Belize's Battle With Legalized Prostitution

Prostitution in Belize is a complex issue. While the exchange of sex for money is not prohibited, the purchase of sexual services is illegal. This contradiction in legislation means that, while prostitution is ostensibly legal, there is no legal way to obtain sexual services.

Belize has been identified as a transit country for drug and human trafficking, and this has resulted in a high number of prostitutes, many of whom are victims of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking of minors is also a problem in the country.

In addition to the human rights issues, the commercial sex trade in Belize poses health risks. HIV is on the rise in the country, and many sex workers do not take the proper medical precautions.

Buying sex is illegal in Belize

While prostitution is legal in Belize, the buying of sexual services is not. This means that although it is not illegal to be a sex worker, it is illegal to purchase those services.

Belize's prostitution laws are similar to those of Canada, where it is legal to be a sex worker but illegal to buy sexual services. This is an example of neo-abolitionism, where the sale of sex is legal but the purchase of it is not.

In Belize, associated activities such as operating a brothel, loitering for the purposes of prostitution, and soliciting sex are also illegal. Sex trafficking, including of children, is a problem in Belize, and sex workers are almost guaranteed to be exploited victims. The country is also facing rising HIV rates, with a known prevalence of 2.5% of the population.

Belize has been ranked as Tier 3 by the US State Department's TIP Report, which means that the "government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so". The report also states that "off-duty police officers often provide security for sex trade establishments, which may have inhibited victims from coming forward and officers from investigating allegations of trafficking in the sex trade".

Sex trafficking is a problem in Belize

Prostitution is legal in Belize, but the buying of sexual services is not. Sex trafficking, including of children, is a problem in Belize. Sex workers are almost guaranteed to be exploited victims. The child sex tourism industry is booming, with demand coming mostly from US citizens. Relatives often facilitate the trafficking of women and girls. Traffickers also specifically target migrants looking for work, offering them relatively high-paying jobs and then leveraging their illegal status to trap them into forced labor.

The Government of Belize is dedicated to decimating trafficking by improving its enforcement of anti-human trafficking laws. In 2017, the Belize Police Department (BPD) commissioner signed a formal agreement with the Human Trafficking Institute (HTI) to form a specialized anti-trafficking unit dedicated solely to investigating human trafficking cases and identifying victims. In 2018, Belize’s commissioner of police signed another agreement with HTI to continue the partnership. Experts work directly with the specialized human trafficking unit of the BPD and mentor investigators as they identify and investigate human trafficking cases.

However, little has been done to prosecute traffickers. In 2018, Belize’s government decreased efforts to prosecute traffickers, failing to convict a single trafficker for the second consecutive year. Belize is a “source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor”. The low probability of perpetrators being convicted has allowed the trafficking industry to thrive in Belize.

The biggest contributing factors to the flourishing trafficking industry are allegations of government complicity. Victims are often intimidated into staying silent, especially when the government seems to be more interested in protecting traffickers. Law enforcement officials are not only untrained in handling trafficking cases but many are actively involved in protecting traffickers. It is not uncommon for off-duty police officers to work as security for hire at brothels. Officers may turn a blind eye to sex trafficking so as not to lose their side jobs. Victims may not feel they can go to the police for protection since they know that some officers directly benefit from their exploitation.

HIV is on the rise in Belize

Prostitution is legal in Belize, but the buying of sexual services is not. Associated activities such as operating a brothel, loitering for the purpose of prostitution, and soliciting sex are also illegal. Despite this, prostitution is common and is practised openly throughout the country, particularly in popular tourist destinations. Belize is a destination for sex tourism, and child sex tourism is a problem, primarily by visitors from the United States. Sex trafficking, including of children, is an issue in Belize, and sex workers are almost guaranteed to be exploited victims.

The issue of sex trafficking and prostitution in Belize is compounded by the fact that HIV is on the rise in the country. HIV prevalence in Belize is 2.1% among adults, the highest in Central America and the third-highest in the wider Caribbean after the Bahamas and Haiti, according to a 2007 study. UNAIDS estimates that around 3,600 people are currently living with HIV in Belize, with 2,000 of them being women. There were 239 new HIV cases reported in 2015, compared to 226 new infections in 2014. The infection rate has remained at 0.8% for the past three years, but health workers estimate that for every 1,000 positive tests, there may be another 7,000 infected individuals who have not yet been tested. Many people resist testing until they become seriously ill with other infections and complications arising from HIV, and by then, it is often too late for treatment.

The Ministry of Health in Belize is working to address the issue of HIV and has tested more people than ever before: 31,346 in 2015, compared to 26,589 in 2012, 29,477 in 2013, and 28,626 in 2014. The Ministry provides free anti-retroviral medication to those who test HIV-positive and enrol in their program, but this requires a commitment to a specific lifestyle and diet, regular testing, restricting sexual contacts, and absolutely avoiding unprotected sex.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is also implementing an HIV/AIDS grant agreement with Belize to treat and prevent the disease, particularly among the large number of teens and young adults in the country. The grant, worth $3.1 million from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, aims to deliver HIV education, provide access to condoms and testing, offer psychosocial support to people living with HIV, provide support services to children affected by AIDS, and offer anti-retroviral drugs free of cost.

Prostitution is widespread in Belize

Belize is a transit country along known drug and human trafficking routes, which increases the number of sex workers in the country. Many of these workers are foreign-born children and women who are victims of the sex slave trade. San Pedro Town, in southern Ambergris Caye, is a Belizean stop-off point for drugs and human trafficking. Criminal organisations operating out of nearby Guatemala and El Salvador are responsible for much of the gang activity related to human trafficking in Belize.

In addition, sex trafficking, including of children, is a problem in Belize. Sex workers are almost guaranteed to be exploited victims, and the practice should not be supported.

The US State Department has categorised Belize as a Tier 3 nation, meaning that the government "does not fully comply with the minimum standards [to eliminate human trafficking] and are not making significant efforts to do so".

The country's US TIP Report states that:

> "The Government of Belize does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so."

The report also states that "off-duty police officers often provide security for sex trade establishments, which may have inhibited victims from coming forward and officers from investigating allegations of trafficking in the sex trade—particularly if made against their employers."

Belize is a transit country for human trafficking

Prostitution is legal in Belize, but the buying of sexual services is not. However, Belize is also a transit country for human trafficking. The Government of Belize has been making efforts to improve its enforcement of anti-human trafficking laws, and in 2022, the United States' Secretary of State upgraded Belize's status to Tier 2, recognising the country's significant efforts to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Belize has demonstrated increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, including:

• Convicting two traffickers and applying adequate sentences
• Expanding the size of its Anti-Trafficking (A-TIP) Police Unit, leading to increased investigations
• Improving data collection and case monitoring
• Opening a shelter for unaccompanied children at risk of trafficking, in cooperation with an international organisation
• Prioritising anti-trafficking funding and implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP)

Despite these efforts, the government of Belize still faces challenges in addressing human trafficking. There have been reports of official complicity in trafficking crimes, and a lack of adequate oversight in labour recruitment and investigation of trafficking allegations. Additionally, measures to reduce the demand for commercial sex remain insufficient.

To further strengthen its efforts, Belize should focus on implementing the anti-trafficking law by vigorously investigating and prosecuting traffickers, including child sex tourists and officials allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes. Additionally, consistent application of formal procedures to identify victims among vulnerable groups is crucial. This includes children at risk of familial trafficking, foreign workers, and migrants. Increasing engagement with survivors and providing adequate funding for specialised victim services are also essential steps in combating human trafficking in Belize.

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