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The History of Prostitution


            What is prostitution? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, prostitution is "a person who offers herself himself for sexual intercourse for money." Prostitution is lawfully the sale of sexual activities for money. The services exhibited by prostitutes may vary from oral to intercourse, and anything in between those lines. Prostitution is all over the world including, Thailand, Bangladesh, Mexico and the United States. Although prostitution has been seen heavily throughout our history, it still remains hard to view it positively. Many cultures have tried to ban prostitution based on religious or moralistic grounds. It is enthralling to note that in spite of an increasingly desacralized attitude towards sexual relationships, such as our society's growing tolerance of homosexuality or sex before marriage, prostitution remains being viewed as a disgrace. .
             Prostitution dates back to ancient times. The first known prostitution was in the Ancient Near East. There were many shrines and temples, called "houses of heaven", where prostitution was commonly practiced. In fourth century AD, the "houses of heaven" were destroyed by then emperor Constantine. Dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, there has always been an attempt to protect women's rights, which was outlined in the Code of Hammurabi. In ancient times, prostitutes where common in places like Greece and Rome. In Greece, both men and women were prostitutes and had to pay taxes. In Rome, the prostitutes had to register themselves. Unlike Greece and Rome, prostitution was seen as a disgrace in Asia, and was therefore forbidden. After many failed attempts at banning prostitution, the Church was forced to come to terms with the fact that they couldn't get rid of it. As a result, prostitutes were not accepted in the Church as long as they were prostitutes. As years passed, prostitution remained a controversy. Especially in the 19th Century, when both France and the United Kingdom made prostitution legal.


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