Prostitution in Mexico is legal under Federal Law. Each of the 31 states enacts its own prostitution laws and policies. Some Mexican cities have enacted "tolerance zones" "zonas de tolerancia" which allow regulated prostitution and function as red light districts. Prostitution was known to exist during the Aztec Empire, [7] although the details are relatively unknown as much Aztec history was chronicled later by Roman Catholics [8] in pejorative manner based on strict European values and law.
Following the Spanish conquest and establishment of New Spain , Spanish settlers created a demand for prostitution. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries prostitution was tolerated provided it was kept out of sight. Although Philip IV banned the practice, this was generally unenforced. Prostitution was first regulated in Mexico during the French occupation in the s. These regulations which consisted of registering oneself as a prostitute and of regular health care check ups were implemented to protect European soldiers from contracting sexually transmitted diseases , since sexually transmitted diseases particularly syphilis and gonorrea were spreading quickly.
While in power, the French influenced the perception of sex work in various ways, as they categorized women based on their views of beauty and classified places where sex work was done depending on location and services available. Though the French enforced supervision of prostitutes as a way of protecting themselves from infections similar regulations remained when Mexico regained control of the country.
According to a study, economic concerns were the main reason for turning to the sex trade in Porfirian Mexico, at which time 15 to 30 per cent of Mexico City 's young female population was employed in the sex trade. During the Mexican Revolution and civil war, supplies to the cities were severely disrupted and many women prostituted themselves for food in the period — Although morally pressured by the United States and the prevalent changes ongoing prostitution after World War I, El Paso's location served as a convenient place for prostitution to thrive.
El Paso's proximity to the United States border allowed for quick and easy access by Americans after the abolishment of prostitution. The access to Mexico via the railroad from the United States and the economic success of prostitution gave way to a surge of Mexican women participating in this kind of labor. As prostitution increased so did the regulations. In translocal border cities such as Mexicali in Baja California , local brothels and vaudeville theatres became spaces for American tourists, Asian laborers, and Mexican-American sex workers to intermingle in the s.
