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Prostitution: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Prostitution
The word prostitute derives from the Latin prostituta, which literally translates to 'to put up front for sale' or 'to place forward,' yet the modern notion of sex for hire is not inherent in the etymology. Instead, the original meaning suggests one 'exposed to lust' or sex 'indiscriminately offered.' This ancient linguistic root anchors a practice that has existed since the dawn of recorded history, appearing in the Archaic era poems of Anacreon around 575 BC, which referenced 'whores by choice.' In ancient Greece, prostitution was not merely a criminal underworld activity but a complex social institution involving free-born women of high social status known as hetairai, alongside involuntary slave prostitutes. The practice was so integrated into daily life that male prostitutes also existed, and the institution was viewed by some philosophers as a necessary evil to prevent the collective rape of 'honest' women. The Roman Empire, lacking a unified legal approach, taxed prostitution under Emperor Caligula and allowed slave owners to include the ne serva prostituatur covenant in sale contracts, prohibiting the forced prostitution of slaves after they were sold. By the Middle Ages, the definition had become ambiguous, with secular and canonical organizations constantly evolving their terms, yet the core reality remained: a woman trading her body for money, often without the familial ties or means to protect herself from the lure of the trade.
Brothels and the Red Light District
In the thirteenth century, the city of Marseille established the first known definition of prostitution in its statutes, designating prostitutes as 'public girls' who received two or more men in their house and traded their bodies within the confines of a brothel. These establishments, ranging from private bordelages run by a procuress to public baths, became the regulatory norm for centuries, with sumptuary laws forcing courtesans to wear badges of a particular color, such as yellow, to distinguish them from respectable women. In fourteenth-century London, prostitutes were only tolerated when they wore yellow hoods, a visual marker that proved no impediment to wealthier prostitutes whose glamorous appearances were almost indistinguishable from noble women. The Church, unable to remove prostitution from worldly society, began to tolerate it as a lesser evil in the fourteenth century, establishing 'Magdalene Homes' to provide asylum and encourage reformation, while simultaneously using the figure of Mary Magdalene to urge repentance. By the end of the fifteenth century, attitudes hardened following an outbreak of syphilis in Naples in 1494, which may have originated from the Columbian Exchange, leading to the outlawing of brothels and the association of prostitutes with plague and contagion. Despite these legal and religious pressures, illegal brothels thrived, and the lives of prostitutes within them were not cloistered like that of nuns, with some living permanently in the streets assigned to them while others were only allowed to practice their trade within the specific brothel where they worked.
Common questions
What is the etymological origin of the word prostitute?
The word prostitute derives from the Latin prostituta, which literally translates to 'to put up front for sale' or 'to place forward.' The original meaning suggests one 'exposed to lust' or sex 'indiscriminately offered' rather than the modern notion of sex for hire.
When did the city of Marseille establish the first known definition of prostitution?
In the thirteenth century, the city of Marseille established the first known definition of prostitution in its statutes, designating prostitutes as 'public girls' who received two or more men in their house. These regulations required prostitutes to wear badges of a particular color, such as yellow, to distinguish them from respectable women.
How many prostitutes were estimated to exist in the world in 2011?
A 2011 report by the Fondation Scelles estimated that there are about 42 million prostitutes in the world. This population generates annual revenue of over 100 billion dollars, though most of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa lack data.
Which countries adopted the Nordic model of criminalizing the buying of sex in 1999?
In 1999, Sweden criminalized the buying, not the selling, of sex, a model known as the Nordic model that has since become law in France, Norway, and Iceland. This approach decriminalizes the act of selling sex while making the purchase of sex illegal, a stance also adopted by Canada, Ireland, and Northern Ireland.
Where is the village of Daulatdia located and what is its significance?
Daulatdia is an entire village in Bangladesh dedicated to prostitution, sometimes called the world's largest brothel. Many people born there are the children of prostitutes, and mass weddings for these children are held to protect them from being pushed into prostitution.
When did a UK judge rule that council care workers can help disabled people meet prostitutes?
In 2021, a UK judge ruled that council care workers can help disabled people meet prostitutes without breaking the law. Some countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands fund access to sex workers for those with disabilities on the basis that sexuality is a human right.
A 2011 report by the Fondation Scelles, an anti-human trafficking organization, estimated that there are about 42 million prostitutes in the world, generating annual revenue of over 100 billion dollars, though most of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa lack data. The economic conditions of a country dictate the salaries and payments of sex workers, with those serving foreign clients depending on good foreign economic conditions, while popular, high-end prostitutes can earn upwards of 5,000 dollars per client. In the United States, prostitution generated significant national revenue in South Korea, where the military government encouraged the practice for U.S. military personnel, and in the Barbary Coast of San Francisco, where the population was mainly men due to the Gold Rush. The economic decline following the collapse of the Soviet Union led to increased prostitution in many current and former Communist countries, with thousands of Eastern European women ending up as prostitutes in China, Western Europe, Israel, and Turkey every year. Some enter the profession willingly, while many are tricked, coerced, or kidnapped, often experiencing captivity and violence. In the Islamic world, sex outside of marriage was historically acquired through personal sex slaves called concubines, a trade that continued into the early 20th century, with pimps temporarily selling their female slaves to clients who returned the ownership after intercourse. In modern times, the legalization of buying sex is associated with higher human trafficking inflows than countries where it is prohibited, and the type of legalization, such as allowing third-party involvement, is not shown to make a difference in the effect of sex trafficking inflows.
Legal Models and Political Stances
The legal status of prostitution varies widely worldwide, from being legal and considered a profession to being punishable by death, reflecting differing opinions on victimhood, exploitation, and gender roles. In 1999, Sweden criminalized the buying, not the selling, of sex, a model known as the Nordic model that has since become law in France, Norway, and Iceland, where the law is even more strict, forbidding also having sex with a prostitute abroad. This approach decriminalizes the act of selling sex while making the purchase of sex illegal, a stance adopted by Canada, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. Conversely, countries like the Netherlands and Germany view prostitution as a legitimate business that is regulated, while many Muslim countries criminalize the act entirely. In 1949, the UN General Assembly adopted a convention stating that 'prostitution and the accompanying evil of the traffic in persons for the purpose of prostitution are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person,' requiring all signing parties to punish pimps and brothel owners. As of January 2009, the convention was ratified by 95 member nations including France, Spain, and Italy, but not by 97 member nations including Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2014, the European Parliament voted in a non-binding resolution in favor of the Swedish Model, with 343 votes to 139, signaling a global shift in how nations approach the ethics and morality of the sex trade.
Survival Sex and Vulnerable Populations
Survival sex is when the prostitute is driven to prostitution by a need for basic necessities such as food or shelter, a phenomenon reported in refugee camps and among homeless youth. In internally displaced persons camps in northern Uganda, where 1.4 million civilians have been displaced by conflict, Human Rights Watch reported in 2005 that displaced women and girls were engaging in survival sex with other camp residents, local defense personnel, and Ugandan government soldiers. In Bangladesh, child prostitutes are known to take the drug Oradexon, also known as dexamethasone, an over-the-counter steroid usually used by farmers to fatten cattle, which makes child prostitutes look larger and older. Charities say that 90% of prostitutes in the country's legalized brothels use the drug, which can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, and is highly addictive. In India, some girls are injected with oxytocin to make their breasts grow faster, and the federal police say that around 1.2 million children are believed to be involved in prostitution. The use of children in the global sex trade is especially common in places such as Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, and India, where children are sold into the trade every year, often kidnapped or orphaned, and sometimes sold by their own families.
Community and Modern Organization
Daulatdia, sometimes called the world's largest brothel, is an entire village in Bangladesh dedicated to prostitution, where many were born there, being the children of prostitutes. Another similar community in Bangladesh is Kandapara, and the village of Vadia, India, is known locally as the village of prostitutes, where unmarried women are involved in prostitution. Mass weddings for children of prostitutes in the village are held to protect them from being pushed into prostitution. The International Union of Sex Workers is a United Kingdom-based labor union for sex workers and is affiliated with the general trade union, GMB. In the United States, one such group is COYOTE, an abbreviation for 'Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics,' and another is the North American Task Force on Prostitution. In Australia, the lead sex worker rights organization is Scarlet Alliance. International prostitutes' rights organizations include the International Committee for Prostitutes' Rights and the Network of Sex Work Projects. These groups lobby against criminalization and discrimination of prostitutes, generally opposing Nevada-style regulation and oversight, stating that prostitution should be treated like other professions. In 2009, Craigslist came under fire for its role in facilitating online prostitution, and was sued by some 40 US state attorneys general, local prosecutors, and law enforcement officials, highlighting the increasing scrutiny from law enforcement and activist groups toward online prostitution.
The Psychology of the Trade
Prostitution is seen by some people with disabilities, or some people with neurological differences, to be an effective way to have sexual experiences, find intimacy, or receive human affection that may be difficult for them to come by via traditional means. A poll by The Observer in 2008 indicated that 70% of Britons would not consider having sex with someone who has a physical disability. Some people that have disabilities are referred to prostitutes by friends or family, such as a parent or guardian, carers, or support workers. In 2021, a UK judge ruled that council care workers can help disabled people meet prostitutes without breaking the law. Prostitutes that cater to people with disabilities have argued that people with disabilities have the same needs and desires as everyone else. In some countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands, access to sex workers for those with disabilities is funded by the state on the basis that sexuality is a human right and leads to improved well-being for people with disabilities. The psychological impact of the trade is also evident in the use of children, where children are often medicated to make them appear more mature, and in the case of elderly women in South Korea, called Bacchus Ladies, who turn to prostitution out of necessity after the 1997 Asian financial crisis made it more difficult for children and grandchildren to support their elders.