ABSTRACT
Prostitution, in one form or another, has existed throughout recorded history; indeed one of the most salient aspects of prostitution is the tenacity with which it has persisted. Much of the concern over prostitution is due to it being regarded as a moral problem and a vice which is either anti-social or in some way bothersome to others. Central perhaps to an understanding of the institution of female prostitution is the premise of female subordination and the innate inferiority of women which was enshrined in most pre-Christian cultures and has been continually repeated and elaborated throughout the centuries. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines a variety of personal developmental experiences and socio-situational factors which may influence women to enter the world of prostitution and also attempts to analyse how the women themselves subjectively define, perceive and rationalise their activity.
