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BACKGROUND Originally, prostitution in Victoria seemed to be limited to the Aboriginal women who lived on the outskirts of town. It had more or less been out of the view of the average city resident. That is until the gold rush in 1858 brought masses of newcomers to Victoria, the majority of which were single working men with extra money to spend in their free time. As the prostitutes began to move closer in to the heart of the city it became more difficult for residents to 'look the other way.' By 1859, newcomers like Matthew Macfie, had "witnessed
scenes after sunset calculated to shock even the bluntest of sensibilities"
and began to view prostitution's evidence as a "scandal to the country." Nonetheless, the city's politicians, well aware of prostitution's
appeal to sailors and potential newcomers, dealt with the growing problem
by trying to confine it to newly-created licensed "dance-halls." The Victoria City police department was created in 1858,
in part to deal with prostitutes and the 'houses of ill-fame' that had
begun to crop up in the city. However, reviews of police records indicate
that prostitution was basically treated as only a minor offense. The more
common charge was for "solicitation," an offense for which a
fine was rarely imposed. Men charged with "frequenting" a bawdy
house generally received a $50 fine before being released. Click HERE to proceed to Prostitution
in London.
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