The combination of pristine natural environmentsβboth forested and marineβas well as progressive urban centers, offers a playground of recreational opportunities for a wide range of people. However, recreation in Washington State does have limits, and some of those limits are hard lines defined by the legal system.
In Washington State, however, the legal mechanism tends to come down harder on those who attempt to solicit prostitution services than those who offer it, which can result in solicitation or patronizing charges. Our experienced attorneys have been addressing legal cases all over Washington State for decades, whether they are simple civil infractions or complex criminal trials. We offer representation to cities like Tacoma and the surrounding region.
We can resolve solicitation charges for anyone who is facing this unfortunate and often embarrassing situation. While prostitution is found everywhere in the United States, it may surprise some to find that there are only two states in the entire country that have any legal mechanisms to regulate it. Nevada is perhaps the least surprising of the two, as the gambling capital has formally and legally allowed prostitution to be practiced in specific areas under specific conditions.
Maine, however, is another state where the prostitutes themselves are legally permitted to offer their services, but the general public can still be charged if they are found actively transacting with a prostitute for their services. As it stands currently, however, prostitution is illegal in Washington State. One of the reasons why prostitution is still illegal and why solicitation as a charge is associated with it is to combat crimes that are tangentially related to prostitution.
Human trafficking, for example, exists in part to service the sex industry, and unfortunately, Washington State is one of the regions where human trafficking for the purposes of the sex trade does occur. In some parts of the country, the charges of solicitation and patronizing a prostitute are two separate charges. Solicitation is generally viewed as the act of approaching a prostitute and negotiating for sexual services. Patronizing a prostitute follows afterward, with payment and the actual rendering of sexual services.
