Prostitution, History of

Prostitution in the United States can be traced back to 17th-century colonial America. The overt religious nature of early North American settlers has long overshadowed the many vices that plagued their communities, one of which was prostitution. Regarding the long-standing human preoccupation with the pleasures of sex, early American colonials were no different than their counterparts throughout the world. In public fights, it was not uncommon to hear the word whore used as an insult. In many cases of the colonial period, the ...