In the modern era, when the Catholic Church exerted strong control over society, it became imperative to control and redirect women considered to have "loose morals." These women were, in fact, tied to a sexual sphere incompatible with moral canons.

Prostitutes were considered women with "immoral and scandalous" lives, "accustomed to a worldly, sensual life, and relaxed in sin," those who, by committing mortal sin, were destined for eternal damnation. On the other hand, however, they were also considered a necessary evil to combat sins against nature and to curb "the ardour of those who might attack the modesty of daughters, nuns, or wives."

But what is the typical portrait of a modern prostitute? The answer cannot be unequivocal and generic. To be labelled a prostitute, a woman simply had to behave in a manner inconsistent with religious precepts, or too freely, or even commit a "public sin." Furthermore, due to widespread poverty, some women may have turned to prostitution as a temporary solution: this created a distinction between dishonest prostitutes (also known as hidden prostitutes) and honest prostitutes, that is, those who prostituted themselves professionally. Whether honest or hidden, prostitutes could cause public scandal not only because of their profession, but also, more simply, by visiting places particularly hostile to their profession, such as places of worship.

The Church attempted various strategies to resolve the complex issue of prostitutes; first, it was decided to establish specific churches in larger towns for the care of their souls. Furthermore, oral communication was established, with special sermons dedicated to them, held primarily on the Thursday before Palm Sunday and on July 22nd, a particularly evocative date because it commemorates Saint Magdalene.