Nineteenth Century Prostitution

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the realities of prostitution in the nineteenth century and compares it to the Victorian ideas of lifestyle. The paper discusses how Victorian society went about "curing" prostitution, to no real effect. The paper also look at the events that gave rise to what eventually would become the women's liberation movement and how this impacted prostitution.

From the Paper:

"However, although he Victorian area was renowned for their strict moral codes and the upper classes who looked down on any instance that deviated from the social norm; most of society was against prostitution. This eventually led to a raising of consciousness and the forthcoming creation of new organizations and strong women leaders to run them. There are many that are still looked up to today. Nineteenth century feminists including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Martineau and Margaret Sanger were inspired by this change in status and the early feminists started looking at prostitution not viewed solely from the predominantly male societal perspective but viewed women as the trodden victims of an all-male society."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "19th-Century Responses to Prostitution. Prostitution in maritime London." 2007. Port cities London <http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.111/chapterId/2347/Prostitution-in-maritime-London.html >
• "Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, Prostitution in maritime London." 2007. Port cities London <http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.111/chapterId/2345/Prostitution-in-maritime-London.html >
• "Prostitution, Then and Now." Women's Issues then and Now: a Feminist Overview of the Pat Two Centuries. 2002 University of Texas <http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/femhist/sex_work.shtml >
• Barret-Ducrocq, Francoise. Love in the Time of Victoria: Sexuality, Class, and Gender in Nineteenth-Century London. Translated by Howe, John. London: Verso, 1991.
• Bartley, Paula. Prostitution: Prevention and Reform in England, 1860-1914. London: Routledge, 2000.

More papers on Nineteenth Century Prostitution:

• Analytical Essay # 65272 : "Prostitution in Nineteenth-Century Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 28037 : "Feminism in "A Doll's House"
• Comparison Essay # 113673 : "Criminal and Sexual Deviancy in Victorian London"

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