What is a Prostitute?

you give money to a girl (or guy) they have sex with you, they are a prostitute. what about porn stars... are they prostitutes? both men and woman, they're getting paid to have sex with someone must make them prostitutes, no?

'thai masseuse' not getting paid to have sex with someone (maybe some are) but the ones who are simply giving a massage and a 'happy ending', you might get to touch their body and them yours but there's no sex involved. is she a prostitute?

chat lines and more specifically the ones on tv.. for people outside the uk they are late night channels here than show woman with pretty much no cloths on that you can call and talk with. there's no person to person interaction but she may be touching herself to please you, you're getting off on it and she's getting paid. prostitute?

if a man or woman is getting paid to please someone sexually no matter how much or little physical interaction is going on between the two parties always deemed a prostitute?

Don't forget the large proportion of people who marry and have sex with their spouse for money. Its all a question of how socially acceptable it is.
A woman can be called other names (such as whore) for sleeping around even if they are not accepting money in return.
Prostitute tends to be used most for people who have turned it into a more commercial enterprise, but it is not a strictly defined word.
Even 'sex' is not that specific and most of the acts you list could be called 'sex' if you so choose.

This is just semantics, but in common language a prostitute is someone who accepts money in return for sex.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Don't forget the large proportion of people who marry and have sex with their spouse for money. Its all a question of how socially acceptable it is.
A woman can be called other names (such as whore) for sleeping around even if they are not accepting money in return.
Prostitute tends to be used most for people who have turned it into a more commercial en ...[text shortened]... is not that specific and most of the acts you list could be called 'sex' if you so choose.

good points. i never considered 'gold diggers' to be a form of prostitute before.

that would be more of a socially acceptable form of prostitute wouldn't you think?

would you consider a woman sleeping with her boss or whomever to get a promotion a prostitute?

Knock yourself out:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=whore&searchmode=none

Originally posted by trev33
good points. i never considered 'gold diggers' to be a form of prostitute before.

that would be more of a socially acceptable form of prostitute wouldn't you think?

would you consider a woman sleeping with her boss or whomever to get a promotion a prostitute?

I would not call a 'gold digger' a prostitute, nor would I generally use it for someone who has sex to get a promotion. I may however use the term in a different way eg "She prostituted herself in order to get a promotion".
The real issue is not whether the word "prostitute" is applicable in a certain situation but rather your views on the morality of the action.
For example, do you consider giving sex for money to be immoral?
What about giving money for sex?
In my home country (Zambia), prostitutes are seen as far more immoral than their customers.
Similarly is it wrong to marry for money? What about marrying for social reasons (status, power, to please your parents)?

In many countries prostitution as in having sex for money in a direct cash transaction is illegal. A large part of the reason for it being illegal has to do with an attempt at protecting the women involved. The porn industry is legal in more countries and objections to it tend to be on moral grounds as there is less risk of emotional damage or physical abuse than in general prostitution. Also things like stripper clubs where there is again less risk of abuse, the main objections would be moral ones and so more countries allow them.

Originally posted by trev33
you give money to a girl (or guy) they have sex with you, they are a prostitute. what about porn stars... are they prostitutes? both men and woman, they're getting paid to have sex with someone must make them prostitutes, no?

'thai masseuse' not getting paid to have sex with someone (maybe some are) but the ones who are simply giving a massage and a 'happy ...[text shortened]... le physical interaction is going on between the two parties always deemed a prostitute?

if you are just talking semantics, then a prostitute is someone that receives payment in any kind in return for sex. golddigger, porn star, happy ending masseuse included.

if you are talking morals, i believe a prostitute(ie girl working the streets) is far more moral than a gold digger: one of them is at least honest about it.

if you are talking the morality of sex for money in itself, i would have to say they are performing a service like any other individual. someone goes to work and stays in a cubicle in a suit, the prostitutes are giving someone a good time.

sure we could talk legality of the phenomenon but i believe we have digressed already

I find it quite interesting that we do not have a term for people who give money in return for sex.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I find it quite interesting that we do not have a term for people who give money in return for sex.

For what it's worth, there is a word for it in Dutch, prostituant, or the more common (as well as more vulgar) hoerenloper (whore-walker).

Originally posted by twhitehead
I find it quite interesting that we do not have a term for people who give money in return for sex.

Seconded!

I live in Thailand and have a great deal of knowledge about the industry, albeit much a smaller industry than peoples' perceptions.

The majority of Thai girls choose to sell themselves in most cases because they have little else, and have been abandonded by abusive, egotistical men. The exact man that will prostitute himself to USE her.

They do it as a means to support their off-spring, in most cases, as it is an easy means to what would ordinarily be a very difficult road.

The industry, as we know, has existed throughout history, and is highly unlikely to disappear. I do agree in the safety of those involved, and the legal implications that some countries impose, in order to maintain it.

I have met many girls who are in the industry, and it saddens me to some degree, as they are beautiful, quite innocent and very astute sensitive people. I see that they have no other means available, as work here is hard to find if you are stuck with a child and unable to earn an honest day's living with child in tow.

As for prostitutes, yes they are. So are the men who use, abuse and buy them - even more so!

-m.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I would not call a 'gold digger' a prostitute, nor would I generally use it for someone who has sex to get a promotion. I may however use the term in a different way eg "She prostituted herself in order to get a promotion".
The real issue is not whether the word "prostitute" is applicable in a certain situation but rather your views on the morality of th ...[text shortened]... s risk of abuse, the main objections would be moral ones and so more countries allow them.

i would tend to have more respect to someone openly calling themselves a prostitute where ever that may be, the street, a brothel, strip club etc. than a woman who is hiding behind a wedding ring. for the simple reason that the former prostitute is giving a service that any man or woman has the choice, do i want to pay for sex or do i not. it's a simple business transaction with no strings attached. the customer gets laid and the prostitute gets paid. the gold digger however is living a lie, she has sold not only her body but her life to a man who i'm sure thinks she has feelings towards him. i saw this so much in colombia, rich old man with a younger (plastic surgery enhanced) wife who is pretty much waiting for her husband to die to pick up an even fatter check than she's living on now. i guess it depends on what way you want to look at it, i can see the reasons why you could sat that the gold digger owns the moral grounds over the street prostitute but i would call both of them prostitutes regardless.

do you not think it would be to the benefit to the prostitute, safety and financially for prostitution to be legal? that way you really could protect the woman involved, like amsterdam for example, buying a prostitute is just like buying a beer at your local bar. i can't speck from behind the scenes but from what i saw the girls seem to be well looked after and as happy as a prostitute can be. do you not think it would be better all round if it was legal and well controlled in zambia?

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
For what it's worth, there is a word for it in Dutch, prostituant, or the more common (as well as more vulgar) hoerenloper (whore-walker).

I am verontwaardigd. Moderator ALERTED.

Originally posted by trev33
i would tend to have more respect to someone openly calling themselves a prostitute where ever that may be, the street, a brothel, strip club etc. than a woman who is hiding behind a wedding ring. for the simple reason that the former prostitute is giving a service that any man or woman has the choice, do i want to pay for sex or do i not. it's a simple busin ...[text shortened]... do you not think it would be better all round if it was legal and well controlled in zambia?

In the Netherlands, a fairly large portion of prostitutes still work illegally. The ones who work legally are usually those who simply chose to be a prostitute as a profession because it's easy and you make more than living on welfare. But woman trafficking for exploitation in prostitution is sadly still a common reality.

If Prostitution is a crime, who's the victim?

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
If Prostitution is a crime, who's the victim?

Usually the woman. As I mentioned earlier, prostitution is often outlawed because of the potential for abuse.