Whether you have had intimate relations with local working girls or you know less about prostitution in your part of the world than you do about astrophysics, the following facts will almost certainly come as a surprise.
1. William Gladstone, who was Britain’s Prime Minister on four separate occasions between 1868 and 1894, was a frequent visitor to the bordellos of London. It is understood that during the time he first became Prime Minister, he used to invite local prostitutes to No. 10 Downing Street for a cup of tea and listen to him read passages from the Bible. Social workers and sex workers still enjoy close relationships in the UK on occasion but it is highly unlikely that a high-ranking government official in the 21st century would take the risk of inviting working girls back to his house for a cup of tea and a chat.
2. In ancient Rome, there were no laws against prostitution and it was not regarded negatively as a profession. In fact, even women holding the rank of senator, i.e. those from the upper echelons of Roman society, were known to have worked as prostitutes. There were, of course, lower class hookers in ancient Rome too, such as the blitidae, who took their name from the alcohol served in the cheap taverns where they plied their trade. It is only in recent years that prostitution has been outlawed in many countries across the globe; our predecessors took the very practical view that it was just another profession and one for which there was an obvious and ongoing demand.
3. Prostitution is legal in the United Kingdom. Whilst many laws around the world can be traced back to the country that has perhaps had more influence than any other with regard to the type of legal systems adopted by other nations, the UK cannot be held responsible for the precarious legal status of working girls across the globe. It is true that certain activities related to prostitution are indeed illegal, such as soliciting, running a brothel and pandering, as an agent for girls, but the exchange of money for sexual services is not. This is a fact of which many people in the United Kingdom itself seem to be unaware so it is not surprising that those in other countries believe the oldest profession to be illegal in the UK too.
4. In 2011, 2 pastors claimed to have been raped by prostitutes in Nigeria. Yes, you read that correctly! Whilst attempting to enlighten local female prostitutes in Cable Point, Asaba, the men of God stated that after the girls displayed their breasts and other body parts, they became disorientated and subsequently had sex with them in their rooms. It was further claimed that the women injected them with drugs to increase their sexual desire and that their goo was taken to use in magical rituals at a later date. Whether the pastors were telling the whole truth or not, it is certainly one of the most bizarre stories related to prostitution in recent years that I have encountered online. It is worth pointing out that Nigerian law does not recognise the act of rape as performed by a woman on a man so the ladies in question only faced various assault charges rather the more serious charge of rape.
5. Although prostitution is legal in some parts of Nevada, it is only permitted in counties with an official population of less than 400,000. This may come as an unpleasant surprise to anybody that was planning a holiday in Las Vegas, with the express intention of getting more than a little friendly with the local lasses but it is indeed the truth. The reason that they chose that particular number as a cut-off point is that when the law was enacted, Clark County, which is where the city of Las Vegas in located, was the only county in the state of Nevada that was home to more than 400,000 people. Population growth since then has meant that prostitution is now illegal in the city of Reno as well. It is, however, still legal in the many rural county brothels that can be found in the state so there is no need to worry that you will not be able to find any action at all when you visit Nevada.
I will leave you with a parting thought. Although prostitution is almost certainly not the oldest profession as some claim, it did appear in a list of professions produced in 2,400 B.C. in ancient Sumer (modern-day southern Iraq). Having said this, it’s by no means a recent development either. Whether you are in favour of female escorts and other working girls operating in your part of the world, it is safe to say that they will continue to do so.
Author Bio:
Thomas Smith is a freelance writer and digital marketing specialist currently writing for Black Cat Parlour, an establishment in the adult entertainment industry based in Sydney. He also loves writing about technology and travel. Currently, he is working on a self-published book with the tentative title, “People You Meet on the Road”.
