prostitution

Although prostitution has been famously referred to as the world’s most ancient profession, there has been a steady decline to the rights afforded to these individuals. Ancient laws existed to protect even female prostitutes yet those rights have become non-existent in numerous countries across the world. A stigma has been placed upon these persons and are prejudicially seen as less than human. Prostitutes do not ask for charity or handouts, they simply want to be adequately compensated for the services they willingly provide without the scrutiny of the state.

By allowing prostitution to exist it does not mean society is approving all of its forms. Child prostitution is almost universally seen as a disgusting and heinous act. Also, forced prostitution is a concern in many countries. We still should acknowledge that voluntary prostitution is very different and cannot be placed in the same category as the other two.

Prostitution has been a part of society since ancient civilization. The Code of Hammurabi protected all women’s rights since 18th century BCE, which did not exclude female prostitutes. Herodotus depicts in The Histories the shrines and temples along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers referred to as “houses of heaven” where men would give praise to the gods and goddesses and engage in sacred prostitution. Greece mandated that prostitutes wear distinctive clothing and pay taxes from their earnings. Rome established a system where prostitutes would be registered. Prostitutes in Asia contributed to music, poetry, and fashion as some became celebrities and set trends among the wealthy.

In medieval Europe citizens saw prostitution as a necessary part of life. St. Augustine stated men sought sex from these women and ...

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...tion to fight for the rights of sex workers worldwide. It is comprised of organizations from France, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany. Their ethics are based on human rights as they believe sex workers, like every other person, should be guaranteed all human rights and civil liberties. They fight for sex worker’s rights to free speech, travel, immigration, work, marriage, motherhood, unemployment insurance, health insurance, and housing as outlined in the World Charter for Prostitutes’ Rights. They insist that sex workers be mandated to pay regular taxes like every other person as a way to legitimize their profession and earn those rights.

Human rights is a constantly evolving theory seeking to return power to those who have been dominated. Dr. Seuss puts it simply as “a person is a person no matter how small.”