Contagious Diseases Acts

Question 1

What were the main causes of prostitution?

Answer 1

• w/c women had little to no education
• most employed in domestic service
• prostitution only alternative to going into the workhouse
• some women saw prostitution as part time

Question 2

What were rescue workers?

Answer 2

People who cared for prostitutes or ‘fallen women’ as they were called in Victorian times

Question 3

What were Victorian attitudes to prostitution?

Answer 3

• seen as a moral threat to society, challenged idea that women were pure
• seen as something that contaminated society
• viewed as a cause of public disorder
• hypocrits saw it as necessary to fulfil ‘natural’ male sex drive

Question 4

Why did venereal disease become a concern for the health of the nations population?

Answer 4

• If left long enough Syphillis could cause blindness, deafness and insanity
• Syphillis a big killer for children aged under 12 months
• estimated 7% of sick poor in London had venereal infections
• data convinced authorities that a wave of sickness was sweeping the nation

Question 5

Why were the contagious diseases acts passed?

Answer 5

• Prostitution and venereal disease a wider societal issue
• Crimean war (1854-56) main catalyst
• Britain had more casualties in hospitals than the battlefield
• army statistical department set up which published annual reports on health of army
• reports highlighted high degree of venereal disease

Question 6

What was the Royal Commision (1857)?

Answer 6

• established in response to the Crimean War
• recommended appointment of a statistical department to report annually on the health of the army
• department uncovered alarming statistics
• 1860, 37% army hospital admissions were for venereal infections
• on average 105 out of every 1000 soldiers were in hospital due to sexually related illness

Question 7

What did the committee of inquiry (1862) debate?

Answer 7

• gov appointed to investigate how venereal disease in the army could be prevented
• central advocate Nightingale, against regulation of prostitutes
• John Liddell advocated for regulation, used in Hong Kong and India
• gov ignored Nightingale and 1862 committee

Question 8

Who was John William Acton?

Answer 8

• london surgeon of high reputation, medical knowledge of venereal disease
• published a book which influenced gov approach to sexual health
• explained venereal disease were a danger to the general population and condition of army
• suggested through regular medical checks of prostitutes venereal disease could be controlled

Question 9

What was the Contagious diseases act 1864?

Answer 9

• applied to specific garrison towns and ports
• authorised police in ‘subjected districts’ to arrest women suspected of being a ‘common prostitute’
• if women found to be diseased they could be detained for up to 3 months
• act passed with little debate, some MPs thought they were passing an Act affecting animals

Question 10

What was the impact of the 1864 CDA?

Answer 10

• early statistics showed decline in number of prostitutes in military districts
• statistics collected on cleanliness of registered women and improved order on streets in garrison towns and ports
• some suggested prostitutes had left towns rather than risk being arrested, may have spread disease

Question 11

What was the Contagious diseases act 1866?

Answer 11

• gov introduced compulsory examinations once every 3 months
• examinations to be carried out within 10 miles of any port or garrison town

Question 12

What was the Contagious diseaseses act 1869?

Answer 12

• extended regulation to all garrision towns
• allowed prostitutes to be held for five days before examination
• ‘instrumental rape’

Question 13

What were the ‘positive’ impacts of the acts on prostitutes and ordinary women?

Answer 13

• 1871 Royal Commision appointed to investigate acts
• claimed legislation had improved conditions for prostitutes in protected areas
• claimed certificates given to disease free prostitutes became valued assets
• limited as didn’t gather knowledge from prostitutes

Question 14

What were the negative impacts of the acts on prostitutes and ordinary women?

Answer 14

• once women’s name on the register difficult to get off
• many women falsely accused, Miss Percy committed suicide as she lost job and rep
• double standards
• ‘instrumental rape’