Prostitution

Prostitution is a form of sex work defined by the exchange of sexual activity for payment, with the specific acts considered sexual varying by context but generally requiring physical contact such as intercourse, manual or oral sex. This physical contact inherently carries a risk of transmitting infections. The practice is also referred to as commercial sex, sexual services, or colloquially as hooking, and is sometimes characterized as gender-based violence. In English-speaking cultures, it is euphemistically called "the world's oldest profession." Those engaged in the work are typically called prostitutes or sex workers, though terms like hooker and whore are used pejoratively. The majority of prostitutes are female with male clients.

Prostitution takes multiple forms, including street prostitution, escort work (where the act occurs at a client’s residence or hotel room as out-call, or at the escort’s location as in-call), and brothel-based prostitution. Brothels are establishments dedicated to this trade. The legal status of prostitution varies widely by country and region, ranging from enforced or unenforced crime to decriminalized activity, legal but unregulated work, or a regulated profession. It is one branch of the sex industry, alongside pornography, stripping, and erotic dancing. A 2011 report estimated about 42 million prostitutes worldwide, with annual revenue exceeding $100 billion, though data is lacking for much of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Opinions on prostitution diverge sharply. Some view it as exploitation or violence, particularly against women and children, and as fueling human trafficking. Supporters of the “Nordic model” decriminalize selling sex while criminalizing its purchase, an approach adopted by Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway, and France. Others see it as legitimate labor, with Amnesty International among groups advocating for full decriminalization. Terminology is contested: many sex worker activists reject the word prostitute in favor of sex worker, though that term also encompasses broader sex industry roles. The word prostitute derives from Latin, suggesting one “exposed to lust” or “offered up for sale.” The term whore, from Old English and Proto-Germanic roots meaning “desire,” is widely considered pejorative, though some German organizations deliberately use it. Other terms include ho