Prostitution Prostitution laws in Papua New GuineaPapua Niugini
In Papua New Guinea, prostitution is not named as an offence, but the courts have read the Summary Offences Act 1977 offence of knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 55; a fine of up to K400 or one year) to cover sex workers' own earnings (Wemay v Tumdual, 1978), as long as they live on them habitually (Jon v Kuman, 1980). Keeping or managing a brothel, or financing one, carries a fine of up to K800 or two years (s. 56); using, permitting or letting premises for a brothel or 'for any purpose connected with prostitution' carries a fine (s. 57). Amnesty International reports that the Criminal Code Act 1974 (s. 231) also prohibits brothels, with up to three years. No offence aimed at clients or at advertising was identified.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Low confidence. The Summary Offences Act 1977 criminalises living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 55) and brothel-keeping (ss. 56-57), and the Criminal Code Act 1974 prohibits brothels (s. 231). In Wemay v Tumdual [1978] the National Court held that a sex worker paid for her own services lives on the earnings of prostitution, so selling sex itself can be prosecuted; a 1980 decision limited this to habitual rather than isolated transactions.[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Selling sex is not named as an offence, but in Wemay v Tumdual [1978] PNGLR 173 the court held that a sex worker paid for her services was living, at least in part, on the earnings of prostitution under s. 55 of the Summary Offences Act (fine up to K400 or one year). In Jon v Kuman [1980] the court required more than an isolated transaction.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of paying an adult for sex was identified in the sources reviewed.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, or knowingly financing one, carries a fine of up to K800 or two years. An owner, tenant or occupier who uses or permits premises to be used as a brothel or for any purpose connected with prostitution, or who lets them knowing this, faces a fine of up to K200. Section 231 of the Criminal Code Act is reported to prohibit brothels with up to three years.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries a fine of up to K400 or one year. Living with or constantly accompanying a sex worker, or exercising control over their movements, is prima facie evidence of the offence.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The sources reviewed do not discuss advertising or online platforms.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex is not named as an offence, but in Wemay v Tumdual [1978] PNGLR 173 the court held that a sex worker paid for her services was living, at least in part, on the earnings of prostitution under s. 55 of the Summary Offences Act (fine up to K400 or one year). In Jon v Kuman [1980] the court required more than an isolated transaction.[1]
Confidence: low. The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of paying an adult for sex was identified in the sources reviewed.[1]
Confidence: low. The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a brothel, or knowingly financing one, carries a fine of up to K800 or two years. An owner, tenant or occupier who uses or permits premises to be used as a brothel or for any purpose connected with prostitution, or who lets them knowing this, faces a fine of up to K200. Section 231 of the Criminal Code Act is reported to prohibit brothels with up to three years.[1]
Confidence: low. The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries a fine of up to K400 or one year. Living with or constantly accompanying a sex worker, or exercising control over their movements, is prima facie evidence of the offence.[1]
Confidence: low. The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The sources reviewed do not discuss advertising or online platforms.[1]
Confidence: low. The statute could not be checked: no official online text was found outside PacLII, and the consolidated text on PacLII could not be used: paclii.org refused automated access (HTTP 403) and its robots.txt disallows Anthropic's crawlers. Provisions and penalties are as quoted in Amnesty International's 2016 report.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Outlawed and Abused: Criminalizing Sex Work in Papua New Guinea (ASA 34/4129/2016) Summary Offences Act 1977, Part VII (Prostitution), as quoted by Amnesty International s. 55 · s. 56 · s. 57 | Living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 55), keeping a brothel (s. 56) and suppression of brothels (s. 57).[1] |
Timeline
- 1978Wemay v Tumdual [1978] PNGLR 173: the National Court holds that a sex worker's own earnings fall under the living-on-earnings offence in s. 55 of the Summary Offences Act.[1]
- 1980Jon v Kuman [1980] PGNC 26: the National Court holds that an isolated transaction is not enough for a conviction under s. 55.[1]
Sources
- Outlawed and Abused: Criminalizing Sex Work in Papua New Guinea (ASA 34/4129/2016). Amnesty International, 2016. ngo · accessed 30 October 2026