Prostitution Prostitution laws in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, selling and buying sex in private are not offences, but the Criminal Code (Cap. 171) attaches fourteen-year maxima to procuring a woman to become a 'common prostitute', a man knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution, a woman controlling a sex worker for gain, living on a male sex worker's earnings and keeping or managing a brothel; letting premises for use as a brothel carries seven years (fourteen on a repeat conviction). A brothel is a place 'resorted to by more than one prostitute'. Soliciting for any immoral purpose in a public place carries three months. A bill passed by Parliament in April 2024 raises most of these maxima to fifteen years (ten for letting premises). No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
Exchanging sex for money in private is not an offence, but the Criminal Code (Cap. 171) criminalises procuring a woman to become a 'common prostitute' (s. 131), a man living on the earnings of prostitution (s. 133), a woman controlling a sex worker (s. 134), living on a male sex worker's earnings (s. 135), brothel-keeping (s. 136), letting premises for a brothel (s. 137) and soliciting in public for immoral purposes (s. 285(d)).[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who solicits for any immoral purpose in any public place is deemed an idle and disorderly person and is liable to three months' imprisonment.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is not limited to sellers.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel carries fourteen years; letting premises, or being a party to their use, knowing they are to be used as a brothel carries seven years, or fourteen on a repeat conviction. A brothel is a house, room or other place 'resorted to by more than one prostitute' for prostitution, so a person working alone does not run one.[1][2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring a woman to become a 'common prostitute' or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, a man knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution, a woman controlling a sex worker's movements for gain, and anyone living on a male sex worker's earnings each carry fourteen years. A man who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker is presumed to live on her earnings.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is limited to public places; a third party profiting from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offences.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex in private is not an offence. A person who solicits for any immoral purpose in any public place is deemed an idle and disorderly person and is liable to three months' imprisonment.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is not limited to sellers.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping, managing or assisting in managing a brothel carries fourteen years; letting premises, or being a party to their use, knowing they are to be used as a brothel carries seven years, or fourteen on a repeat conviction. A brothel is a house, room or other place 'resorted to by more than one prostitute' for prostitution, so a person working alone does not run one.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested. Under the bill reported passed in April 2024 the maxima become fifteen and ten years; its assent and commencement were not verified.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring a woman to become a 'common prostitute' or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, a man knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution, a woman controlling a sex worker's movements for gain, and anyone living on a male sex worker's earnings each carry fourteen years. A man who lives with or habitually accompanies a sex worker is presumed to live on her earnings.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from a copy of the Criminal Code, Cap. 171, hosted by the OAS (amendments listed to Act No. 53 of 1992); the official legal.gov.vc server returned errors when the 2023 amending text was requested. The 2024 bill raises these maxima to fifteen years; see pending.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 285(d) is limited to public places; a third party profiting from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offences.[1]
Confidence: low. Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Code, Chapter 171, Laws of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Criminal Code, Chapter 171 ss. 131-137 · s. 285 | Procuring and living-on-earnings offences (ss. 131-135), brothels (ss. 136-137) and idle and disorderly persons, including public soliciting (s. 285).[1] | |
| An Act to amend the Criminal Code, Chapter 171 of the Laws of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Revised Edition, 2009 Criminal Code (Amendment) Act (text dated 2023 on legal.gov.vc; reported passed April 2024) | Raises maxima for the prostitution and brothel offences in ss. 131-137 to fifteen years (ten years for s. 137).[3] |
Pending and under review
Adopted · updated 5 April 2024
Criminal Code (Amendment) Act raising penalties for sexual offences
Reported passed by the House of Assembly in April 2024. It raises the maxima for causing prostitution of a woman, detention in a brothel, living on earnings, a woman controlling a sex worker and keeping a brothel from fourteen to fifteen years, and for letting premises for a brothel from seven to ten years. Assent and commencement were not verified, and the official text could not be opened.[2][3]
Timeline
- 5 April 2024Parliament passes a Criminal Code amendment raising the maxima for prostitution and brothel offences.[2]
Sources
- Criminal Code, Chapter 171, Laws of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (copy hosted by the Organization of American States, MESICIC). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- St Vincent's Parliament Passes Bill Increasing Punishment for Sexual Offences. St Vincent Times, 5 April 2024. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- An Act to amend the Criminal Code, Chapter 171 of the Laws of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Revised Edition, 2009. Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, legal.gov.vc. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026