"Prostitute", "whore", "strumpet", "harlot" and "the oldest profession" redirect here. For other uses, see Prostitute (disambiguation) and Whore (disambiguation). For the 2001 British television movie, see Strumpet (film). For the 1971 American film, see Harlot (film). For the 1967 French film, see The Oldest Profession, Prostitution is the business or practice of providing sexual services to another person in exchange for monetary payment or other considerations. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and is a kind of sex worker, and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms. Prostitution is one of the branches of the sex industry. The legal status of prostitution varies from country to country, from being permissible but unregulated, to a punishable crime or to a regulated profession. Estimates place the annual revenue generated from the global prostitution industry to be over $100 billion. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as "the world's oldest profession". Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms. Brothels are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution. In escort prostitution, the act may take place at the customer's residence or hotel room (referred to as out-call), or at the escort's residence or in a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort (called in-call). Another form is street prostitution. Sex tourism refers to travelling, typically from developed to underdeveloped nations, to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. Some rich clients may pay for long-term contracts that may last years.
