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."
According to a survey conducted in 1988 by Sanlaap, an Indian NGO for women founded in 1987, it was found that a number of women went into prostitution or became commercial workers because of circumstances and lack of resources rather than preference. A number of women interviewed claimed that they became prostitutes after breakup of marriages or being thrown out by their families or being disowned by their families. Furthermore, this survey went on to establish that it were agents who were introducing women into prostitution. 76% agents were women themselves while 24% were males.
Prostitution is India is thriving business though it is not acknowledged by a layperson or made public. The 1956 law dealing with prostitution in India is known as The Moral Traffic (Suppression) Act. It has been amended and now known as The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Under this act, prostitution in India is neither legal nor illegal. However, the law forbids soliciting customers and a prostitute cannot practice her trade within 200 yards of a public place. The law, however, allows prostitutes to be rescued from prostitution and rehabilitated should the prostitutes wish to be.
