Understanding Legal Consequences of Prostitution and Abduction

Promotion of Prostitution: Article 381: Anyone who repeatedly or for profit, or to satisfy the passions of another, induces, facilitates, or encourages the prostitution or corruption of any person shall be punished with imprisonment from one to six years. If this offense is committed against a lesser person, the penalty shall be applied between the average and maximum.

Public Indecent Assault: Article 382: Every individual who outrages modesty through writings, drawings, or other obscene objects, in any form that may have been made, distributed, exposed to public view, or offered for sale shall be punished with imprisonment from three to six months. If the offense is committed with a profit motive, the prison term is six months to a year.

Abduction: Article 383: Any individual who, through violence, threat, or deception, has taken away, removed, or detained a greater or emancipated woman for the purposes of debauchery or marriage shall be punished with imprisonment from one to three years.

Abduction of Married Women and Minors: Article 384: Any individual who, in the media referred to in the preceding article and for one of the purposes stipulated herein, has seized, removed, or retained any person under or a married woman shall be punished with imprisonment of three to five years.
If the kidnapped person has given consent, the penalty is imprisonment for a period of six months to two years.
If the person abducted is under twelve years old, even if the culprit has not resorted to violence, threat, or deception, the penalty is imprisonment for a period of three to five years.

Induction of Juvenile Prostitution: Article 387: Anyone who, to satisfy the passions of another, leads to the prostitution or corruption of any person underage shall be punished with imprisonment from three to eighteen months.
The prison time imposed is one to four years if the offense is committed:

• 1. Against any person under twelve years old.
• 2. By fraud or deception.
• 3. By ancestors, direct relatives upward, adoptive parents, husbands, guardians, or other responsible persons who are to take care of the child, instruct, monitor, or keep it, even temporarily.

If circumstances involve several of the categories mentioned above, the prison term will be two to five years.