THE DIVISIONS OF PROSTITUTES

San Francisco prostitutes fit into four categories: Parlor-House residents, Brothel Prostitutes, Dance-Hall Harlots, and Streetwalkers. The Parlor-House was the most desirable place to work because the women had to be beautiful and talented. These women offered fantasy along with sex to attract men into their realm. The women who worked in the Parlor-House were the highest paid prostitutes and they were mainly French women who worked there. They worked out of house-like establishments. Why French? They were fair, petite, and beautiful compared to the other prostitutes. That was what men wanted, not below par prostitutes. Brothel Prostitutes worked in similar establishments, but they were not as elegant as Parlor-Houses. These prostitutes were paid less and their expenses for accommodations and wardrobe were much less than Parlor-House Residents. Dance-Hall Harlots were dependent on quantity of men rather than quality, because their pay was not high, so they relied on quantity to maximize their profit. These women provided their own room, or crib, for their services. Streetwalkers had the least amount of prostitutes and the pay was the worst compared to other prostitutes. These women were the ones who showed up on police records as common prostitutes, while brothel and crib prostitutes, when arrested, were charged with the misdemeanour of soliciting for a house of ill-fame. Prostitution was illegal and known to law enforcement, but they took bribes and other favours to protect it from the law. Prostitution had its advantages if you belonged to a high-ranking establishment the police did not often interfere. Prostitution became less obvious in society when laws were passed in the late 1800s to keep prostitution more confined. The ill-famed establishments were kept in one area, so the rest of society could avoid interactions with prostitutes. Today, in 2003, prostitution is regarded as an immoral act. This is happening in Victoria, where prostitutes only operate in certain areas to avoid public interaction. The occupation still exists, but we define the meaning differently and accept it less, compared to what was acceptable in the 1840s.

previous page

Click HERE to proceed to the suicide of Edna Farnsworth.