Rhode Island § 11-34.1-2 § 11-34.1-2. Prostitution.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 11-34.1-2 — § 11-34.1-2. Prostitution.

Rhode Island § 11-34.1-2

Title 11Criminal Offenses

Ch. 11-34.1Commercial Sexual Activity

This text of Rhode Island § 11-34.1-2 (§ 11-34.1-2. Prostitution.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-34.1-2 (2026).

Text

§ 11-34.1-2. Prostitution.
(a) A person is guilty of prostitution when such person engages, or agrees, or offers
            to engage in sexual conduct with another person in return for a fee. Any person found
            guilty under this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject
            to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or to a fine of not less
            than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000),
            or both.
         
(b) Any person found guilty of a subsequent offense under this section shall be subject
            to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, 

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§ 11-34.1-2. Prostitution.

(a) A person is guilty of prostitution when such person engages, or agrees, or offers to engage in sexual conduct with another person in return for a fee. Any person found guilty under this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or to a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

(b) Any person found guilty of a subsequent offense under this section shall be subject to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

(c) In any prosecution for a violation under this section where the immunity provided by § 11-34.1-15(a) is not applicable, it shall be an affirmative defense if the accused was forced to commit a commercial sexual activity by:

(1) Being threatened or subjected to physical harm;

(2) Being physically restrained or threatened to be physically restrained;

(3) Being subject to threats of abuse of law or legal process;

(4) Being subject to destruction, concealment, removal, or confiscation, of any passport or other immigration document or any other actual or purported governmental identification document; or

(5) Being subject to intimidation in which the accused's physical well being was perceived as threatened.

Legislative History

P.L. 2009, ch. 185, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 186, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 70, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 2025, ch. 431, § 1, effective July 2, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 432, § 1, effective July 2, 2025.