Overview

Colloquially called "the world's oldest profession," prostitution is the act of providing sexual services for money. The practice hits all points of the legal spectrum. In places where prostitution is illegal, a prostitute may face fines or time in prison if convicted. Prostitutes in Sudan may face the death penalty. Prostitution is illegal in all states of the US except Nevada, where prostitutes may work in licensed brothels. In Hungary and the Netherlands, prostitution is heavily regulated, and prostitutes are unionized and pay taxes for their services. While either men or women may be prostitutes, only women are typically referred to as "prostitutes." Men who prostitute themselves are usually called "male prostitutes."

The Pimp

Depending on the area where they work, a prostitute may make a professional relationship with a pimp or madam. This person generally acts as a manager for the prostitute. The nature of this partnership can vary widely. Prostitutes on the street face significant dangers from violence, crime, drugs, and sexually transmitted disease. A street prostitute's pimp will be expected to shield them from these risks as much as possible in exchange for a portion of the money the prostitute makes, sometimes as much as 100%. The prostitute is often disadvantaged in this exchange. A manager of a licensed brothel will generally provide a better working environment for the prostitute, often with better provisions for their health and legal protection, as well as a larger cut of their take-home pay. Freelance prostitutes on the street are generally looked down upon by pimps, who will attempt to employ them rather than let them freelance.

Prostitution in Games

Prostitutes in video games often show up as minor non-player characters in and around cities. Depending on the game, their effect on gameplay can vary. having sex with a prostitute in Fable 2 can shift your character's alignment closer to the Evil side, while having sex with your spouse moves it closer to Good. Most notable are the prostitutes in the Grand Theft Auto series. Since Grand Theft Auto 3, prostitutes have been a staple interaction in the game. Soliciting a prostitute in the game will replenish the player's health in exchange for a cash fee. After the exchange, the player could also attack the prostitute and get their money back. This sort of activity has garnered some controversy from anti-game and family advocacy groups who believe that the game glamorizes violence and sex.

Virtual Prostitution

Prostitution has also become a practice between live player characters in Second Life. Some members of the online community act as prostitutes in the online world and perform in-game services for clients. Second Life prostitutes accept fees in the in-game currency, Linden Dollars. An average fee can be around 2000-3000 Linden Dollars for an evening, equivalent to 9-13 real-world US dollars.

The first online Prostitute Empire building Game was Ho-Telin which you start off with a single girl and work your way up to an empire of brothels, porn cinemas and luxury pimp islands. The game features sexually transmitted diseases, police corruption, crooked accountants and lawyers as well as serial killers that pick girls off in the middle of the night. Girls can be equipped with a whole range of items allowing them to prostitute themselves in almost anyway they like from stay at home web camming to walking the streets and setting up scandals. The game features a message board and top players league table.