Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
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Connecticut prohibits prostitution as well as prostitution related crimes such as solicitation (paying for sex), pimping (promoting prostitution), and permitting prostitution. Prostitution is defined as having sex with another person for money.
However, in Connecticut, a person is only charged for prostitution if he or she is over the age of 16. The perpetrator (or patron), however, cannot use the prostitute's age as a defense. Therefore, if the prostitute is only 15 years of age, the patron will still be charged with solicitation. This is a brief summary of Connecticut prostitution and solicitation laws.
The following table outlines prostitution and solicitation laws in Connecticut.
| Code Sections | CONN. GEN. STAT §§ 53a-82 et seq. |
| What is Prohibited? | Prostitution: a person 16 years of age or older who engages, offers, agrees to engage in sex for a fee. Solicitation (a.k.a. patronizing a prostitute): paying, offering, or agreeing to pay a fee for sex. (Payment may be made to and/or sex may be had with a third party.) First degree promoting prostitution: compelling a person into prostitution by using force or intimidation or profiting from another person's use of force or intimidation to compel a person into prostitution), or promoting or profiting from prostitution of a person under 18 years of age Second degree promoting prostitution: either alone or with others, managing, supervising, controlling, or owning a house of prostitution, prostitution business or enterprise involving the activity of 2 or more prostitutes Third degree promoting prostitution: knowingly promoting or profiting from prostitution Permitting prostitution: failing to make a reasonable effort to stop prostitution which a person knows is being conducted on premises which the person possesses or controls Enticing a Minor: using the internet to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a person under 16 years of age to have sex or engage in prostitution. |
| Penalties | Prostitution, solicitation, and permitting prostitution are Class A misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison and up to $2,000 in fines. First degree promoting prostitution and enticing a minor under 13 years of age or a third offense of enticing a minor are Class B felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines. Second degree promoting prostitution and a second offense of enticing a minor are Class C felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Third degree promoting prostitution and enticing a minor are Class D felonies punishable by up to 5 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. |
| Defenses | Coercion is a defense to prostitution and for those persons 16-17 years of age, there is a presumption that the person was coerced into prostitution. The age of the prostitute is not a defense to any of the above crimes except prostitution. It is not a defense to prostitution that the persons were of the same sex or the person soliciting was a female and the prostitute a male. |
The consequences of a prostitution or a prostitution-related crime are severe. If you're charged with any of the above offenses, you may want to consult with a Connecticut criminal defense attorney. You can also visit Findlaw's sections on Prostitution, Solicitation, and Pimping and Pandering Laws for more articles and information on these topics.
Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help.
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