LEAGUE OF NATIONS PROSTITUTES : HEIR EARLY LIVES G E N E V A , 1938 Published ■previously : Annual Reports from Governments Summary of Annual Reports received from Governments between the close of the First Session and the close of the Second Session of the Advisory Committee on Social Questions (M ay 1st,1937-M ay 5th, 1938). (C.81.M.36.1938.IV.) (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1938.IV .5) ..................................................... 3/ - $0,75 Special Jurisdiction for M inors Auxiliary Services of Juvenile Courts Auxiliary Services of Juvenile Courts. (Ser. L .o.N . P . 1931.IV.1) .................................................................... 5/ - S i.25 Juvenile Courts Organisation of Juvenile Courts and the Results attained hitherto. Published by the League of Nations, in collaboration with the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1935.IV.5) ...................................................................................... 4 /- Si. 00 Principles applicable to the Functioning of Juvenile Courts and Similar Bodies, Auxi­ liary Services and Institutions. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1937.1V.9) ...................................................................................... 1/6 30.40 Erring and Delinquent Minors Institutions for Erring and Delinquent Minors. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1934.IV .1) ...................................................... 7/6 $2.00 Enquiry into the Question of Children in Moral and Social Danger. Report of Mile. Chaptal. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1934.IV .8) ...................................................... 4/ - § i.00 Child Welfare Councils (Denmark, Norway, Sweden.) (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1937.IV .1) ........................................................................................ 2/6 $0.60 Return of Children and Young People to their Homes Model Agreement regarding the Return of Chil­ dren and Young People to their Homes. (Ser. L .o.N . P. 1931.IV .5) .................................................................... 6d. SO.15 Illegitim ate Children Study of the Position of the Illegitimate Child based on the Information communicated by G o v e r n m e n t s . (Ser. L .o.N . P . 1929.IV.5) ............. 3/3 $0.80 Official Guardianship of Illegitimate Children. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1932.IV .1)........................................................ 9d. SO. 15 Disclosure of Illegitimacy in Official Documents. (Ser. L.o.N. P. 1933.IV .2) ..................................... 6d. $0.15 rrommunicated to the Council Official No. : and th e Members of the League.] C.218. M.120. 1938.IV . Geneva, Jxily 1st, 1938. LEAGUE OF NATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS ENQUIRY INTO MEASURES OF REHABILITATION OF PROSTITUTES ( P a r t I) PROSTITUTES : THEIR EARLY LIVES Series of League of Nations Publications IV. SOCIAL 1938. IV„ 11. CONTENTS Preface................................................................................................ 5 Introduction.................................................................................... 7 I, Analysis of Replies : A g e ................................................................................................ 12 Nationality and Civil S tatus.................................................. 13 Legitim acy.................................................................................. 21 Mental Capacity and Characteristics.................................. 22 Venereal D isease....................................................................... 27 Home C o n d itio n s..................................................................... 28 Education .................................................................................. 36 Employment .............................................................................. 38 First Sexual Experience......................................................... 43 Age at beginning Prostitution and Alleged or Supposed Reasons for doing so ......................................................... 45 C onvictions................................................................................ 55 Social Service A ssistance....................................................... 59 Concluding Remarks .................................................................. 63 II. Summaries of R eplies : From Governments : Belgium .................................................................................. 71 United Kingdom ................................................................ 75 C a n ad a..................................................................................... 78 C h ile ......................................................................................... 81 Denmark ................................................................................ 83 United States of America ................................................ 87 France ..................................................................................... 92 India ....................................................................................... 95 I t a l y ......................................................................................... 104 Japan ....................................................................................... 106 Poland .................................................................................... 106 Roumania .............................................................................. 109 T u rk e y .................................................................................... 112 U ru g u ay .................................................................................. 114 3627.—S.d.N. 1.245 (F.), 1.380 (A.) 8/38. Imp. de VO. de P. Bruxelles. — 4 — Page From Voluntary Associations : Sent by the International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children : D a n z i g ............................................................................................... IlS H u n g a r y ............................................................................................ n g Sw itzerland....................................................................................... 121 Sent by the Jewish Association for the Protection of Girls, Women and Children : A rg en tin e R e p u b lic .................................................................. 123 United Kingdom ....................................................................... 125 Sent by the International Federation for Aid to Young Women : Roum ania ....................................................................................... 127 Sent by the Women’s International Organisations : France ................................................................................... 130 In d ia ................................................................................................. 131 N orw ay ............................................................................................ 132 N e th e r la n d s.................................................................................... 134 Czechoslovakia ............................................................................. 135 A n n e x e s : I. Q uestionnaire .................................................................................... 138 II. Governments and Voluntary Organisations to which Part I I I o f the Questionnaire was se n t................................. 140 PREFACE One of the first questions examined by the League of Nations Traffic in Women and Children Committee was the connection between licensed houses of prostitution and the traffic in women. From the beginning several delegates maintained the opinion that licensed houses were centres of traffic, and this belief was strikingly confirmed by the findings of a body of experts set up by the Committee to discover the extent and nature of the traffic in women.1 After investigations carried on in over a hundred cities in twenty-eight countries, these experts reported in 1927; their conclusions contained the very positive statement that the existence of licensed houses was undoubtedly an incentive to traffic, both national and international. As the desirability of abolishing licensed brothels became generally accepted, more of the Committee’s time was occupied with discussing the constructive measures which should accompany abolition and, in particular, the rehabili­ tation of prostitutes who occupied licensed brothels. This was considered so important a complement of abolition that it was mentioned in the 1934 resolutions which were the outcome of the “ licensed-house ” enquiry. They include a sentence stating that whenever licensed houses are closed, it is essential that measures should be adopted to rehabi­ litate the wom en concerned. This resolution was the origin of the enquiry into methods of rehabilitation. Begun on a small scale, and limited at first to direct measures of rehabilitation, it grew both in subject and extent. In 1935, a questionnaire in three parts 1 The American Bureau of Social Hygiene subscribed a sum of 75,000 dollars towards the cost of this enquiry. was sent out to all States Members of the League of Nations and non-members and to the voluntary organisations repre­ sented by assessors on the Committee. The first part contained questions on direct measures of rehabilitation; the second, on the extent to which social assistance is combined with treatment for venereal disease; the third, on the antecedents of prostitutes.1 The results of the enquiry, as far as they had been received, were submitted to the Committee