Handjob is a slang or informal word referring to an act of manual stimulation of a male's penis

Penis

The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...

 by a sexual partner

Sexual partner

Sexual partners are people who engage in sexual activity together. The sexual partners can be of any gender or sexual orientation. The sexual partners may be in a committed relationship, either on an exclusive basis or not, or engage in the sexual activity on a casual basis...

, whether female

Female

Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...

 or male

Male

Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...

, usually to the point of orgasm

Orgasm

Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...

 and ejaculation

Ejaculation

Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the male reproductory tract, and is usually accompanied by orgasm. It is usually the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. In rare cases ejaculation occurs because of prostatic disease...

. The act is similar to male masturbation

Masturbation

Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...

, though the latter is performed by a male on himself. The manual stimulation of a female's vagina

Vagina

The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...

, clitoris

Clitoris

The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...

 or vulva

Vulva

The vulva consists of the external genital organs of the female mammal. This article deals with the vulva of the human being, although the structures are similar for other mammals....

 is usually called fingering

Fingering (sexual act)

Fingering is the manual manipulation of the clitoris, vulva, vagina, or anus for the purpose of sexual arousal and stimulation. It may constitute the entire sexual encounter or it may be part of mutual masturbation, foreplay or other sexual activities. To "finger oneself" is to masturbate in this...

, while the manual stimulation performed by partners at the same time is called mutual masturbation.

In places where prostitution

Prostitution

Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...

 is illegal, massage parlor

Massage parlor

A massage parlor is a business where customers can receive a massage. Sometimes the term is synonymous with brothel as the term "massage" may be used as a euphemism for paid sexual favours....

s, which may be known to offer sexual services, may offer handjobs to clients while staying within the law against prostitution.

Prevalence in massage parlors

In massage parlor parlance, the giving of a handjob by a masseuse, whether as part of the massage itself or directly after it, is called a "happy ending."

According to a 1975 study by A. J. Velarde, in an unnamed American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 West Coast

West Coast of the United States

West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

 city, provision of a "hand job," where the woman gave the client a handjob, was one of the services masseuses were employed to give. Subsequent newspaper publicity for this practice caused local councils to impose licensing requirements on masseuses similar to the ones imposed on prostitutes. This licensing led to increased expectations in massage parlor clients, who expected that more than a handjob would be available, that is, sexual intercourse. Because the masseuses themselves considered that they had nothing to lose by acting as prostitutes, and because the local council treated them as prostitutes anyway, masseuses often complied, and thus attracted more prostitution

Prostitution

Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...

 to the city.

What is clear today is that "happy endings" do persist in a fair number of massage parlors; what is less clear is their actual real-world extent, and also the prevalence of some new laws and lawsuits that may discourage this practice.

An investigation by Time Out New York in January of 2011 found many New York City massage parlors advertising “sensual massage,” and providing handjobs. The parlors charged from $60 to $160, with an extra tip for the sex workers (usually $40) for a massage and manual “happy ending.” In most of the massage parlors reviewed were "rub and tug joints" where handjobs were the only sexual services provided, and there was a strict policy of the male clients not touching the female workers back.

See also

• Hand fetishism
  Hand fetishism
  Hand fetishism or hand partialism is the sexual fetish for hands. This may include the sexual attraction to a specific area such as the fingers, palm or nails, or the attraction to a specific action performed by the hands; which may otherwise be considered non-sexual—such as washing or drying dishes...
  
  
• Non-penetrative sex
  Non-penetrative sex
  Non-penetrative sex is sexual activity without vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, as opposed to the penetrative aspects of those activities...
  
  
• Orgasm control
  Orgasm control
  Orgasm control, also known as "edging", "peaking", "surfing", and by other terms, is a sexual technique which involves the maintenance of a high level of sexual arousal for an extended period of time without reaching orgasm, although orgasm can be reached eventually. If orgasm is not reached after...