{"data":{"id":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-11-34.1-2","jurisdiction":"us-ri","citation":"R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-34.1-2","heading":"Prostitution.","body":"(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.\n(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.\n(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:\n(1) Being threatened or subjected to physical harm;\n(2) Being physically restrained or threatened to be physically restrained;\n(3) Being subject to threats of abuse of law or legal process;\n(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\n(5) Being subject to intimidation in which the accused’s physical well being was perceived as threatened.","path":["Title 11 Criminal Offenses","Chapter 34.1 Commercial Sexual Activity"],"source_url":"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE11/11-34.1/11-34.1-2.htm","current_through":"site files published 2025-08-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T19:55:15Z","sha256":"3f4f038820126262c3f2d2bedff8d76a1ea08c209e9fa1e8d7ec6268b2c375b4","source_id":"us-ri","stale":true,"prev":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-11-34.1-1","next":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-11-34.1-3"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}