Prostitution

Lore & Background

Prostitution is derived from the Latin prostituta, with possible meanings including 'to offer up for sale' or 'to place forward.' The Online Etymology Dictionary notes that the notion of 'sex for hire' is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one 'exposed to lust' or sex 'indiscriminately offered.' The word prostitute was carried through various languages to present-day Western society. Most sex worker activist groups reject the word prostitute and since the late 1970s have used the term sex worker instead, though sex worker can also refer to anyone in the sex industry. Common alternatives include escort and whore, with whore considered pejorative, especially in its modern slang form of ho. In Germany, many prostitutes' organizations deliberately use the word Hure (whore) as they feel prostitute is a bureaucratic term.

Reader's Guide

Prostitution's significance lies in its global prevalence and the intense debate over its legal and moral status. Views on prostitution diverge sharply: some see it as exploitation or violence against women and children, supporting the Nordic model that decriminalizes selling sex but criminalizes buying it, adopted by Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway, and France. Others view sex work as a legitimate occupation, with Amnesty International calling for decriminalization. Terminology is hotly contested, with terms like prostitute, sex worker, hooker, and whore carrying different connotations. The word prostitution is also used metaphorically to mean debasing oneself or 'selling out,' as seen in political rhetoric, such as Joseph Stalin calling Leon Trotsky a 'political prostitute.' The legal status of prostitution varies widely, from enforced crime to regulated profession, reflecting differing societal opinions.

Did You Know?

• The word 'prostitute' derives from Latin prostituta, possibly meaning 'to put up front for sale.'
• The term 'hooker' likely comes from prostitutes concentrated around Corlear's Hook area of Manhattan in the 1820s.
• Buyers of sex are often called 'johns' in North America and 'punters' in Britain and Ireland.
• The Nordic model decriminalizes selling sex but makes purchasing sex illegal, adopted by Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway, and France.