Understanding Washington’s prostitution laws

Prostitution means taking part in, agreeing to take part in or offering to take part in sexual activities for money. It’s illegal in most states, including Washington. Here, state laws are specific, applying not just to those offering services but to everyone involved in the transaction. This includes people who:

Patronize a prostitute

This includes not just paying someone for sexual activities but also the act of agreeing to or asking for these services in exchange for money. The law also covers the possibility of these acts happening in multiple places. For example, if someone arranges to meet a prostitute through a phone call or online message, the court considers the crime to have happened both where the patron sent the call or message and where they received it.

Promote prostitution

Promoting prostitution is a more serious crime than patronizing or offering services because it can involve exploiting, helping or making money from someone else’s prostitution. This includes managing prostitutes, running a brothel or any other activity that supports prostitution. First-degree offenses – which involve a person forcing another into prostitution using threats or violence – may receive harsher punishments.

Permit prostitution

This applies to property owners and managers who knowingly let prostitution happen on their property or are aware of the activities yet fail to make reasonable efforts to stop it. This means taking steps like reporting suspicious activities to the police or evicting tenants involved in prostitution. Ignoring the problem or pretending not to see it is not enough and can lead to legal trouble.

There are two sides to every story

Being accused of these offenses can hurt your reputation and record. But every situation is complex, and you have the right to tell your side of the story. Look into your legal options today.