WHO WERE THE PROSTITUTES?

The majority of the people who lived in San Francisco had moved there because they had been unable to 'make it' in the bigger cities and were looking for a 'fresh start'. The gold rush gave opportunity for people to come and start a new life in business. During the gold rush, people did not come for permanent residence; they came for pleasure and business. Within the major ethnic groups, the Chinese, Mexican and Latin prostitutes were at the lower end of prostitution, when looking at the hierarchy in the prostitution world. The French prostitutes were regarded as the best women in town because of their ability to lure men to them. Their pay was the highest of all prostitutes and their fashion choices often set trends amongst other women. The prostitutes from China and Mexico were treated the worst out of all the prostitutes. Both groups of women were confined to their owners or people who had rights to their services. These women could not leave until they paid off their debts. The travels of these women were horrible. Especially women from China, they were young girls from poor families and their fathers sold them to the highest bidder. Other young Chinese girls were kidnapped from their families and sold to Chinese business' in San Francisco. When they arrived in San Francisco, the amount of money they made was miniscule compared to Caucasian women. The more the prostitutes made the better the rank they had, and the better establishments they worked in.

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