Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls: Or War on the White Slave Trade; A Complete and Detailed Account of the Shameless Traffic in Young Girls

by Ernest Albert Bell

A stark, well-documented look at the white slave trade and its devastating impact on women and families.

This nonfiction work compiles official records, witness testimony, and historical analysis to reveal how trafficking in girls has operated across cities and countries. It presents the stakes, the people involved, and the ongoing fight to protect innocent lives, offering a clear picture of a crime that shocked nations and urged legal and social reforms.

firsthand accounts from those who lived through the trade and its enforcement networks explanations of laws, policing, and medical and legal perspectives that shaped responses an expansive look at how communities, reformers, and officials organized to confront the crime practical insights into prevention, protection, and policy options for readers seeking to help Ideal for readers seeking a sober, well-sourced view of this crime and the ongoing efforts to stop it in its tracks.

Genres: History

517 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

1865-1928

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

too much repitition as they are reprints of newspaper columns but a good slice of evangelical Christianity at the turn of the last century

[dejah_thoris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Albeit slightly repetitive because it's a compilation of essays from clergy, missionaries, victims, and law enforcement, this book published by the Midnight Mission of Chicago contains a variety of statistics and common beliefs from the era. You may want to view these with skepticism as this is a piece of propaganda written to "wake up" concerned parents and citizens but the research appears thorough, often culled from crime reports, health authorities, victim's testimonies, etc.

That being said, trafficking has not changed much over the past hundred years. Most of the ploys have remained the same for both foreign and domestic prostitutes, the only difference being the suppliers. I'd like to think American girls are more savvy these days, but then I remember how many runaways become streetwalkers due to the exact same schemes.

Great book to start examining the modern American backlash against legalized prostitution via the brothel system and/or segregation to "red light" districts. Also interesting from a gender studies perspective to examine the tension between more freedom for women and fears of less supervision.