A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are particularly associated with female street prostitution, though in some cities, these areas may coincide with spaces of male prostitution and gay venues.[1] Areas in many big cities around the world have acquired an international reputation as red-light districts.[2]
Author Paul Wellman suggests that this and other terms associated with the American Old West originated in Dodge City, Kansas, home to a well-known prostitution district during the 19th century, which included the Red Light House saloon.[5] This has not been proven, but the Dodge City use was likely responsible for the term's pervasiveness.[6] A widespread folk etymology claims that early railroad workers took red lanterns with them when they visited brothels so their crew could find them in the event of an emergency. However, folklorist Barbara Mikkelson regards this as unfounded.[7]
An early reference to red-light districts on a January 1901 Judge cover
A more plausible explanation might originate from the time when sailors came back from sea to Amsterdam (ca. 1650): Women working as prostitutes, deprived from proper hygiene and running fresh water, carrying red lanterns — with their color camouflaging boils, zits, inequalities in the face and on the skin — made clear they were available as women of pleasure. Sailors, finally getting their relative royal pay, having been at sea for quite some time and looking for relief could so easily spot who would be available. In a later stage the red lanterns evolved into red lights at brothels. Since this was close to the main harbour, this district became known as the red-light district:
One of the many terms used for a red-light district in Japanese is akasen (赤線), literally meaning "red-line". Japanese police drew a red line on maps to indicate the boundaries of legal red-light districts. In Japanese, the term aosen (青線), literally meaning "blue-line", also exists, indicating an illegal district.
In the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the term "sporting district" became popular for legal red-light districts. Municipal governments typically defined such districts explicitly to contain and regulate prostitution.[8]
Legal issues
Some red-light districts (such as De Wallen, Netherlands, or Reeperbahn, Germany) are places which are officially designated by authorities for legal and regulated prostitution.[2] Often, these red-light districts were formed by authorities to help regulate prostitution and other related activities, such that they were confined to a single area.[9]
Some red-light districts (such as those in The Hague)[10] are under video surveillance. This can help counter illegal forms of prostitution (such as child prostitution), in these areas that do allow regular prostitution to occur.
Legality of prostitution
Decriminalization - No criminal penalties for prostitution
Legalization – prostitution is legal and regulated
Abolitionism – prostitution is legal, but organized activities such as brothels and pimping are illegal; prostitution is not regulated
Neo-abolitionism – illegal to buy sex and for 3rd party involvement, legal to sell sex
^Caves, R. W. (2004). Encyclopedia of the City. Routledge. pp. 559. ISBN9780415252256.
^ ab"History of the Red light District « What you should know about Amsterdam". Whatyoushouldknowaboutamsterdam.WordPress .com. 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
^ ab"Red light (2.)". The Agency International. June 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
^Minutes of the Ninth Annual Meeting. National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 1882. pp. 332, 333 & 363.
^Wellman, Paul Iselin (1988). The Trampling Herd: The Story of the Cattle Range in America. University of Nebraska Press. p. 195. ISBN0-8032-9723-8. Paul Wellman Dodge City red light.
^Barra, Allen (2009). Inventing Wyatt Earp: His Life and Many Legends. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN978-0803220584.
light, district, this, article, about, industry, term, other, uses, light, district, disambiguation, light, district, pleasure, district, part, urban, area, where, concentration, prostitution, oriented, businesses, such, shops, strip, clubs, adult, theaters, f. This article is about the sex industry term For other uses see Red Light District disambiguation A red light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex oriented businesses such as sex shops strip clubs and adult theaters are found In most cases red light districts are particularly associated with female street prostitution though in some cities these areas may coincide with spaces of male prostitution and gay venues 1 Areas in many big cities around the world have acquired an international reputation as red light districts 2 De Wallen Amsterdam s red light district is internationally known and one of the main tourist attractions of the city It offers legal prostitution and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana The term red light district originates from the red lights that were used as signs for brothels 3 Contents 1 Origins of term 2 Legal issues 3 Image gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOrigins of term Edit A statue in honor of sex workers in Amsterdam Netherlands Red light districts are mentioned in the 1882 minutes of a Woman s Christian Temperance Union meeting in the United States 4 The Oxford English Dictionary records the earliest known appearance of the term red light district in print as an 1894 article from the Sandusky Register a newspaper in Sandusky Ohio 3 Author Paul Wellman suggests that this and other terms associated with the American Old West originated in Dodge City Kansas home to a well known prostitution district during the 19th century which included the Red Light House saloon 5 This has not been proven but the Dodge City use was likely responsible for the term s pervasiveness 6 A widespread folk etymology claims that early railroad workers took red lanterns with them when they visited brothels so their crew could find them in the event of an emergency However folklorist Barbara Mikkelson regards this as unfounded 7 An early reference to red light districts on a January 1901 Judge cover A more plausible explanation might originate from the time when sailors came back from sea to Amsterdam ca 1650 Women working as prostitutes deprived from proper hygiene and running fresh water carrying red lanterns with their color camouflaging boils zits inequalities in the face and on the skin made clear they were available as women of pleasure Sailors finally getting their relative royal pay having been at sea for quite some time and looking for relief could so easily spot who would be available In a later stage the red lanterns evolved into red lights at brothels Since this was close to the main harbour this district became known as the red light district One of the many terms used for a red light district in Japanese is akasen 赤線 literally meaning red line Japanese police drew a red line on maps to indicate the boundaries of legal red light districts In Japanese the term aosen 青線 literally meaning blue line also exists indicating an illegal district In the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries the term sporting district became popular for legal red light districts Municipal governments typically defined such districts explicitly to contain and regulate prostitution 8 Legal issues EditSome red light districts such as De Wallen Netherlands or Reeperbahn Germany are places which are officially designated by authorities for legal and regulated prostitution 2 Often these red light districts were formed by authorities to help regulate prostitution and other related activities such that they were confined to a single area 9 Some red light districts such as those in The Hague 10 are under video surveillance This can help counter illegal forms of prostitution such as child prostitution in these areas that do allow regular prostitution to occur Legality of prostitution Decriminalization No criminal penalties for prostitution Legalization prostitution is legal and regulated Abolitionism prostitution is legal but organized activities such as brothels and pimping are illegal prostitution is not regulated Neo abolitionism illegal to buy sex and for 3rd party involvement legal to sell sex Prohibitionism prostitution illegal Legality varies with local lawsImage gallery Edit The Red Light district in Amsterdam Reeperbahn in Hamburg Germany Soi Cowboy Bangkok Thailand Rooms illuminated by red lights in De Wallen Amsterdam Netherlands Rue d Aerschot Brussels Belgium Kabuki chō Ichiban gai gate and colorful neon street signs Shinjuku Tokyo JapanSee also EditList of red light districts Prostitution by regionReferences Edit Caves R W 2004 Encyclopedia of the City Routledge pp 559 ISBN 9780415252256 a b History of the Red light District What you should know about Amsterdam Whatyoushouldknowaboutamsterdam WordPress com 2009 08 27 Retrieved 2012 09 01 a b Red light 2 The Agency International June 2010 Retrieved October 6 2010 Minutes of the Ninth Annual Meeting National Woman s Christian Temperance Union 1882 pp 332 333 amp 363 Wellman Paul Iselin 1988 The Trampling Herd The Story of the Cattle Range in America University of Nebraska Press p 195 ISBN 0 8032 9723 8 Paul Wellman Dodge City red light Barra Allen 2009 Inventing Wyatt Earp His Life and Many Legends University of Nebraska Press ISBN 978 0803220584 Barbara Mikkelson July 9 2007 Red Light District snopes com Retrieved October 3 2010 Woolston Howard Brown 1921 Prostitution in the United States New York The Century Company p 105 107 ISBN 978 0 217 03857 7 The Red Light District of Amsterdam CamsterDamn Archived from the original on May 20 2013 Retrieved February 20 2013 Camera surveillance in red light districts in The Hague January 24 2014 Archived from the original on 2016 10 08 External links Edit Media related to Red light districts at Wikimedia Commons Portals Cities human sexuality Prostitution Sex work Feminism Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red light district amp oldid 1140852901, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
