The Contagious Diseases Act was first introduced by Parliament to the people of the United Kingdom in the year 1864, but many reasons surrounding this act stretch to a time period long before this. In London, many young women occupied hospitals due to sexually transmitted diseases, ultimately as a result of prostitution. The Contagious Diseases Act was extended in the years 1866 as well as 1869, and finally the act was abrogated in the year 1886. The main purpose of the acts were to safeguard the British armed forces from the extensive threat of venereal diseases. The government did not want to permit any threat to the ability and quality of their armed forces. Under the regulations of these acts, police officers were allowed to legally arrest women who they suspected of being prostitutes. After being arrested for suspicion, these women were held for further examination with medical testing to determine if they were infected with any type of venereal disease. If a woman was found to be infected, they would be kept and confined to a locked hospital until cured or recovered.
These acts speak for themselves revealing the deep rooted and unjust issues and treatment that existed. They are an acute example of Victorian morality during the era and time period surrounding Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. In his novel, Dickens offers a view of the harsh reality that a child was forced into. Much like the fictional life of the impoverished Oliver that we experience, we can see an extremely similar situation for that of prostitutes at the time. Both of the two were forced into lives of utterly cruel work and unfair treatment. In the words of Dickens, just like Oliver Twist, these poor women were “the humble, half-starved drudge-to be cuffed and buffeted through the world-despised by all, and pitied by none”. (pg.4)
Works Cited
Atwell, Alyssa. “The British Contagious Diseases Acts (1864, 1866, and 1869).” Towards Emancipation?, hist259.web.unc.edu/contagious-diseases-acts-1864-1866-and-1869/.
Luddy, Maria. “Women and the Contagious Diseases Acts 1864-1886.” History Ireland, 18th-19th Century Social Perspectives, 18th–19th - Century History, Features, Issue 1 (Spring 1993), Volume 1, 18 Mar. 2013, www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/women-and-the-contagio….
The Contagious Diseases Act, 10 Jan. 2009, www.victorianweb.org/gender/contagious.html.