History Of Prostitution | The

"Sacred prostitution" was practiced in temples to honor deities like Ishtar or Aphrodite. In Ancient Greece, the industry was tiered: pornai worked in brothels, while hetairae were highly educated companions who held significant social influence.

Prostitution was a legal, taxed, and regulated business. While sex workers (often slaves or freedwomen) occupied a low social status ( infamia ), the practice was considered a necessary "vent" to protect the sanctity of marriage. The Middle Ages: Tolerance and Regulation The History of Prostitution

Early Christian Europe held a complicated view. St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas argued that while prostitution was sinful, its total abolition would lead to greater social chaos (like rape or sodomy). "Sacred prostitution" was practiced in temples to honor

Laws like the UK’s Contagious Diseases Acts (1860s) allowed for the forced medical examination of women suspected of prostitution to prevent STIs among soldiers. This sparked early feminist movements that fought against the "double standard" where women were punished while male clients were ignored. While sex workers (often slaves or freedwomen) occupied

In many early societies, sex work was integrated into religious and civic life.

Prostitution was increasingly viewed through the lens of social hygiene and urban poverty rather than just religious sin. The 20th Century to Present: Criminalization and Rights