The way children were viewed has changed dramatically since the days of the Roman Empire. Many children were forced into prostitution by their parents. Others were sold to slave owners because the family the child was born into could not afford to raise them (Grille, 2005, np). “In ancient Rome, child prostitution was institutionalized and the government went so far as to tax child prostitutes” (Grille, 2005, np). Child prostitution was widely accepted in the Roman Empire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay “In ancient Rome, having a child prostitute was considered, almost a fashion accessory, for the rich” and the noble (Jackson, 2006, p.44). The sale of children by their parents to slave owners for prostitution was common in Roman times (Jackson, 2006, p. 44). Jackson says these children were obligated to please their owners in any way possible. Child slaves performed sexual acts for their owners and they had no choice but to allow their owners to have sex with them. “Families could sell their daughters into prostitution when families fell on hard times (Ditmore, 2006, p. 38). » The sale of a girl's virginity and sexuality was important because it belonged to her father and, in his absence, to the girl's mother, until the girl was married (Ditmore, 2006 , p.38). Although in today's society it is a crime to sell one's daughter into prostitution, it was an accepted practice among the Roman people. The girl's family had a higher income from prostitution, allowing them to better support themselves. Children captured during wartime were also sold into prostitution (Ditmore, 2006, p. 38). Some of these children were captured, caged, and displayed as entertainment for Roman citizens; while others were sold to slave owners for prostitution. Captured child prostitutes were sold to slave owners who then put them on the streets to attract clients and make money (Ditmore, 2006, p. 38). The Greeks and Romans favored sexual relations with young boys. This is known because there is much written about child prostitution and sex with young children. “According to Brett Kahr, both Plato and Aristotle wrote about anal sex with boys, called pederasty. Plato believed that boys should be shared between several men. Aristotle advocated the sexual use of children, but, Kahr writes, he may have been the first writer to warn against sexual relations between a man and his own son. Kahr goes on to say that the ancient Romans' use of children was accepted and integrated into the culture. An example is the establishment of a public holiday for child prostitutes. (quoted in Hastings, 1996, p. 22) In my opinion, if two of the greatest philosophers of the Greek and Roman era supported child prostitution, then it is reasonable to think that the majority of Greek and Roman citizens were d agreement with Plato and Aristotle. Child prostitution was widely accepted all over the world except in ancient times, although the Greeks and Romans are the ones you hear about the most. DeMause said neighbors borrowed young boys for favors.