Plural of 'cathouse,' a slang term for a brothel or a building where cats are kept.
From 'cat-house,' combining 'cat' + 'house.' As slang for brothel, the term likely euphemistically refers to women as cats, common in period slang. Also literally houses for cats.
This word shows how the same term can have wildly different meanings depending on context—'cathouse' for animal shelters is innocent, but the slang meaning reveals the dark euphemistic language of earlier centuries.
Brothels historically operated under gendered labor extraction and trafficking. The term conflates location with exploitation, obscuring agency and harm.
Use precise language: 'brothel,' 'sex work venue,' or specific context (trafficking vs. voluntary sex work). Avoid euphemisms that erase harm or conflate women with spaces.
["brothel","sex work establishment","historical exploitation site"]
Sex workers have fought for decriminalization and labor rights; use their chosen terminology (sex worker vs. prostitute) and acknowledge structural coercion.
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