Prostitution through the Decades

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 15^th and 16^th century prostitution was concentrated on two streets, and by the 17^th 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.