Commercialized Prostitution in New York CityKneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
History
Commercialized Prostitution in New York City
Kneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
Prostitution -- New York (State) -- New York
At the beginning of this investigation, it was determined to count all
women who were believed to be professional prostitutes seen in connection
with resorts of all kinds in Manhattan, as well as those who used the
streets for solicitation. Although these resorts were visited two or more
times, only one count made on one visit is included in the total. As a
result of this method, adhered to throughout the entire period of the
study, _i. e._, from January 24th, 1912, to November 15th, 1912, the
number of professional prostitutes actually counted was 14,926. Of this
number, 6,759 were found on the streets in different localities in
Manhattan; 8,167 prostitutes were seen and counted in parlor houses,
resorts in tenement apartments, disorderly massage parlors, hotels,
saloons, concert halls, and miscellaneous places.[174] Not all the vice
resorts operating in Manhattan were visited; nor were all the women in
these resorts seen during the visits: a certain number of repetitions
would thus probably be more than offset. On the basis of the foregoing
figures, it is safe to say that a total in round numbers of 15,000 does
not overstate the number of professional prostitutes in Manhattan. This
estimate does not include occasional or clandestine prostitutes; it
includes those only who publicly offer themselves for sale in the open
marts.
An effort was made to ascertain the salient facts in the personal history
of 1,106 prostitutes--mostly street walkers. The approximate accuracy or
truthfulness of the facts stated may be inferred from the extent to which
they are confirmed by Miss Davis's intensive study of the inmates of
Bedford Reformatory.[175] Our investigator was a woman who was regarded as
extraordinarily successful in winning the confidence of the girls, with
whom she associated on easy and familiar terms, and by whom she was
regarded as one of themselves. Of the 1,106 women thus interrogated, 762
gave America as their native land; 347 gave New York State as their
birthplace; 95 were born in Pennsylvania, 63 in New Jersey, 35 in Ohio, 26
in Connecticut. Of the 344 born in foreign countries, 107 came from
Russia, 72 from Germany, 35 from Austria-Hungary, and 32 from England and
Scotland. Their previous occupations include domestic service, trade,
industry, commerce, stenography, school teaching. Those who are arrested
come mainly from the class first named, thus confirming the results
obtained by Miss Mary Conyngton, an investigator for the Department of
Labor at Washington, who declares that out of 3,229 women arrested for
offenses against the law, 2,606, or 80.71 per cent claim to have followed
the ordinary pursuits of women "within and outside the home."[176] But, it
must be added, the majority of those now engaged in prostitution seldom
reach the Night Court or rescue homes. They are too well-dressed, too
clever, and have long since learned the art of escaping the hand of the
law. Of the women at large interrogated, 487 gave their occupational
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