Brothel - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition brothel

Definition :

Brothel [fr. bordel, Fr.], a habitation of prostitutes. To keep one is an offence at Common Law, the prosecution of which by indictment is specially encouraged by the (English) Disorderly Houses Act, 1751 (25 Geo. 2, c. 36), s. 5, and the prosecution of which by summary proceedings before justices of the peace is allowed by the (English) Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 69). Further provision for the suppression of brothels is made by the (English) Criminal Law Amendment Acts, 1912 and 1922. For a person licensed to sell intoxicating liquor to permit his premises to be a brothel, the penalty is up to 20l. fine, forfeiture of license, and perpetual disqualification for holding another, by s. 15 of the (English) Licensing Act, 1872. A woman who keeps a house for the purpose of prostitution with herself alone cannot be convicted of keeping a brothel, Singleton v. Ellison, (1895) 1 QB 607.

Includes any house, room, [conveyance] or place or any portion of any house, room [conveyance] or place, which is used for purpose [of sexual exploitation or abuse] for the gain of another person or for the mutual gain of two or more prostitutes. [Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956), s. 2 (a); See also Children Act, 1960 (60 of 1960), s. 2(a)]

--Is a place being used for the purpose of sexual exploitation or abuse, Gaurav Jain v. Union of India, (1997) 8 SCC 114 (126): AIR 1997 SC 3201. [Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, s. 2(a)]