Prostitution Prostitution laws in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone's Sexual Offences Act 2012, the main statute on the subject, contains no offence of selling or buying sex between adults. Section 17 punishes anyone who intentionally causes or incites another person to become a sex worker, or controls their activities relating to prostitution, in return for or in expectation of gain, with up to ten years in prison. Clients of, and people who arrange or profit from, prostitution involving under-18s face up to fifteen years (sections 30 to 32). In practice sex workers are arrested under colonial-era loitering provisions; on 7 November 2024 the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, in AdvocAid Limited v Republic of Sierra Leone, ordered the State to amend, modify or repeal those laws. No specific brothel or advertising offence was found.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
No statute found makes selling or buying sex between adults an offence. The Sexual Offences Act 2012 criminalises causing or inciting a person to become a sex worker, or controlling their activities, for gain (section 17), which places Sierra Leone in the abolitionist group. Sex workers are nonetheless arrested under general loitering laws, which the ECOWAS Court ordered the State to amend or repeal in November 2024.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Legal | No offence of selling sex was found. Sex workers are, however, arrested under loitering and vagrancy laws: section 7 of the Public Order Act 1965, section 13(1)(e) and (f) of the Criminal Procedure Act and section 31 of the Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance 1906. In November 2024 the ECOWAS Court found these laws discriminatory and ordered them amended or repealed.[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Participating as a client in child prostitution (under 18) carries up to fifteen years (section 30); a defendant may show that they took reasonable steps and reasonably believed the person was 18 or over (section 33).[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | No brothel-keeping offence was found in the 2012 Act. Running a venue in which the operator controls sex workers' activities for gain falls under section 17(1)(b), punishable by up to ten years.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | A person who intentionally causes or incites another to become a sex worker, or controls any of their activities relating to prostitution, in return for or in expectation of gain for themselves or a third person, faces up to ten years (section 17). 'Gain' includes any financial advantage, including sexual services, and goodwill likely to bring financial advantage.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Legal | No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A third party who advertises in a way that causes or incites someone to become a sex worker, or as part of controlling their work, for gain could fall under section 17.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
No offence of selling sex was found. Sex workers are, however, arrested under loitering and vagrancy laws: section 7 of the Public Order Act 1965, section 13(1)(e) and (f) of the Criminal Procedure Act and section 31 of the Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance 1906. In November 2024 the ECOWAS Court found these laws discriminatory and ordered them amended or repealed.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The older statutes (Public Order Act, Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance) could not be opened, so it cannot be ruled out that one of them contains a prostitution-specific offence. No repeal following the ECOWAS judgment was found as of October 2026.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Participating as a client in child prostitution (under 18) carries up to fifteen years (section 30); a defendant may show that they took reasonable steps and reasonably believed the person was 18 or over (section 33).[1]
Confidence: medium. Amendments made by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019 were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
No brothel-keeping offence was found in the 2012 Act. Running a venue in which the operator controls sex workers' activities for gain falls under section 17(1)(b), punishable by up to ten years.[1]
Confidence: low. Older statutes were not checked for a separate brothel offence, and the position of a landlord who does not control the work is unclear.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
A person who intentionally causes or incites another to become a sex worker, or controls any of their activities relating to prostitution, in return for or in expectation of gain for themselves or a third person, faces up to ten years (section 17). 'Gain' includes any financial advantage, including sexual services, and goodwill likely to bring financial advantage.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A third party who advertises in a way that causes or incites someone to become a sex worker, or as part of controlling their work, for gain could fall under section 17.[1]
Confidence: low. Older statutes were not checked; no case on advertising or websites was found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| The Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012), Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette No. 60 of 1 November 2012 Sexual Offences Act 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012) s. 17 · s. 30–33 | Section 17 criminalises causing, inciting or controlling prostitution for gain; sections 30 to 32 cover child prostitution.[1] | 2012 |
Pending and under review
Under review · updated 7 November 2024
Amendment or repeal of the loitering laws ordered by the ECOWAS Court
In AdvocAid Limited v Republic of Sierra Leone the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice ordered Sierra Leone to amend, modify or repeal the loitering provisions used to arrest sex workers and poor people. No legislative change was found as of October 2026.[2]
Timeline
- 9 October 2012The President signs the Sexual Offences Act 2012, consolidating the law on sexual offences, including procuring and child prostitution.[1]
- 7 November 2024The ECOWAS Court rules in AdvocAid Limited v Republic of Sierra Leone that the loitering laws are discriminatory and must be amended or repealed.[2]
Sources
- The Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012), Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette No. 60 of 1 November 2012. Government of Sierra Leone (copy hosted by sierra-leone.org), 1 November 2012. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- ECOWAS Court orders Sierra Leone to repeal loitering laws. Southern Africa Litigation Centre, 11 November 2024. ngo · accessed 30 October 2026