Prostitution is common lewdness for hire, the act or...

Prostitution is common lewdness for hire, the act or practice of a woman who permits a man who will pay her price to have sexual intercourse with her. It is a universal phenomenon with moral, social, cultural, psychological, medical, and other aspects. Although male prostitution is also found, that involving males exclusively is best considered as part of the general problem of HOMOSEXUALITY. History. Social attitudes toward prostitution have changed through the ages and go on changing. It is difficult to generalize about primitive societies in which prostitution was generally obviated by an early age of marriage, the existence of polygamy or ease of divorce, and the sexual freedoms of some peoples. Instances of prostitution of slaves†¦show more content†¦While the Greeks had few principles of sexual morality but a well-preserved sense of public decency, the Romans held much more exalted personal and family ideals but came to exhibit a general moral depravity of which prostitution was only one form. In this development prostitution remained shameful per se, for both parties. A system of police registration and taxation was developed very early. The names of prostitutes could never be removed from the register, they were required to wear distinctive dress, and they were deprived of full civil rights. Greek influence, along with the increase of wealth and luxury, a ssisted in the spiritual decay of the Republic until even the upper strata of society yielded recruits to prostitution. Corrective measures attempted by some emperors were unsuccessful, as was a sixth-century attempt at a monastic refuge established by Justinian, who also removed some of the civil disabilities of prostitutes. Christianity, while condemning the procurer, introduced a charitable attitude toward the prostitute. There developed an interest in the reformation of prostitutes and the suppression of vice. The Church established rescue missions, convents for the reception of penitents, and dowries to enable prostitutes to marry. Innocent III commended the marrying of a prostitute. Gregory IX denounced those who drew profit from prostitution,Page 774 | Top of Article counseled that brothel-keepers should not be allowed to prevent prostitutes from