| Country | Both Men and Women Protected | Minors Protected | Both Nationals and Foreigners Protected |
| Belize | / | - | - |
| Costa Rica | - | - | - |
| Dominican Republic | - | - | unclear |
| Guatemala | - | - | - |
| Honduras | - | - | - |
| Nicaragua | - | - | unclear |
| Panama | - | - | - |
Defining Acts
With the exception of Costa Rica, every country in the subregion
with trafficking legislation specifically limits the crime of
trafficking to acts that are done for the end purpose of prostitution.
Costa Rica's law further applies to trafficking for "sexual servitude".
In only one country is "prostitution" further defined, and it remains
unclear whether trafficking for other forms of sexual exploitation such
as pornography, sex tourism, and stripping would be covered.
A comparison of the laws of this region shows both
similarities and differences in the specific acts that constitute
trafficking. In Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama, for
example, the act of trafficking is defined as "promoting" and/or
"facilitating" a victim's entry into or exit from national territory for
purposes of prostitution.
In the Dominican Republic, trafficking is
defined as "delivering" or "inciting" victims to engage in prostitution
abroad, and in Nicaragua, "recruiting" or "enlisting" people for the
purpose of prostitution are the acts which the law regards as trafficking.
| Country | Acts That May Constitute Trafficking | Purpose ofAct (Required for Act to Constitute Trafficking) |
| Belize | Procuring victims exit of country or abandonment of regular residence | Prostitution |
| Costa Rica | Promoting, facilitating or encouraging victims entry to or exit from country | Prostitution, Sexual Servitude or Forced Labor |
| Dominican Republic | Delivering or inciting victims to engage in prostitution abroad | Prostitution |
| Guatemala | Promoting, facilitating, supporting victims entry to or exit from country | Prostitution |
| Honduras | Promoting, facilitating victims entry to or exit from country | Prostitution |
| Nicaragua | Recruiting and enlisting victims (within or outside country) | Prostitution |
| Panama | Promoting or facilitating victims entry or exit from country | Prostitution |