Is prostitution legal in Louisiana?
Louisiana prostitution laws make all forms of sex work illegal across the state. A recent legislative proposal to fully decriminalize prostitution was unsuccessful. The bill would have lifted criminal penalties for a host of prostitution-related offenses.
Prostitution Laws of Louisiana
- §14:82: Prostitution; definition; penalties; enhancement
- §14:82.1: Prostitution; persons under seventeen; additional offenses
- §14:83: Soliciting for prostitutes
- §14:83.1: Inciting prostitution
- §14:83.2: Promoting prostitution
- §14:83.3: Prostitution by massage
- §14:83.4: Massage; sexual conduct prohibited
- §14:84: Pandering
- §14:85: Letting premises for prostitution
- §14:86: Enticing persons into prostitution
§14:82: Prostitution; definition; penalties; enhancement
A. Prostitution is:
(1) The practice by a person of indiscriminate sexual intercourse with others for compensation.
(2) The solicitation by one person of another with the intent to engage in indiscriminate sexual intercourse with the latter for compensation.
B. (1) Whoever commits the crime of prostitution shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(2) On a second conviction, the offender shall be fined not less than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than two thousand dollars or be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than two years, or both.
(3) On a third and subsequent conviction the offender shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than two nor more than four years and shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more than four thousand dollars.
C. Any offense under this Section committed more than five years prior to the commission of the offense with which the defendant is charged shall not be considered in the assessment of penalties under this Section.
D. If the offense occurred as a result of a solicitation by the offender while the offender was located on a public road or highway, or the sidewalk, walkway, or public servitude thereof, the court shall sentence the offender to imprisonment for a minimum of ninety days. If a portion of the sentence is suspended, the court may place the offender upon supervised probation if the offender agrees, as a condition of probation, to perform two hundred forty hours of community service work collecting or picking up litter and trash on the public roads, streets, and highways, under conditions specified by the court.
E. All persons who are convicted of the offense of prostitution shall be referred to the parish health unit for counseling concerning Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The counseling shall be provided by existing staff of the parish health unit whose duties include such counseling.
§14:82.1: Prostitution; persons under seventeen; additional offenses
A. It shall be unlawful:
(1) For any person over the age of seventeen to engage in sexual intercourse with any person under the age of seventeen who is practicing prostitution, and there is an age difference of greater than two years between the two persons. Lack of knowledge of the latter person's age shall not be a defense.
(2) For any parent or tutor of any person under the age of seventeen knowingly to consent to the person's entrance or detention in the practice of prostitution.
B. Whoever violates the provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than two years nor more than ten years, or both.
§14:83: Soliciting for prostitutes
Soliciting for prostitutes is the soliciting, inviting, inducing, directing or transporting a person to any place with the intention of promoting prostitution. Whoever commits the crime of soliciting for prostitutes shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
§14:83.1: Inciting prostitution
A. Inciting prostitution is the aiding, abetting, or assisting in an enterprise for profit in which:
(1) Customers are charged a fee for services which include prostitution, regardless of what portion of the fee is actually for the prostitution services,
(2) When the person knows or when a reasonable person in such a position should know that such aiding, abetting, or assisting is for prostitution, and
(3) When the proceeds or profits are to be in any way divided by the prostitute and the person aiding, abetting, or assisting the prostitute.
B. Whoever commits the crime of inciting prostitution shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
§14:83.2: Promoting prostitution
A. Promoting prostitution is the knowing and willful control of, supervision of, or management of an enterprise for profit in which customers are charged a fee for services which include prostitution, regardless of what portion of the fee is actually for the prostitution services.
B. Whoever commits the crime of promoting prostitution shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than two years, or both.
§14:83.3: Prostitution by massage
A. Prostitution by massage is the erotic stimulation of the genital organs of another by any masseur, masseuse, or any other person, whether resulting in orgasm or not, by instrumental manipulation, touching with the hands, or other bodily contact exclusive of sexual intercourse or unnatural carnal copulation, when done for money.
B. As used in this Section, the terms:
(1) "Masseur" means a male who practices massage or physiotherapy, or both.
(2) "Masseuse" means a female who practices massage or physiotherapy, or both.
C. Whoever commits the crime of prostitution by massage shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
§14:83.4: Massage; sexual conduct prohibited
A. It shall be unlawful for any masseur, masseuse, or any other person, while in a massage parlor or any other enterprise used as a massage parlor, by stimulation in an erotic manner, to:
(1) Expose, touch, caress, or fondle the genitals, anus, or pubic hairs of any person or the nipples of the female breast; or
(2) To perform any acts of sadomasochistic abuse, flagellation, or torture in the context of sexual conduct.
B. Whoever violates this Section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
§14:84: Pandering
Pandering is the intentional:
(1) Enticing, placing, persuading, encouraging, or causing the entrance of any person into the practice of prostitution, either by force, threats, promises, or by any other device or scheme;
(2) Maintaining a place where prostitution is habitually practiced;
(3) Detaining any person in any place of prostitution by force, threats, promises, or by any other device or scheme;
(4) Receiving or accepting by a person as a substantial part of support or maintenance anything of value which is known to be from the earnings of any person engaged in prostitution;
(5) Consenting, on the part of any parent or tutor of any person, to the person's entrance or detention in the practice of prostitution; or
(6) Transporting any person from one place to another for the purpose of promoting the practice of prostitution. Whoever commits the crime of pandering shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years, or both.
§14:85: Letting premises for prostitution
Letting premises for prostitution is the granting of the right of use or the leasing of any premises, knowing that they are to be used for the practice of prostitution, or allowing the continued use of the premises with such knowledge. Whoever commits the crime of letting premises for prostitution shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
§14:86: Enticing persons into prostitution
Enticing persons into prostitution is committed when any person over the age of seventeen entices, places, persuades, encourages, or causes the entrance of anyother person under the age of twenty-one into the practice of prostitution, either by force, threats, promises, or by any other device or scheme. Lack of knowledge of the other person's age shall not be a defense. Whoever commits the crime of enticing persons into prostitution shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than two years nor more than ten years.