Prostitution in Bulgaria is itself legal, [1] but organised prostitution brothels , prostitution rings, or other forms of procuring is prohibited. The sex trade is a major source of income for Bulgarian criminals. UNAIDS estimates there are 10, prostitutes in the country, [7] and in there were 20, Bulgarian prostitutes working abroad and this was a source of foreign exchange earnings for Bulgaria. Article of the Criminal Code prohibits procuring and keeping premises used for prostitution: [11].
Vagrancy and public order laws are used against prostitutes soliciting. Bulgaria once maintained a reputation as a transit country for sex trafficking , but subsequently, it has become known as a destination where the sex trade takes place. Bulgarian women and children are subjected to sex trafficking within the country, as well as in Europe , and the Middle East.
Romanian girls are subjected to sex trafficking in Bulgaria. Government corruption creates an environment enabling some trafficking crimes, and officials have been investigated for suspected involvement in trafficking.
The Bulgarian government has stepped up its efforts to eradicate human trafficking. Authorities prosecuted 72 defendants with sex trafficking in 55 in The government convicted 34 sex traffickers in 47 sex traffickers convicted in Only 12 of the 34 convicted traffickers, 34 percent, received a prison sentence that was not suspended, a similarly low rate as in the previous three years.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sexuality, Poverty and Law. Retrieved 16 February Retrieved International Herald Tribune. Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter. Retrieved 28 November NBC News. Retrieved 2 November BBC News. Retrieved 21 July Retrieved 2 November — via Deutsche Welle. The Sofia Echo. Legislation Online. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Archived from the original on 29 July Retrieved 29 July Prostitution in Europe.
