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. Areas in many big cities around the world have acquired an international reputation as red-light districts.
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👉 Red-light district in the context of Yūkaku
Yūkaku (遊廓) were legal red-light districts in Japanese history, where both brothels and prostitutes - known collectively as yūjo (遊女, lit. "woman of pleasure"), the higher ranks of which were known as oiran - recognised by the Japanese government operated. Though prostitution was, officially, legal to engage in and pay for only in these areas, there were a number of places where prostitutes and brothels operated illegally, known as Okabasho (岡場所), the generic name for all unlicensed red-light districts other than Yoshiwara (later including both Shimabara and Shinmachi).
In January 1946, GHQ issued an order (SCAPIN 642) nationwide to abolish Japan's legalised system of prostitution, with brothels in the yūkaku areas having to change their names to either that of café (カフェ) or ryōtei (料亭), with the yūkaku being renamed as akasen (赤線, lit. "red line") districts.
In this Dossier
Red-light district in the context of 42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, spanning the entire breadth of Midtown Manhattan, from Turtle Bay at the East River, to Hell's Kitchen at the Hudson River on the West Side. The street has several major landmarks, including (from east to west) the headquarters of the United Nations, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, the New York Public Library Main Branch, Times Square, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
The street is known for its theaters, especially near the intersection with Broadway at Times Square, and as such is also the name of the region of the theater district (and, at times, the red-light district) near that intersection. The street also has a section of off-Broadway theaters known as Theatre Row.
Red-light district in the context of Suburra
The Suburra, or Subura (from the latin Subura) was a vast and populous neighborhood of Ancient Rome, located below the Murus Terreus on the Carinae and stretching on the slopes of the Quirinal and Viminal hills up to the offshoots of the Esquiline (Oppian, Cispian and Fagutal hills).
Since the lower part of the neighbourhood – although overlooking an area of monuments and public services – was home to an urban underclass who lived in miserable conditions, as well as a pleasure district, the term suburra has remained in the Italian language with the generic meaning of 'disreputable place", "place of ill repute" or similar.