Prostitution in Overseas France varies from area to area with regard to extent, law enforcement and legality. Overseas France French : France d'outre-mer consists of all the French-administered territories outside Continental Europe. These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy. Almost all inhabited French administrative divisions outside Europe are classified as either overseas regions or overseas collectivites.
There is also one Overseas territory and two territories with Special status. Overseas regions have identical status to regions in metropolitan France and French law is in force. Selling sex is legal, but related activities such as solicitation and brothel keeping are illegal. Although illegal, prostitution in French Guiana is common, especially in the gold mining areas of the interior.
Women and children from Suriname are victims of sex trafficking in French Guiana. Although brothels were outlawed in by Loi Marthe Richard , the French military continued to run " Bordel militaire de campagne ".
The last one on French territory was at Kourou until it was closed in following a complaint of unfair competition from a local pimp. Despite the law, prostitution occurs in Guadeloupe. Dominican prostitutes also work from bars in Le Gosier. Prostitutes are known locally as "pangnols". The first laws on prostitution in Martinique were passed in the s. They were designed to keep prostitutes away from public areas but poorly enforced. The new laws targeted prostitution in the bars and restaurants of Fort-de-France , which the colonial authorities believed were a major factor of STIs.
The aim of the authorities was to move all prostitution into brothels. The women were reluctant to work in the brothels, so prostitution remained in the bars and restaurants. When the "law Marthe Richard" came into force in , banning brothels, the authorities aim of restricting prostitution to brothels was unachievable. In modern-day Martinique, street prostitution is common in the Terres-Sainville district of Fort-de-France.
