Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. Prostitution is sometimes described as sexual services , commercial sex or, colloquially, hooking.
It is sometimes referred to euphemistically as "the world's oldest profession " in the English-speaking world. Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms, and its legal status varies from country to country sometimes from region to region within a given country , ranging from being an enforced or unenforced crime, to unregulated, to a regulated profession.
It is one branch of the sex industry , along with pornography, stripping , and erotic dancing. Brothels are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution. In escort prostitution , the act may take place at the client's residence or hotel room referred to as out-call , or at the escort's residence or a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort in-call.
Another form is street prostitution. According to a report by Fondation Scelles there are about 42 million prostitutes in the world, living all over the world though most of Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa lack data, studied countries in that large region rank as top sex tourism destinations.
The majority of prostitutes are female and have male clients. The position of prostitution and the law varies widely worldwide, reflecting differing opinions.
