Prostitution in Jordan

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Prostitution in Jordan is technically illegal,{{cite web|title=The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country|url=http://chartsbin.com/view/snb|website=ChartsBin|access-date=17 March 2018}}{{cite web|title=Sex Work Law - Countries|url=http://spl.ids.ac.uk/sexworklaw/countries|website=Sexuality, Poverty and Law|access-date=17 March 2018|language=en}} but in practice, tolerated, with authorities turning a blind eye to the act.{{cite web|last1=Shuqum|first1=Raied T.|title=Jordan deals with different faces of human trafficking|url=https://thearabweekly.com/jordan-deals-different-faces-human-trafficking|website=Arab Weekly|access-date=17 March 2018|date=7 August 2015}} Prostitution occurs mainly in the larger cities in their poor neighbourhoods.{{cite web|title=Desperate, some fleeing Syria turn to prostitution in Jordan|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/66454/World/Region/Desperate,-some-fleeing-Syria-turn-to-prostitution.aspx|website=Ahram Online|access-date=17 March 2018|language=en|date=9 March 2013}}

It occurs in brothels, restaurants, night clubs and on the streets. The prostitutes are mainly from Russia, Ukraine, the Philippines, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq as well as Jordanians.

Red-light districts are rare in the country, although most cities have "cruising areas".{{cite web |last1=Halaby |first1=Jamal |title=In Jordan, desperate Syrian refugees turn to prostitution |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-jordan-desperate-syrian-refugees-turn-to-prostitution/ |website=www.timesofisrael.com |access-date=6 April 2020 |date=9 March 2013}} In the neighborhood of Jubaiha (al-jubaiha:الجبيهة), in the capital, Amman, one of the major streets has been commonly called "Tallaini Street" meaning "the pick me up street". Local residents have tried to stop prostitution in the area.{{cite web|title=موقع خبرني : حملة شعبية لتطهير شارع "طلّعني" من بائعات الهوى|url=http://www.khaberni.com/news/70705|website=موقع خبرني [Khaberni]|access-date=17 March 2018|language=ar|date=3 March 2012 |trans-title=A popular campaign to clear the street of prostitutes}}

In 2007, in an attempt to limit the number of prostitutes in Jordan, Jordan's Ministry of Interior announced a special visa scheme for women aged 17–40 travelling alone from Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Armenia. Protests from the tourist industry resulted in the scheme being withdrawn.{{cite web|title=Jordan backtracks on decision to forbid single women from entering the country|url=http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/jordan-backtracks-decision-forbid-single-women.html|website=The Travel Magazine|access-date=17 March 2018|date=8 March 2007}}

Jordan is known for sex tourism within the Middle East.{{cite news|title= One night in Amman|work=Inside Story|url= http://inside.org.au/one-night-in-amman/|access-date=11 April 2012}}{{cite news|title=The Trade: Sex Work In Jordan|work=Jo|url=http://www.jo.jo/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2403:the-trade-sex-work-in-jordan&catid=55:society&Itemid=171|access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120502070940/http://www.jo.jo/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2403:the-trade-sex-work-in-jordan&catid=55:society&Itemid=171 |archive-date=2 May 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://en.arij.net/report/lack-of-systematic-health-inspection-at-night-clubs-helps-spread-sexual-diseases/|title=Jordan : Jordan's Underground Prostitution Industry|access-date=4 August 2017}} Instances of female sex tourism with Bedouin men have been reported at tourist sites in the Jordanian desert.{{cite news|title= The Jordanian desert's other delight: sex tourism|work=Global Post|url= http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/jordan/100225/jordan-sex-tourism |access-date=11 April 2012}}

Some Syrian refugees in Jordan have been reported to be working as prostitutes,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-middle-east-22707377/syrian-refugees-women-in-jordan-sexually-exploited|title=Syrian refugees: Women in Jordan 'sexually exploited'|website=BBC News|date=29 May 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/i-951--jordan-okay-single-women-allowed-in.html|title=Jordan: Okay, Single women allowed in|website=The Travel Magazine|date=8 March 2007|access-date=17 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805060010/http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/i-951--jordan-okay-single-women-allowed-in.html|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jan/24/syrian-women-refugees-risk-sexual-exploitation|title=Syrian women in Jordan at risk of sexual exploitation at refugee camps|first=Lee|last=Harper|date=24 January 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=4 August 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thearabweekly.com/Opinion/1463/Jordan-deals-with-different-faces-of-human-trafficking|title=Jordan deals with different faces of human trafficking|website=The Arab Weekly|date=8 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/66454/World/Region/Desperate,-some-fleeing-Syria-turn-to-prostitution.aspx|title=Desperate, some fleeing Syria turn to prostitution in Jordan|website=Ahram Online|date=9 March 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hivlawcommission.org/index.php/working-papers/prostitution-in-the-arab-world-a-legal-study-of-arab-legislation?tmpl=component |title=Prostitution in the Arab World: A Legal Study of Arab Legislation - Global Commission on HIV and the Law |website=Hivlawcommission.org |access-date=14 March 2017}} including in the Zaatari refugee camp.