Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Sex Work in Victorian London
Jun 27, 2025
Join historian Julia Laite, a professor at Birkbeck University and author of "Common Prostitutes and Ordinary Citizens," as she dives into the world of Victorian sex workers. Discover the struggles and resilience of women navigating societal stigma and harsh laws. Laite reveals the military’s controversial ties to prostitution while critiquing gender inequality and the historical fight for sex workers' rights. Through engaging anecdotes and humor, she dismantles misconceptions about sex work, challenging listeners to rethink historical narratives and their modern implications.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Sex Work Reflects Social Structures
- Sex work is deeply tied to women's social and economic positions and broader societal structures.
- It acts as a "makeshift economy" that women turn to in order to survive or achieve social mobility.
Victorian Panic Over Public Space
- Victorians saw sex work as part of public disorder amid expanding city life and changing gender roles.
- Their desire to sanitize public spaces and protect women and children led to intense regulation and moral panic.
Legal Definitions Were Ambiguous
- Lawmakers struggled to define "prostitute" and "brothel" clearly in Victorian legislation, causing legal ambiguity.
- Definitions were based on offering sexual services for gain and the presence of multiple sex workers in one place.