It notes that prostitution has existed in every society for which there are written records and has usually been a stigmatized profession. Basic systems of prostitution include street prostitutes, massage parlors, brothels, and outcall services. While prostitution has been decriminalized in many European countries, it remains a crime in the United States, except in Nevada. Japan and many other Asian countries prohibit it outright. Discriminatory enforcement of the law often results in the arrests of poor, minority prostitutes. Massive crackdowns on prostitutes do not reduce the amount of prostitution, but only drive many of the women into 'stables' run by pimps or to other cities. Also discussed are pimps, violence, drugs, and venereal disease; the need for alternatives to arresting prostitutes (i.e., having programs to help women change their profession); and who benefits from the present system (the customer and pimps). The paper looks at options for change (decriminalization and legalization); what feminists can do to help; and the policy of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which calls for the decriminalization of prostitution. A total of 66 annotated suggested readings are included. Appendixes give NOW resolutions, excerpts from the 1949 United Nations convention, and actions appropriate for a prostitutes' rights task force.