This is legal?
Since 1971, Nevada has been the only state that allows licensed brothels to operate and employ around 300 licensed prostitutes. As of 1986, the sex workers in each brothel must undergo mandatory medical examinations for gonorrhea, herpes, and genital warts, as well as monthly blood tests for syphilis. Additionally, in order to be a licensed prostitute, state laws require monthly negative HIV tests. However, not until 1988 did Nevada pass a law that condom use during oral sex and intercourse mandatory with sex workers. Also, it wasn’t until 2008 that a law was passed requiring mandatory urethral examinations for male sex workers
Now, before you jet off on a plane to Nevada, it’s important to know the specific laws and regulations governing brothels:
- Nevada law prohibits a brothel to be located in a county with a population greater than 400,000. (This means no for Las Vegas).
[if !supportLists]- Advertisement for brothels in counties where it is not legal is also prohibited. Some counties have different laws regarding the minimum age of a prostitute.
[if !supportLists]- [endif]Prostitutes must be at least 21 years of age in a majority of the brothels, not including Lyon and Storey county, where the minimum age is 18.
[if !supportLists]- Prostitution outside of a brothel is considered a misdemeanor.
[if !supportLists]- Most brothels don’t list set prices, however, the ones closer to Las Vegas tend to lie more on the pricier side.
[if !supportLists]- Typically, prostitutes are not able to refuse a customer unless he/she has an “acceptable reason”
[if !supportLists]- [endif]Earnings made are split evenly between the owner and prostitute. However, if the customer has taken a taxi, the driver receives 30% of the transaction, which is deducted from the prostitutes pay.
[if !supportLists]- Sex workers are considered independent contractors, so they don’t receive unemployment, healthcare, or retirement benefits.
[if !supportLists]- As of February 2018, there are 21 brothels in the state of Nevada.
Even though brothels have been well and alive in Nevada, laws that both protect the workers and the customers haven’t been put into place/ enforced until the last few decades. Nevertheless, brothels still bring in revenue for the state of Nevada so it doesn’t look like they’re going away any time soon.