CDA'S Flashcards
Why did the British army largely accept prostitution as a ‘necessary evil’?
The British army didn’t allow non-commissioned soldiers to be married, believing that married men would be more reluctant to risk their lives in combat
Homosexual acts were also illegal
HENCE, prostitution was regarded as a necessary evil to fulfil mens urges
What did reporting on the crimean war reveal? What did this lead to?
Reporting on the crimean war highlighted a high degree of venereal disease among the troops
This hence led to annual reports on the health of the army to be conducted
What evidence is there of venereal disease being rife in the military? What was the effect of this?
By 1964, Venereal diseases accounted for 1/3 sick cases in the army.
The war office and admiralty were concerned that the efficiency of the army and Navy was being damaged
When were compulsory medical examinations of soldiers abandoned? Why?
-In 1859 compulsory medical examinations of soldiers were abandoned
-Men were hostile to such intimate investigations; the issue had to be addressed another way
What were people aware of following the crimean war?
Despite experiencing an extended period of peace following the crimean war, people were again aware of the need for a fully fit army
What sub-section of the military was Venereal disease more common?
The Navy - Ships were often incapable of sailing for weeks because of the high rate of infection among sailors
What did estimated put the number of prostitutes in London at?
30,000-50,000
What evidence is there that General diseases such as Syphilis and Gonorrhoea were precipitating social ramifications?
20% of child admissions at the royal free had syphilis (from mother to child)
Around 7% of the sick poor had general diseases
What was the effect of the social turmoil brought on by VD’s?
It emphasised the need for government intervention
How was the conviction that gov intervention was needed to solve the CDA’s substantiated?
Due to the success of the 1848 Public health act, which established a general board of health, as well as the factory acts
When was the Committee of Inquiry established? Why?
1862
In attempt to reduce the spread of general disease
When was the Committee of Inquiry established? Why?
1862
In attempt to reduce the spread of general disease
What was the liberal solution presented at the 1862 Committee of Inquiry?
The liberal solution stipulated that there should be improved hospital care, penalties for men lying about infection, greater sanitation in barracks and increased leisure activities.
Which individuals were associated with the liberal solution put forward in the committee of inquiry?
William Acton and Florence Nightingale
Who presented the conservative solution? What did the conservative solution stipulate at the the 1862 Committee of Inquiry?
Sir John Liddell (Director general of the naval medical department)
He called for the regulation of prostitutes like in Hong Kong and India, with compulsory medical examinations by British army doctors
Which individual arguable catalysed an increased desire for government intervention in the passing of the CDA’s?
William Acton, an established London surgeon specialising in urinary and genital organs
What was the book published by Acton called? What did it do?
‘Prostitution’ (1857) highlighted the medical and moral ramifications of prostitution. Acton claimed:
-Charity and moral support hadn’t solved the problems and that there was a need for the medical profession to deal with the disease via examinations
-His assertions convinced many in the medical profession that government intervention was essential to prevent the spread of VD’s
What were moral attitudes towards prostitution?
Although prostitution was considered by many as a necessary evil, it defied 19th century notions of morality.
What was the moral role of women?
Women were supposed to be ‘moral guardians’, characterised by the notion of separate spheres, and thus although sexual immorality was acceptable for men, it was not for women
How was there a double standard regarding prostitution in 19th century Britain?
Many saw it as a ‘necessary evil’ to fulfil mens natural sex drives that couldn’t always be satisfied in marriage
How was prostitution condemned on religious grounds?
Evangelical christians condemned the use of prostitutes, claiming it desecrated the holy union of marriage
What did many men believe about prostitution?
Many men believed that illicit commercial sex was inescapable, it just needed to be contained and regulated
What was the attitude of the authorities to women?
The government and military authorities had no concern for Women’s welfare, and were thus driven to provide safe sex for men
How did gender roles develop in the 19th century?
The 19th century saw gender roles become more clearly defined than any point in history.
Fashion began to mirror the domesticated role of women with items like corsets and hoop skirts sexualising women
What was the general consensus about why women wanted marriage? How did this affect attitudes towards prostitution?
There remained an entrenched notion that women desired marriage not for sexual or emotional reasons, but to bare children
This accentuated harshness towards prostitutes who defied victorian stereotypes of women as mothers
What did acton attempt to do regarding moral attitudes surrounding prostitution?
He wanted to subvert the notion that a prostitute was doomed to inevitable ruin - He believed it was a temporary solution & by the state protecting their health, they could be given a chance to reform after sin
What did the ideology of separate spheres say?
Women were considered physically weaker yet morally superior to men, which meant they were suited to a domestic sphere
How did the social ramifications of VD affect mothers?
Mothers were largely blamed for the appalling death rates among infants
What were the terms of the 1864 CDA?
-The act applied to specific named naval ports and garrison towns. It covered 11 military stations; garrisons and seaports
-It allowed police to arrest women on the street if they were suspected of being a ‘common prostitute’, to register them & ensure they attend medical exams bu army or naval surgeons
-If a women was infected with a VD they could be detained for up to 3 months for treatment or until they were cured in a lock hospital
-If a women refused, she could be thrown into prison after a trial in which she had to prove she was virtuous
What were the terms of the 1866 CDA?
-The 1866 act extended 1864 so that more military towns were covered
-It also stipulated that any prostitute within 10 miles of a naval port/ garrison town had to undergo regular examination- compulsory examinations every 3 months for identified prostitutes was based on evidence of a single policemen before a magistrate
What were the terms of the 1869 CDA?
-Extended regulation to all garrison towns
-Allowing for 5 days detention prior to examination without trial
-Established 18 protected districts
-It was legal for prostitutes to be detained in a lock hospital for up to a year/ 9 months and subject to fortnightly inspection
What evidence is there of the medical authorities defending the acts?
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson & Acton believed reducing VD was the states moral duty
Anderson believed that the CDA’s would relieve physical suffering but checks wouldn’t prevent infection
when were the ramifications of the acts revealed?
in the 1871 royal commission
What did the 1871 royal commission reveal about a positive change?
It revelled that the legislation improved conditions for prostitutes in protected areas. Infected Women sometimes voluntarily travelled to protected regions to receive free medical treatment
What was the effect of frequent checks and timely treatment?
It improved the health of prostitutes and reduced the cases of premature death by Venereal disease
What reduction did the act bring about?
The CDA’s led to a reduction in scabies- a condition which caused constant scratching around the anal and genital regions.
Scabies caused great discomfort and treatment of this infection was very popular among prostitutes
What evidence is there that the CDA’s reduced hospital admission rates in the army?
The act reduces hospital admissions for syphilis in the army.
In protected areas 37/1000 soldiers were hospitalised with disease, down from 194/1000 in unprotected areas
What can discredit the evidence demonstrating improvements brought about by the CDA’s?
Most of the evidence about the impact of the acts came from the 1871 royal commission which only interviewed ‘respectable’ witnesses like Anglican ministers and doctors, not the women themselves
How did the CDA’s make it harder in some cases for women to leave prostitution?
Some Women’s rescue organisations refused to care for women from government hospitals as they opposed the acts
What was the effect of certificates given to VD-Free prostitutes?
They became valuable assets, allowing prostitutes to charge more
Why else were improvements in health limited?
Still no checks on men within the armed forces.
This meant disease was contained rather than eradicated
What happened to many innocent women as a result of the CDA’s?
Many innocent women were falsely accused- Mary Percy, a singer, who was falsely accused of being a prostitute killed herself in 1875 due to the damage to her reputation that occurred
