Nevada’s unique status as the only state in the US where prostitution is legal is again at the center of debate as efforts to ban brothels in certain counties arise, and the agent of the state’s most notorious brothel campaigns for of a seat in the Assembly.
“Nevada is probably the last state in the country to have a ‘live and let live’ vision, and I’m a ‘live and let live’ guy,” Dennis Hof, a homeowner, said in his 2015 biography. brothels who has run for a seat in the state legislature.
But tourists trying to take advantage of all the vices of the state should beware: There are strict limits on where sex can be sold, and even opinion about whether the Nevada model is a good one is divided among those who have worked in brothels.
Here are some things you should know about legal prostitution in Nevada:
How long has prostitution been legal in Nevada?
The first brothels in the state date back to the beginnings of mining in Nevada in the 19th century. In the rest of the country, the sale of sex was not generally prohibited before the 20th century, but was subject to bans against vagrancy and “street prostitution” that would limit the activities of sex workers outside brothels.
The movement against prostitution after the Civil War was closely linked to the abolition of slavery, and began with efforts to fight the licensing of brothels in many states, according to background information provided as part of a decision of the Ninth Judged around the advertising of brothels.
Between 1911 and 1915, there was a wave of laws passed against those who profited from involving women and girls in prostitution.
But Nevada resisted, and for decades brothels operated and were openly “tolerated,” if not explicitly permitted. However, it wasn’t until the Storey County Commission officially sanctioned Joe Conforte’s Mustang Ranch in 1971 that the state had its first legal brothel, historian Guy Rocha explained to the Reno Gazette-Journal.
Where is it legal?
Nevada Regulation denies requesting of sex and prostitution except if it happens in an authorized whorehouse. State regulation denies authorized massage parlors in districts with populaces of 700,000 occupants or more (as of now Clark Province, home to Las Vegas).
Only 10 counties in Nevada allow prostitution, and then only in licensed brothels. Churchill County is one of these, but the last license was issued in 2004.
Esmeralda, Lander, Mineral, Nye and Stoney counties allow brothels everywhere. Elko, Humboldt, Lyon, and White Pine County allow brothels in some incorporated communities.
Prostitution is illegal in Clark, Washoe, Carson City, Pershing, Douglas, Eureka, and Lincoln counties. This includes Las Vegas and Reno, as well as the state capital.
How many brothels are there?
A tally by the L.A. The Times in early May revealed that there are 20 brothels operating in Nevada.
Nye County has four, two owned by Dennis Hof. Lyon County has four, all owned by Hof.
There’s also one in Storey County, the Mustang Ranch in Sparks; one in Mineral County, the Wild Cat Brothel in Mina; two in White Pine County, the Stardust Ranch Brothel and Big 4 Ranch in Ely; one in Lander County, Hot Desert Club Girls in Battle Mountain; and seven in Elko County, the Dove Tail Ranch and Sharon’s Brothel and Bar in Carlin, the Desert Rose Gentlemen’s Club, Inez’ D&D, Mona’s Ranch and Sue’s Fantasy Club in Elko, and Bella’s Hacienda Ranch and Donna’s Ranch in Wells.
Does Nevada tax prostitution?
Although brothels and prostitutes pay a business license in the State, there is no excise tax applied for sexual acts.
In 2009, then-Democratic Senator Bob Coffin introduced a bill to impose a $5-a-day tax on clients who purchase prostitution services. With an estimated 400,000 client days in Nevada’s legal brothels each year, the measure was expected to bring in $2 million.
The bill was unsuccessful in a committee vote and did not advance in the legislature, although prostitutes and others in the prostitute sector voiced support for a tax. Republican Governor Jim Gibbons had earlier expressed his disapproval of the law, telling NPR radio: “I’m not a fan of legalizing prostitution in Nevada. By taxing it, there’s a recognition of its legality. And that’s all I want.” tell”.
Did Nevada try to end legal prostitution?
In a 2011 speech, then-Democratic Senator Harry Reid called on lawmakers to ban prostitution.
“Nevada has to be known as first for innovation and investment, not last place where prostitution is legal,” he said, adding that he had met with business leaders who were surprised to learn there were brothels operating in the Storey County.
But lawmakers never addressed the case, with Governor Brian Sandoval saying the matter was in the hands of the counties.
A new movement has recently emerged to ban prostitution in certain counties. Efforts are underway to prevent it in Lyon and Nye counties through countywide voting.
Can brothels be advertised?
Nevada law prohibits brothels from advertising in jurisdictions where local ordinances or state statutes prohibit prostitution. In jurisdictions where brothels are permitted, it is illegal for them to be advertised “in any public theater, on the streets of any city or township, or on any public thoroughfare”.
How much do the services cost?
The cost varies. Brothel workers say they negotiate their own rates for “parties,” or sex dates, with clients based on the client’s choice from a menu of services.
A girl takes a client to her room, negotiates a price and collects a payment before offering the service. Christina Parreira, who works at one of Hof’s brothels, told The Nevada Independent that she generally doesn’t have sex with a client for less than $1,000.
Longer interactions, like an all-nighter or the “girlfriend experience,” which includes a mock date and non-sexual activities, can cost up to $1,000 an hour. In his autobiography, Hof shares details of men who pay to have long, lavish “parties” that ranged from days, weeks, or even months, with one costing more than $2 million and one lasting five months.
TJ Moore, who from 2013 to 2015 worked as a midwife and then as a madam at the Love Ranch South Brothel, said the girls usually agree to a minimum price and won’t accept less, but sometimes they break the agreement because they want to close the deal.
Moore said pay for sex often ranged from $300 to $400, though it can be less, adding that he once booked a “party” for $80.
