The modern era is defined by the tension between abolition and harm reduction.
The rise of the internet has shifted much of the industry from the streets to online platforms, changing how sex work is organized and policed. Conclusion The History of Prostitution
"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. The modern era is defined by the tension
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. In Ancient Greece, the industry was tiered: pornai
In many early societies, sex work was integrated into religious and civic life.
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).