The Brutality of Prostitutes: A Study on Society In America Between 1775-1783
Author:
Eryn Drobins ’29Co-Authors:
Faculty Mentor(s):
Paul Barba, HistoryFunding Source:
noneAbstract
Women during colonial America were widely misrepresented, even in scholarly research after the time. This treatment was even worse for “women of the night.” Many of these women would serve in the trade of sexual deeds as prostitutes as a form of survival, resorting to this when they have nothing else left. Unfortunately, records, contemporary and modern, are left with heavy bias. The question of morality of the trade of sexual actions comes long before the colonial era, but remains prominent during the time. This creates problems in modern studies as talk of prostitutes during the time spoke on bias related to immorality and male victimhood. These women held an important role in the structure of the war as they increased the fear of disease, particularly venereal disease, among soldiers. This fear they created extended the bias against them during the time, a sentiment that has prevailed through research, and is something I will unravel in this study.