A
brothel is a place where people may come to engage in
sexual activity with a
prostitute, sometimes referred to as a
sex worker. Technically, any premises where
prostitution commonly takes place qualifies as a brothel. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments sometimes describe themselves as
massage parlors,
bars,
strip clubs, houses of ill repute, body rub parlours, studios or by some other description. Sex work in a brothel is considered safer than
street prostitution.