Call girl – this isn’t entirely offensive or completely wrong because it’s not really slang, but it’s a little out dated. Escort is the preferred term these days, and in studies these workers are sometimes called “indoor workers.” See Tracy Quan’s 2001 novel Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl for a realistic depiction of this era in the business.

Prostitution ring – this phrase exists basically to get people wound up. It looks really shocking and scandalous in a headline. No one in the sex industry uses this phrase – in fact, I’m not entirely sure what it’s supposed to mean. Escort agency is a much more accurate way to refer to businesses that a client can call or email to request one of several escorts.

Hooker/whore – Why is it ok to use slang when it’s about sex workers? These are pretty offensive words, and the media shouldn’t perpetuate their use. Escort, prostitute or the umbrella term sex worker are all preferred to these.

Street walker – It’s a subtle difference, but “street worker” is preferred. People who live or spend a lot of their time on the street but may or may not be sex workers are often referred to as the “street-based population.”