Sex work is perhaps more commonly known around the world as ‘prostitution'; an outdated term which demeans a sector of the workforce so established and fundamental to societies regardless of religion, culture or custom that it is believed to one of the oldest surviving professions in the world.
Anthropologists, sociologists and indeed archaeologists posit that in ancient hunter / gatherer societies, sex work was vital for many women who were shunned, outcast or exiled from established social structures to ensure the survival of themselves and any of their dependant children through the barter of goods for sexual services.
Indeed, surviving ancient Aramaic and Hebrew texts describe sexual services being exchanged for food including small game and, in one recorded instance, even a goat.
The practice was tolerated albeit looked down upon in many civilisations, where practitioners were often seen as second-class citizens, although not criminalised for providing their services.
Sacred sex work is where sexual acts are performed for sacred purposes, including as a tribute to deities.
Literature by the ancient historian Herodotus suggests that ‘sacred prostitution' was common in many civilisations around 2400 BCE.
He provides accounts of fertlity rituals in Sumer and later in Babylon, whereby temple priestesses had sex with male visitors as a tribute to the Gods and Goddesses, to release divine fertile energy and ensure a plentiful harvest.
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