Flip through any
history text and immediately gracing the pages are words discussing the
presence of prostitution in every country, and the “World’s Oldest Debate”, the
question each founder asked, whether to legalize or criminalize said acts of
prostitutes.
` Japan is one of the few counties
which chose to legalize prostitution. A
system for licensed prostitution was created in 1900 (Garon 1993). The
establishment of licensed prostitution significantly altered the lives of
thousands of young women in Japan. By creating a system of licenses to engage
in sexual acts for money the number of prostitutes in Japan rose immensely. The
number peaked with a record high of 54,049 in 1916 and remained in the 50,000
range during the 1920’s and the early 1930’s (Garon 1993). In 1925 the
statistical evidence demonstrated that 1 out of every 31 women between the ages
of 18 and 29 was engrossed in the world of prostitution (Garon 1993). By
legalizing these acts the women believed it was a lucrative and acceptable
means of making money whereas criminalizing the act of prostitution would have
discouraged young women from pursuing such a self-deprecating lifestyle.
Criminalization of prostitution would additionally have
persuaded young women to strive for an education. Data indicates that in 1924 13% of registered
Japanese prostitutes had not attended a single education course and that a mere
28% had completed the basic 6 years of compulsory elementary education (Garon
1993). The primary deciding factor
whether young Japanese women chose to attend an educational facility or turn to
the brothels was money and social status.
An abundance of the women recruited to a prostitute lifestyle were from
Japans poorest region the rural northeast (Garon 1993). Not surprisingly, when
asked why they had chosen to become prostitutes 82% percent of licensed
Japanese prostitutes in 1918 responded that “they took up their trade either to
rescue their families from poverty, bail out failed family ventures, care for
parents or siblings, or because of death or illness in the family” (Garon
1993). Also not shocking, a measly 0.5% of women interviewed claimed that they
had taken up their degrading lifestyle because they had “personally wanted” to
be prostitutes (Garon 1993).
Despite the fact that the life of a licensed Japanese
prostitute was clearly damaging and dangerous, a startling 13 of every 1,000
prostitutes dying annually, government officials continued to believe that the
positive effects of licensed prostitution outweighed the negative (Garon
1993). Cosmopolitan thinker Fukazawa
Yukichi stated in 1885 that prostitution was “the only way to preserve social
peace” because of the rise in single men that were unable to marry due to
financial troubles (Garon 1993). Additionally, it was believed that
prostitution contributed to Japan rising as a major world power. The argument for this bold statement was that
during the Naval Race with the United States in 1935 the abundance of available
and willing licensed Japanese girls working as prostitutes meant that the
Japanese officers were able to be away from home for extended periods of time
on naval maneuvers. The men of the
American Navy insisted on being at sea no longer than 3 months since they
desired to go home to enjoy the company of their wives (Garon 1993).
Although the support for licensed prostitution in Japan
was substantial, the momentum to abolish it rose between 1920s and 1930s when
Non-Christian Organizations composed of Buddhists and social workers designed
abolitionist campaigns. The organizations were quite successful in persuading
prefectural assemblies to vote to abolish licensed prostitution.By 1934 The
Home Ministry stated that licensed prostitution would be abolished in the
coming years (Garon 1993). Due to the war and Japan invading China the action
to abolish prostitution was placed on the back burner and it was not until 1958
that the Anti-Prostitution Law was finally enforced (Garon 1993).
The history of prostitution in the United States is
strikingly different than the rollercoaster battle between legalized and
abolished prostitution in Japan. The American reformers of the 1880’s main
concern were lobbying governments to carry out censorship and “the purification
of society itself” (Garon 1993). The concerns regarding prostitution in America
were brief in comparison to the prostitution debate ongoing in Japan. The “popular
hysteria” over venereal diseases and promiscuous women only took place during the
two years America was involved in World War I and did not reoccur during World
War II. Furthermore, the American feminists and liberals were more concerned
with why only the prostitute was targeted and the pimps and customers were not
prosecuted (Garon 1993).
Amsterdam is a country well known for “the red light
district” and asocietal attitude towards prostitution that greatly resembles
that which existed in Japan. Prostitution has been legal in Netherlands since 2000.74
percent of the Dutch population view prostitution as an acceptable job (Abrams
2009). The Dutch have supported prostitution throughout the history of Amsterdam.
In 1413 one of the first by-laws stated that brothels will not be forbidden
because whores are necessary in big commerce cities, and that the church
tolerates whores on good grounds (Abrams 2009). In 1911 a law was passed which
forbid brothels but the prostitutes
themselves were not penalized so they continued to engage in their sexual acts
for money (Abrams 2009). In the 15th and 16th century
prostitution was concentrated on two streets, and by the 17th
century it encompassed three large areas in the heart of the city. These
streets and areas are still present within the present day red light district
(Abrams 2009).
Virtually every country has had at least one if not many
more debates regarding prostitution.The history of prostitution varies in each
country based on religion, morals, beliefs, and philosophies held by the
individuals of said society.
Works
Cited
Abrams, M. (2009). City
of (red) lights. History Today, 59(11), 6-7.
Garon, S. (1993). The
world's oldest debate? Prostitution and the state in imperial Japan, 1900- 1945. American Historical Review, 98(3),
710.
Orme, N. (1987). THE
REFORMATION & THE RED LIGHT. History Today, 37(3),
36.
