Prostitution may have originated as a respectable and spiritual transaction between priestesses and priests in Babylonian temples. It was designed to bring them closer to God, with no money changing hands. The first brothels were probably in Egypt, but they evidently became popular in ancient Greece, where prostitutes, mostly women and teenage boys, were obliged to wear distinctive clothing and pay taxes. They advertised their services on their sandals, which left the words ‘follow me’ imprinted in the sand. In Rome, the ranks of the sex trade were made up mainly of foreign slaves, abandoned children and criminal women. In Europe in the Middle Ages, prostitution, although proscribed by the Church, was regarded as preferable to the greater evils of rape, sodomy and masturbation. The tide of tolerance turned at the time of the Protestant reformation. In 18th century France, regulation started and prostitutes were given medical checks and licensed premises. In the early part of the 20th century, prostitution became illegal in America, but as with many other countries it has continued regardless.
‘The pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, and the expense damnable.’ Lord Chesterfield on prostitution
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so much damn porn, I never get out of the house.’ Jack Nicholson
PIMPING
Pimps are also known as macks, fancy men, panders, ponces and procurers. In the US, an established pimp is a ‘player’; someone who uses violence and intimidation to control prostitutes is a guerrilla pimp; a man who employs psychological tricks to hook girls is a finesse pimp; new pimps are known as popcorn pimps, wannabes and hustlers. In the US, one third to two- thirds of prostitutes enter the profession by the age of 16: 90 per cent are physically abused and 80 per cent sexually abused by pimps, who expect them to earn $500 each day, providing their controllers with a generous yearly income approaching $200,000 per girl. The Players’ Ball is held annually in Chicago to celebrate pimping. Tickets are $300.
Famous pimps: Iceberg Slim, Charles Manson, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano
‘The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex
for money usually costs a lot less.’ Brendan Behan