What is an Escort?

An escort is a person who charges a fee for companionship services. Escorts are typically hired to accompany clients to social events or to give private companionship. Escort services may provide conversation, entertainment, emotional support, or physical closeness, depending on the client’s needs and desires.
Escort services date back to ancient times, when courtesans and others provided companionship and entertainment to wealthy clientele. Escort services have evolved into a diverse set of services and clientele.

High-class call girls and courtesans were popular among wealthy clientele in Europe and the United States during the nineteenth century. These ladies were often well-educated, sophisticated, and proficient in various languages, and they frequently supplied their clients with companionship, entertainment, and sexual services.
The development of the film industry and the riches of the upper classes fuelled demand for escort services in the early twentieth century. However, escort services were frequently associated with organized crime and prostitution, which resulted in legal prohibitions and societal stigma.

Today, escort services exist in many forms and are used by many clients for various purposes. While there is still some social stigma associated with escort services, many individuals and organizations advocate for the legalization and regulation of these services to promote safety and protect the rights of those involved.

The first known use of the term “escort” in its modern sense, referring to a person who accompanies someone for social or sexual purposes in exchange for payment, dates back to the 1600s in England. The term was used to describe women hired to accompany wealthy men to social events and provide companionship. Hiring escorts continued to evolve and became more formalized in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in cities like Paris and London. Today, “escort” is used more broadly to describe individuals who provide companionship, intimacy, or sexual services in exchange for payment. The industry has grown and diversified with the advent of the internet and digital communications.

But what is an Escort from the start? There is evidence to suggest that paid companionship and sexual services were available in ancient Pompeii, which was a Roman city located in what is now Italy that was destroyed and buried under volcanic ash and pumice in 79 AD. Pompeii was known for its bustling marketplaces, brothels, and taverns, and archaeological excavations have revealed frescoes and graffiti that depict sexual acts and scenes of eroticism. There is also evidence that suggests that some women in Pompeii were likely engaged in prostitution or provided companionship in exchange for money, although the extent and nature of these activities are still the subject of scholarly debate. Despite the prevalence of paid companionship and sexual services in Pompeii, it is important to note that ancient societies had different cultural norms and attitudes towards sexuality and gender roles than contemporary societies, and it is difficult to make direct comparisons or draw conclusions about the experiences of escorts in Pompeii and modern-day escorts.