History
Prostitution in eighteenth century France
Document Type
Book Chapter
Abstract
Sex work in eighteenth century France was primarily an urban experience. Police focused on curtailing prostitution that violated community norms by being too noisy or too visible. Sex work was organised in a number of different ways. There was a hierarchy of marginalisation, with elite prostitutes at the top and women servicing impoverished men at the bottom. Prostitution was also organised according to whether women worked on their own or with intermediaries, whether they worked full- or part-time, whether they were professionals, and finally, where they worked. Women and girls became sex workers as a way to make ends meet, whether it was the best or the only option. Yet, it was dangerous – between pregnancies, violence, and the possibility of contracting syphilis. Despite larger narratives about the evils of prostitution, many sex workers were well integrated into their communities, and many – though not all – exercised a degree of agency over their lives.
Publication Title
Histories of Sex Work Around the World
Publication Date
8-7-2024
First Page
69
Last Page
81
ISBN
9781040104828
DOI
10.4324/9781003386612-5
Keywords
eighteenth century France, sex workers, sex work
Repository Citation
Kushner, Nina, "Prostitution in eighteenth century France" (2024). History. 79.
https://commons.clarku.edu/historyfac/79
