Portal:Prostitution
Introduction
Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penetrative sex, manual sex, oral sex, etc.) with the customer. The requirement of physical contact also creates the risk of transferring infections. Prostitution is sometimes described as sexual services, commercial sex or, colloquially, hooking. It is sometimes referred to euphemistically as "the world's oldest profession" in the English-speaking world. A person who works in the field is usually called a prostitute or sex worker, but other words, such as hooker and whore, are sometimes used pejoratively to refer to those who work in prostitution. The majority of prostitutes are female and have male clients.
Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms, and its legal status varies from country to country (sometimes from region to region within a given country). In most cases, it can be either an enforced crime, an unenforced crime, a decriminalized activity, a legal but unregulated activity, or a regulated profession. It is one branch of the sex industry, along with pornography, stripping, and erotic dancing. Brothels are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution. In escort prostitution, the act may take place at the client's residence or hotel room (referred to as out-call), or at the escort's residence or a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort (in-call). Another form is street prostitution.
According to a 2011 report by Fondation Scelles there are about 42 million prostitutes in the world, living all over the world (though most of Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa lack data, studied countries in that large region rank as top sex tourism destinations). Estimates place the annual revenue generated by prostitution worldwide to be over $100 billion. (Full article...)
Selected article
The Recreation and Amusement Association (特殊慰安施設協会, Tokushu Ian Shisetsu Kyōkai) (Special Comfort Facility Association) (RAA) was the largest of the organizations established by Japanese authorities to provide organized prostitution to prevent rapes and sexual violence by Allied occupation troops on the general population, and to create other leisure facilities for occupying Allied troops immediately following World War II. The RAA "recruited" 55,000 women and was short-lived.
On August 21, 1945, Japanese authorities decided to set up a RAA for the benefit of Allied occupation troops. In fact at that time, the Home Ministry had already sent a directive to prefectural governors and police chiefs on August 18 ordering them to make preparations for "comfort facilities" in areas that the Allied occupation troops would be stationed. (read more...)
Selected biography
Laura Bell McDaniel (November 27, 1861–January 1918) was an American madam and brothel owner in Colorado City, now called Old Colorado City, and Cripple Creek during the late 19th century and early 20th century. She was also known the "Courtesan of Colorado City" and "Queen of the Colorado City Tenderloin". She had entered the profession after being left with an infant daughter. McDaniel maintained a close relationship with her mother and family over her career and she sent her daughter to boarding school. Her clients were among the wealthy citizens of the Colorado Springs area and she was said to have the "most spectacular [house] in town", managed by a number of servants. Although she was encouraged to leave town by citizens and law enforcement, she continued to operate her business until her death. (read more...)
Did you know?
- ...that before becoming King of the United Kingdom, Edward VII was a frequent visitor to the luxurious Belle Époque brothel Le Chabanais in Paris (pictured) and had himself built a special "love seat" there?
- ... that the Bozeman Carnegie Library was intentionally built across from Bozeman, Montana's red-light district and opium dens?
- ... that Keong Saik Road in Chinatown, Singapore was formerly a red-light district in the 1960s but is now the site of many boutique hotels?
- ...that the Susukino district was established as a red-light district in Sapporo, Japan in 1871 to keep labourers in Hokkaidō?
Quotes
| “ | What is comes down to is this: the grocer, the butcher, the baker, the merchant, the landlord, the druggist, the liquor dealer, the policeman, the doctor, the city father and the politician – these are the people who make money out of prostitution, these are the real reapers of the wages of sin. | ” |
Anniversaries - December
- 1st
- 1992: The Prostitution Act 1992 (Anna's Law), came into force in the Australian Capital Territory. The law regulated prostitution in the Territory.
- 6th
- 2014: The Parliament of Canada passed legislation to criminalise the buying of sex.
- 13th
- 17th
- 2003: First International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The event has taken place annually since then.
- 20th
- 2013: The Supreme Court of Canada struck down the country's prostitution laws, finding that bans on street soliciting, brothels and people living off the avails of prostitution create severe dangers for vulnerable women.
- 30th
- 1965: Birth of Heidi Fleiss (the Hollywood Madam), an American former madam, and television personality who was imprisoned for running a prostitution ring based in Los Angeles.
- 31st
Selected image
Étienne Jeaurat (1699-1789). "Filles de joie" being taken to the Salpêtrière 1745. Oil on canvas, Musée Carnavalet, Paris.
Legality Map
Subcategories
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Get involved
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- Start a new article. Prostitution is a broad topic, so there will always be plenty of missing articles.
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- Expand an existing article. Existing articles are often incomplete and missing information on key aspects of the topic. Stubs can be found in Category:Stub-Class Sex work articles.
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- Improve main article prostitution to featured status.
- Suggest improvements to this portal here
Recognised content
Featured (13)
Good (18)
- Mah Laqa Bai
- Butters' Bottom Bitch
- Child prostitution
- Elizabeth Cresswell
- Casey Donovan
- Dumas Brothel
- Andrea Dworkin
- Natasha Falle
- Kanhopatra
- Caroline Lacroix
- Ipswich serial murders
- National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking
- Neaira (hetaera)
- Salon Kitty
- She Has a Name
- Soho
- Valerie Solanas
- Three Sisters Tavern
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