HISTORY Economics, Double Standards & the Innocence of Childhood living at it. The girl lets men have sex with her for sa On Juvenile Prostitution in Victorian England young girl helps her working parents, who have seve Adrienne Latson own meals. For her, this is an economic necessity all have. Another example of economic necessity leavin Abstract recounted in one of William T. Stead's articles, as pi Stead procures a young virgin and gives her a choice This paper focuses on the reasons why childhood prostitution expanded in the Victorian era, and promised in exchange for sex, or receiving half that . how society and the media treated the problem. Using sources from the Times of London and concern- partly because he realized the background several books about child sexual abuse during the Victorian era, the author claims that three factors for the bigger money."5 The poor girl might have be, were the key in this epidemic; economics, the double standard regarding sexuality and the image of situation were not dismal. As a member of the poore childhood innocence, which was a new construct in the Victorian era. When faced with starvation, the girl had only one op possessed. Occasionally, Stead ran across mother s ~ A working-class girl, age 14, walks along a street in London, 183 7. The young girl is approached The bold-faced reality of being poor with no govern by a pretty and sophisticated 18 year old woman who asks the girl to accompany her on a walk. death for families as a result of no work is a leading They walk to a brothel house, but the young, innocent girl is unaware of what goes on behind those explosion during the Victorian era. The girls need fc doors. She is forced inside and locked in a back room, where a man enters as she begins to scream. prostitutes than as domestic servants or as workers i: Meanwhile, her mother notices she is missing, and a search ensues. An uncle, hearing rumors on prostitution was largely ignored by those who sough the street, visits the brothel and rescues the poor girl, but not before damage has been done. At least Protection of Young Females and the Prevention of she is not doomed to live a life of prostitution and her story can warn other innocent girls of the Walter's experience with the girl who sells herselffi 1 dangers lurking in the streets ofLondon. Prostitution is known as the world's oldest profession. [Walter] was not touched by the poverty she describ The Bible has references to harlots and ancient civilizations included brothels. So the existence of Walter nor Stead nor the Society acknowledged that prostitution in Victorian England is no surprise. What is a surprise is the rise of juvenile stability and the role this reality played in the high n prostitution, where young female virgins were stolen, sold by their parents, or forced onto the Walkowitz writes that Stead "devoted scant attentio streets just to make enough money to eat. Child prostitution did not end after the Victorian era. capitalism that would lead them to take up prostituti Today, there are sex slave rings where many young, working-class girls are promised a good li fe poverty assistance or renovating the capitalist syster and lots of money, only to end up as captives in brothels. What is it that keeps such a deplorable survive would have caused too great a disturbance a business thriving through the centuries? Simple economics plays a large role, as does the double have implicated more than just the girls and their cu standard regarding sexuality that began in the Victorian era, and a new image of the innocence of government and society as a whole and demanded c childhood that emerged during the 19'h century contributes still to the desire for young victims. Victorian society preferred to believe that girls wen Activists formed committees attempting to outlaw juvenile prostitution, but neglected to address thus perpetuating the idea of the virtuous child that the root problem of economics that keeps such businesses alive. The London Society for the London recounts the trial of a woman accused of lw Protection of Young Females and the Prevention of Juvenile Prostitution was formed in 1834 to Mary Ann, is described as "very childish in her wa) assist young victims. The Society opened asylums for girls who were recovering from prostitution, of other children her age."8 In another Times article and to alert the authorities to houses of ill repute so that these businesses may be closed down. In an victims of seduction" and "unsuspecting little girls.' article in The Times of London, the Society praised itself in how it was "wise in adopting the adults, and in Calvinist religions, children were "ev 2 system of prevention instead of cure." The Society may credit itself with prevention, but in reality resist temptation."10 The romantic poets reinforced only gets involved after the young girls have been made prostitutes. innocence and virtue. Wordsworth, Lewis Carroll,< childhood innocence was something so precious th< This method ignores the reason many girls become prostitutes, specifically the economic aspects, which are outlined by Michael Pearson using excerpts of Walter's book. Walter, "the anonymous 4 Victorian author of a million words of sexual experience, about young working-class teenagers"3 Pearson, Virgin, 33. 5 Ibid., 141. writes about one young girl who does not see herself as a pro~titute because she does not make her 6 Pearson, Virgin, 33. 7 Judith R. Walkowitz, Prostitution and Victorian S (Cambridge: Cambridge, 1980), 250. 8 "Police," The Times ofLondon , 15 April 1840, co 1 9 "Juvenile Prostitution," The Times ofLondon, 25 March 1837, col. A. "Prevention," The Times, col. C. 10 2 "Prevention of Juvenile Prostitution," The Times ofLondon, 8 November, 1838, col. C Louise A. Jackson, Child Sexual Abuse in Victor, 11 3 Michael Pearson, The £5 Virgin (New York: Saturday Review Press, 1972), 12. Jackson, Abuse, 6. 10 HISTORY rds & the Innocence of Childhood living at it. The girl lets men have sex with her for sausage rolls, " meat pies and pastries, too." 4 The ution in Victorian England young girl helps her working parents, who have several other children at home, by securing her tenne Latson own meals. For her, this is an economic necessity allowing her family to subsist on what little they have. Another example of economic necessity leaving little or no choice for young girls is \bstract recounted in one of William T. Stead '. s articles, as paraphrased by Pearson. Through his contacts, Stead procures a young virgin and gives her a choice between taking the full amount of money hood prostitution expanded in the Victorian era, and promised in exchange for sex, or receiving half that amount and leaving untouched. But to " Stead's ,em. Using sources from the Times of London and concern- partly because he realized the background of poverty that dictated the decision- she opted the Victorian era, the author claims that three factors for the bigger money."5 The poor girl might have been virtuous, if only her family' s financial double standard regarding sexuality and the image of situation were not dismal. As a member of the poorest class, she had not the luxury of choice. Jct in the Victorian era. When faced with starvation, the girl had only one option, to sell the only thing of value that she possessed. Occasionally, Stead ran across mothers who were trying to sell their virgin daughters. eet in London, 1837. The young girl is approached The bold-faced reality of being poor with no government assistance, then starvation and certain m who asks the girl to accompany her on a walk. death for families as a result of no work is a leading cause behind the juvenile prostitution rnocent girl is unaware of what goes on behind those explosion during the Victorian era. The girls need food and money, and they could make more as k room, where a man enters as she begins to scream. prostitutes than as domestic servants or as workers in factories. But this contributing factor to child and a search ensues. An uncle, hearing rumors on prostitution was lru·gely ignored by those who sought to help, like the London Society for the >r girl, but not before damage has been done. At least Protection of Young Females and the Prevention of Juvenile Prostitution. Pearson surmises of md her story can warn other innocent girls of the Walter's experience with the girl who sells herself for sausage rolls that "being a man of his time, titution is known as the world's oldest profession. [Walter] was not touched by the poverty she described- only by her quick humour.''6 Neither civilizations included brothels. So the existence of Walter nor Stead nor the Society acknowledged that these girls lacked opportunities for economic . What is a surprise is the rise of juvenile stability and the role this reality played in the high number of juvenile prostitutes. Judith R . stolen, sold by their parents, or forced onto the Walkowitz writes that Stead "devoted scant attention to the economic exploitation of women under I prostitution did not end after the Victorian era . capitalism that would lead them to take up prostitution on a voluntary basis." 7 An article about mng, working-class girls are promised a good life poverty assistance or renovating the capitalist system that forces young girls into prostitution to 1 brothels. What is it that keeps such a deplorable survive would have caused too great a disturbance among society because such a stance would : economics plays a large role, as does the double have implicated more than just the girls and their customers: It would have pointed the finger at fictorian era, and a new image of the innocence of government and society as a whole and demanded change.