very reason why illegal sex workers in Las Vegas put on a rally for their rights last year as previously mentioned.
Unfortunately, as of today, there are no concrete laws that guard the welfare of Las Vegas sex workers even with enduring Las Vegas sex tourism, and if there are, they remain flimsy as the city still does not treat prostitution as lawful. Still, when sex workers are slandered or abused, they are more than welcome to fight for justice.
Penalties for prostitution violations
If you are a sex worker working on a brothel in counties where prostitution is legal, you must obey certain regulations or risk being charged for a crime in the State. First, sex workers cannot loiter or go outside the brothel to contract customers. Since prostitution is officially illegal in Nevada, you can be arrested wherever you go. And even though this is the case, Las Vegas sex tourism is a thriving industry. This industry actually makes $5 billion dollars a year in Las Vegas which is a city where it is supposed to be banned.
Anyway, if you are arrested in Las Vegas for alleged prostitution, you will have to take on a misdemeanor charge consisting of a maximum prison term of six months and $1,000 in fines. This is only the first offense. Subsequent offenses are guaranteed to be heavier than their predecessors.
Penalties for crimes against Las Vegas sex workers
Even though prostitution or other sexual occupation is prohibited in Nevada, sex workers are still covered by the law as a Nevada citizen. It is a crime for someone to be pandered and pimped or being forcefully pitted for prostitution. If you are found guilty of doing this to someone, you can be penalized of either a category C or D felony. When you pander a child, you will face a category B felony which entails up to ten years in prison.
Of course, sexual assault is still punishable, even when it is done to a sex worker. Penalties of these vary but it proves to be harsh, especially when injury or death is incurred. For now, standard Nevada laws against pandering or sexual assault are the laws that protect Las Vegas sex workers.
Despite the nature of their occupation, sex workers are still humans who need protection. Their job does not mean consent for sexual assault and other crimes, sexual or not.
