Prostitution, procuring, sex tourism

Verified 05 May 2023 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

You want to know if you are at risk as a customer of someone who engages in prostitution ?

Yes, you can be fined if you use the services of a prostitute.

The law also punishes inciting someone to engage in prostitution and profiting from the prostitution of a third person.

The penalties are more severe when the prostitute is a minor or a vulnerable person.

Major prostitute

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Customer

The acts prohibited and punishable by law are:

  • Soliciting sexual relations from a prostitute in return for remuneration, a promise of remuneration, a benefit in kind or the promise of such a benefit
  • Accepting sex from a prostitute in exchange for payment, promise of payment, benefit in kind or promise of such benefit
  • Having sex with a prostitute in exchange for payment, a promise of payment, a benefit in kind or the promise of such a benefit

A Frenchman or a foreigner living in France can be prosecuted by the French courts for acts committed abroad if the person who engages in prostitution is a vulnerable person.

Example :

Sick, disabled, pregnant

Pimp

Pimping is taking advantage of or promoting the prostitution of others.

The law punishes pimping and treats as a pimp anyone who does any of the following:

  • Assisting, assisting or protecting a person's prostitution, even without profit
  • Taking advantage of someone else's prostitution
  • Hiring or pressuring a person to engage in prostitution or to continue to engage in prostitution
  • Acting as an intermediary between a prostitute and his clients
  • Helping a pimp make the resources he derives from another person's prostitution look legal
  • Living with a prostitute without being able to justify the resources of his lifestyle
  • Impede prevention, control, assistance, or rehabilitation, company by agencies qualified to assist prostitutes

Owner of a place of prostitution

The law punishes the act of a pimp or any other person to do any of the following:

  • Owning, managing, operating or financing an establishment which habitually tolerates the prostitution of one or more persons within or seeking clients for prostitution
  • Selling, renting or owning vehicles of any kind, knowing that they will be used for prostitution

Who can file a complaint?

If you are forced to prostitute yourself on behalf of a pimp or a manager of a place of prostitution, you can file a complaint to be punished by the courts.

You can also civil party to seek compensation for the harm that forced prostitution has caused you.

An association supporting victims of procuring and prostitution may also file a complaint, subject to certain conditions.

The association must have more than five years of seniority and its social purpose must be to defend victims.

If these conditions are met, the association may also to be a civil party and seek compensation from the courts.

Forms of complaint

The complaint may be filed with the police, the gendarmerie or the public prosecutor.

On the spot

You can go to a police station or a gendarme brigade of your choice.

Who shall I contact

The police or gendarmerie refer the complaint to the public prosecutor.

If the police or gendarmerie refuse to take your domestic violence complaint, you can alert the competent control authorities.

Submit online to the Inspectorate General of the National Police

Contact the Inspectorate General of the National Gendarmerie online

By mail

You can file a complaint with the public prosecutor.

To do this, you must send an email to the court of law of the place of the offense or of the domicile of the offender.

Who shall I contact

Your mail should include the following:

  • Your marital status and full contact information (address and telephone number)
  • Detailed account of the facts, date and place of the offense
  • Name of the alleged perpetrator if known (otherwise, the complaint will be filed against X)
  • Name and address of any witnesses to the offense
  • Description and provisional or definitive estimate of the damage
  • Your proof documents: medical certificates, work stoppages, photographs, videos, miscellaneous invoices, findings, etc.

You can use the following mail template:

File a complaint with the public prosecutor

You can send your complaint by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, by simple letter or by letter followed.

You can also file your complaint directly at the courthouse.

In any case, a receipt is given to you as soon as the Public Prosecutor's Office has registered your complaint.

The presence of a lawyer is not mandatory for the lodging of a complaint and throughout the procedure until the trial before the correctional court. However, you can get legal assistance if you wish.

Client of a prostitute
Principal penalty

Using the services of a person who is engaged in prostitution is a contravention which shall be punished by a fine of €1500.

In case of recurrenceHowever, the use of the services of a prostitute is no longer considered a contravention, but a offense. This offense shall be punishable by a fine of €3750.

Additional penalties

The judge may add to the main penalty one of the following additional penalties:

  • Awareness training on combating the purchase of sexual services
  • Temporary or permanent ban on the enjoyment of civil, civil and family rights
Pimp
Principal penalty

Pimping is punishable by up to 7 years' imprisonment and €150,000 of fine.

Additional penalties

The judge may add to the main penalty one of the following additional penalties:

  • Prohibition to engage for a period of less than/equal to 5 years or permanently in a professional or social activity in relation to procuring
  • Prohibition of residence up to 5 years
  • prohibition on operating establishments open to the public
  • prohibition of carrying a weapon for up to 10 years
Owner of a place of prostitution
Principal penalty

A person who owns, exploits or finances a place of prostitution shall be punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and €750,000 of fine.

Additional penalties

The judge may add to the main penalty one of the following additional penalties:

  • Total or partial closure of the establishment used for prostitution
  • Confiscation of goodwill

Underage prostitute

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Customer

The acts prohibited and punishable by law are:

  • Soliciting sexual relations from a prostitute in return for remuneration, a promise of remuneration, a benefit in kind or the promise of such a benefit
  • Accepting sex from a prostitute in exchange for payment, promise of payment, benefit in kind or promise of such benefit
  • Obtaining sexual relations from a prostitute in return for remuneration, a promise of remuneration, a benefit in kind or the promise of such a benefit

Pimp

The law punishes the pimp for doing any of the following:

  • Assist, assist or protect the prostitution of one or more minors, even without profit
  • Taking advantage of the prostitution of one or more minors
  • Hire, train, or divert one or more minors for prostitution, or exert pressure on them to engage in or continue to engage in prostitution
  • Acting as an intermediary between a minor prostitute and his clients
  • Facilitating the justification of fictitious resources for a pimp of underage prostitutes
  • Living with a minor prostitute and not being able to justify the resources of their lifestyle
  • Impede prevention, control, assistance, or rehabilitation, company by agencies qualified to assist underage prostitutes

Attempting to commit one of these acts is also punishable, even if the attempt has been unsuccessful.

Stewardship of a place of prostitution

The law punishes the fact that the pimp or any other person owns, exploits or finances an establishment or premises used for prostitution.

A Frenchman or a foreigner living in France may be prosecuted by the French courts for acts committed abroad, if the person who engages in prostitution is a minor.

It does not matter if the facts are not prohibited by law in the foreigner country.

Anyone who has knowledge of a child prostitution case must report it to the authorities: police, gendarmerie, president of the departmental council, public prosecutor.

There is no need to have a family or personal connection with the victim.

Who shall I contact

119 can also be called.

Who shall I contact

  • Children in danger - 119

    A phone number for any child or adolescent victim of violence or anyone concerned about a child's situation that is in danger or at risk of being in danger.

    By telephone

    119 (free and confidential call)

    24/7

    119 does not appear on phone records.

    On www.allo119.gouv.fr

In the case of prostitution of a minor via the Internet, it is possible to use Internet-reporting:

Report illegal internet content (internet-reporting: Pharos)

Furthermore, a public official (teacher, hospital staff, etc.) who becomes aware of child prostitution in the course of his or her duties may refer the matter to the public prosecutor.

Who shall I contact

The juvenile judge may be seized by the minor himself, his legal guardian (father, mother or guardian) or by the public prosecutor.

Who shall I contact

Following the report, and without waiting for any judicial inquiry, the juvenile judge may take the necessary measures to protect the minor who is engaged in prostitution.

Thus, when informed of the prostitution situation of a minor, the juvenile judge will have the capacity to decide whether to place the minorThat is to say, to entrust it to the child welfare service.

Who can file a complaint?

Several persons can file a complaint in the case of prostitution of a minor:

  • The child who prostitutes himself
  • His father, his mother or his guardian
  • An association with more than 5 years of seniority, whose purpose is the defense of victims
Who can take civil action?

The minor may file a complaint for an investigation, but he or she may not set up civil party he himself to claim damages.

This means that in order to obtain damages, it is necessary that his legal representatives (parents or guardian or a ad hoc administrator appointed by the court) shall institute civil proceedings on its behalf.

An association with more than 5 years of seniority, whose purpose is the defense of victims can also be formed civil party.

Forms of complaint
On the spot

You can go to a police station or a gendarme brigade of your choice.

Who shall I contact

The police or gendarmerie refer the complaint to the public prosecutor.

If the police or gendarmerie refuse to take your domestic violence complaint, you can alert the competent control authorities.

Submit online to the Inspectorate General of the National Police

Contact the Inspectorate General of the National Gendarmerie online

By mail

You can file a complaint with the public prosecutor.

To do this, you must send an email to the court of law of the place of the offense or of the domicile of the offender.

Who shall I contact

Your mail should include the following:

  • Your marital status and full contact information (address and telephone number)
  • Detailed account of the facts, date and place of the offense
  • Name of the alleged perpetrator if known (otherwise, the complaint will be filed against X)
  • Name and address of any witnesses to the offense
  • Description and provisional or definitive estimate of the damage
  • Your proof documents: medical certificates, work stoppages, photographs, videos, miscellaneous invoices, findings, etc.

You can use the following mail template:

File a complaint with the public prosecutor

You can send your complaint by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, by simple letter or by letter followed.

You can also file your complaint directly at the courthouse.

In any case, a receipt is given to you as soon as the Public Prosecutor's Office has registered your complaint.

The presence of a lawyer is not mandatory for the lodging of a complaint and throughout the procedure until the trial before the correctional court. However, you can get legal assistance if you wish.

Please note

in the case of a hearing before the investigating judge, the minor must be assisted by a lawyer. Maybe he can benefit from legal aid according to the resources of its legal representatives.

When should complaints be lodged?

The complaint must be filed within a certain period of time, otherwise it is no longer taken into account.

This is called the limitation period.

The limitation period varies according to the seriousness of theinfringement for which the complaint is lodged.

Using the services of a minor prostitute aged 15 or over and profiting from the prostitution of such a minor constitute offenses.

The limitation period for an offense is 10 years from the age of majority of the minor.

Taking advantage of the prostitution of a minor under the age of 15 is a crime.

The statute of limitations for a crime is 30 years from the age of majority of the minor.

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Client of a minor prostitute

The penalty for the use of a minor prostitute is 5 years of imprisonment and €75,000 of fine.

This penalty shall be increased to 7 years of imprisonment and €100,000 fine where theinfringement was committed with one of the following aggravating circumstances:

  • The offense is committed habitually or in respect of several minors,
  • The minor was brought into contact with the perpetrator via the Internet
  • The facts are committed by a person who abuses the authority conferred on him by his duties
  • The perpetrator endangered the life of the minor or committed violence against him

If the minor is under 15 years of age, the penalties may be increased to 10 years of imprisonment and €150,000 of fine.

Supplementary sentences may be added to the main sentence.

These include the prohibition of civil, civil and family rights, and the prohibition of residence and contact with minors. .

Pimp

Pimping a minor prostitute is punishable by penalties of up to:

  • 10 years imprisonment and €1.5 million fine, if the minor is between 15 and 17 years of age inclusive
  • 20 years imprisonment and €3 million fine if the minor is under 15 years of age
  • 20 years imprisonment and €3 million of fines if the acts are committed in an organized group
  • Imprisonment in perpetuity and €4.5 million fines for acts of torture or barbarism

A Frenchman or a foreigner living in France may be prosecuted by the French courts for acts committed abroad, if the person who engages in prostitution is a minor.

It does not matter if the facts are not prohibited by law in the foreigner country.

Owner of a place of prostitution

A person who owns, operates or finances an establishment or premises used for prostitution shall be punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and €750,000 of fine.

The judge may add to the main sentence one of the following additional sentences:

  • Prohibition of the enjoyment of civil, civil and family rights
  • Prohibition of residence and contact with the minor

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • 116 006 - Victim Assistance Number

    Listen, inform and advise victims of crime and their families.

    By telephone

    116,006

    Free call

    Open 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm

    The service can also be accessed by calling the +33 (0)1 80 52 33 76 (Normal pricing number).

    By email

    victimes@france-victimes.fr

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