Editing Sacred prostitution (section)

==Recent Western occurrences==
In the 1970s and early 1980s, some religious cults practised sacred prostitution as an instrument to recruit new converts. Among them was the [[cult]] [[Family International|Children of God, also known as The Family]], who called this practice "[[Flirty Fishing]]". They later abolished the practice due to the growing [[AIDS]] epidemic.{{sfn|Williams|1998|p=320}}

In [[Ventura County]], California, Wilbur and [[Mary Ellen Tracy]] established their own temple, the ''Church Of The Most High Goddess'', in the wake of what they described as a divine revelation. Sexual acts played a fundamental role in the church's sacred rites, which were performed by Mary Ellen Tracy herself in her assumed role of High Priestess.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Padilla |first1=Steve |title=Woman Tells Court She Performed Sex Acts for Religious Reasons |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-31-me-1666-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=13 June 2020 |date=31 August 1989 |archive-date=13 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613081719/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-31-me-1666-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Local newspaper articles about the Neopagan church quickly got the attention of local law enforcement officials, and in April 1989, the Tracys' house was searched and the couple arrested on charges of [[pimping]], [[procuring (prostitution)|pandering]] and [[prostitution]]. They were subsequently [[convicted]] in a trial in [[State court (United States)|state court]] and sentenced to jail terms: Wilbur Tracy for 180 days plus a $1,000.00 fine; Mary Ellen Tracy for 90 days plus mandatory screening for [[Sexually transmitted disease|STDs]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/02/us/religion-based-on-sex-gets-a-judicial-review.html?pagewanted=1|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Religion Based On Sex Gets A Judicial Review|date=2 May 1990|access-date=24 November 2015|archive-date=12 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212065514/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/02/us/religion-based-on-sex-gets-a-judicial-review.html?pagewanted=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19911225&id=lwEzAAAAIBAJ&pg=2917,3256597|title=Star-News – Google News Archive Search|access-date=18 May 2015|archive-date=16 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116072046/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19911225&id=lwEzAAAAIBAJ&pg=2917,3256597|url-status=live}}</ref>

Some modern sacred prostitutes act as [[sexual surrogate]]s as a form of therapy. In places where prostitution is illegal, sacred prostitutes may be paid as therapists, escorts, or performers.{{sfn|Hunter|2006|p=419-420}}