CDA & the Campaig For Their Repeal 1862-86

Question 1

Why were the CDA introduced between 1862-69?

Answer 1

-increase in prostitution in Victorian england
-view that prostitution was useful and unpreventable
(Male sexual desire was natural and not to be repressed/ prostitution for male desire)
-increase in prostitution cause increase in venereal diseases
-raised awareness for venereal diseases
-alarmed nation about health stimulated gov intervention

Question 2

How does the army link to the introduction of the CDA?

Answer 2

• Crimean war soldier health worrying more casualties from disease than battlefield
• hospitals and barracks lacked basic sanitation increase in infection
• venereal diseases big problem due to army dependence on prostitution and ‘prevented’ homosexuality

Question 3

What was the 1862 committee?

Answer 3

• 1859 frequent medical exams for soldiers abandoned as they were too invasive
• 1860 37% of army hospital admissions were for v diseases
• John Liddell said that prostitutes should be checked instead
• nightingale opposed due to lack of prostitutes rights suggesting army should issue penalties and open lock hospitals for ps to visit voluntarily
• Gladstone opposed

Question 4

What is evidence for improvements for prostitutes?

Answer 4

• Encouraged infected women to seek treatment
• certificates stating they were disease free became valuable assets increase payment
• health and self esteem improved
• increased working life of women beyond 3-4 years-v diseases caused ealry death
• reduced scabies
• status of prostitutes flexible

Question 5

What is evidence for set backs for prostitutes?

Answer 5

• harder to leave prostitution as on register
• damaged relations between prostitutes and local communities
• improvement limited no checks for men in army-no eradication
• limited treatment
• threat of mistaken identity-police needed no proof to bring p in for checks
• threat of national enforcement encouraged movement for repeal

Question 6

What was the speculum and why was it controversial?

Answer 6

• examinations controversial
• speculum allowed full internal observation
• quick brutal procedure-degrading
• caused outrage expose offended female proprietary
• instrumental rape-destroy modesty
• rob virginity
• not cleaned. Cashed cross contamination
• one girl died during inspection recorded as brain inflammation

Question 7

How were double standards shown?

Answer 7

State accepted p as necessary for male sexuality but blamed women for problems created

Triggered campaign fundamentally changing GB politics

Question 8

Why were the CDA repealed?

Answer 8

Formation of ladies national association for repeal of CDA

Role of Josephine butler

Question 9

Who were the main figures of the LNA for repeal of CDA?

Answer 9

Butler

Wolstenholme

Question 10

What were the 8 allegations of the LNA?

Answer 10

1-CDA passed in secrecy
2-undermine legal protection formally accorded to men and women
3-offence of prostitution unclearly defined in acts
4-unfair punishment for p, largely men’s fault
5-made path of evil easy for men
6-acts cruel and degrading
7-increase disease rather than prevent
8-solution to v diseases moral not physical

Question 11

How many signatures did the LNA receive?

Answer 11

Over 2000 in 1869

Question 12

What was the role of Josephine butler?

Answer 12

• leader of LNA added direction
• had high credibility to avoid discredit
• wife and mother married to church minister, charismatic, beautiful, devout Christian
• motivation out of familial love-daughter aged 6 died
• founded refuge for women mostly p
• against CDA as it legalised p morally wrong

Question 13

What were some of the negative aspects of Butlers leadership?

Answer 13

• no first hand knowledge of p as MC
• disconnection between Bs leadership and women most affected by CDA
• work with p seemed indulgent
• blocked compromise of voluntary examinations slowed process
• wanted to completely abolish acts slow

Question 14

What were the threats of prostitution of GB society?

Answer 14

• threatened marriages and families
• gonorrhoea relatively harmless
• syphilis if untreated caused blindness, deafness and insanity
• hereditary syphilis highest killer in children
• threat to population
• sexual immorality pardonable for men but not for women (Matrimonial causes act 1857-huge double standard men forced wives into sex)
• prostitution=necessary social evil posed medical challenge

Question 15

Who was John William Acton?

Answer 15

• London surgeon with med knowledge on v diseases concerned with issues of p
• published book 1857 huge impact on gov thinking on sexual health-outlined problems of p but agreed it could not be eradicated
• convinced many that gov intervention was necessary
• believed freq med checks of p and tech advances could solve issue

Question 16

Outline what happened in 1864 CDA?

Answer 16

Have police within ports and garrison towns the power to arrest p for med exams

If diseased they could be detained in lock hospitals until cured

Failure to submit to examinations led to imprisonments

Question 17

Outline the 1866 CDA

Answer 17

Compulsory exam for p every 3 months

P could be identified on evidence of single policemen before magistrate

Examinations were to be performed on all suspected p in garrison towns

Question 18

Outline 1869 CDA

Answer 18

Extend regulation of garrison towns allowing p to be examined without trial

Made it legal for p to be detained in lock hospitals for up to a year subject to fortnightly inspections

Question 19

Who were Acton and Anderson?

Answer 19

Defended acts believing the reduction of v disease to be benevolent and moral duty of state

Acton increased public health
Anderson-relieve p of physical suffering by enforcing hospital visits

Question 20

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

Answer 20

• restructured business of p due to registration and detention
• women feared being mistaken as p
• v diseases fully blamed on women
• eg of social ranks men in parliament pass laws degrading women to benefit men

Question 21

Who was James stansfeld?

Answer 21

• worked in Gladstone’s cabinet until 1874
• from 1874 too dominant role in leading movement of repeal of CDA
• reshaped movement into more effective political pressure group
• cultivated popular support adopted new strategies
• provided scientific arguments against acts
• transformed campaign from moral to pragmatic m-encouraged formation of nation medical association 1875-med professionals to campaign against acts-payed off 1879-con gov established committee to inquire into acts
• pushed for final repeal 1886

Question 22

How did butler see stansfeld?

Answer 22

Created tensions

Butler did not want male influence butler felt threatened preferred to work with wc men

Question 23

What were the forms of protest used by the campaign for repeal of CDA?

Answer 23

• petitions
• undermines p candidates (liberals) until they supported repeal
• interfere in elections-pressure on candidates to support repeal
• draw attention to women mistaken for p-Percy committed suicide 1875 martyr for cause-CDA risked dignity of women
• cooperation with prostitutes-‘siege of Devon port’ resisting med examinations
• supported women legally and financially who were imprisoned

Question 24

Was the campaign for repeal of CDA successful?

Answer 24

• campaign had immediate impact-revolt of women new to Gov-did not know how to deal with it
• 1871 royal commission investigation-ealry sign that gov took protesters seriously
• LNA campaign successful-made CDA look immoral
• repeal of acts not priority-Irish Home Rule-stansfeld in G cabinet demanded repeal for support in Irish question-G agreed
• evidence medical professionals against acts

Question 25

When was the CDA suspended and then repealed?

Answer 25

1883

1886-due ti continues LNA influence

Question 26

Why were medical professionals against the CDA?

Answer 26

• gonorrhoea and syphilis cause long term health issues
• science to cure v diseases
• medical profession moving to promote chastity and precaution-prevention rather than treatment-CDA nor sufficient