A few words to electors on a most serious subject / [by] the Scottish National Association for Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts.

Date:
[between 1880 and 1889?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A few words to electors on a most serious subject / [by] the Scottish National Association for Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    luarter of Signatures of Men and Women, have testified i\ ;rief and disgust of the people regarding tlie Acts ; yet they ai lot only unrepealed, but the Government lately attempted \ xtend their worst and most immoral principles to the who ountry, and will, no doubt, try to do so again. What are the CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACTS? They are Laws passed for the alleged protection of Imraor soldiers and Sailors from Disease resulting from immoral pra ices ; but they are applied to Women only. Wherever tht ire in force. Women are at the mercy of Police Spies in plai slothes, and on the evidence of such men any poor defencele ivoman may be compelled, under the penalty of imprisonmen :o undergo, whether well or ill, an indescribable outrage by Surgeon in the pay of the State. In the three years endir December 31st 1871, One Hundred and Thirty-two Thousar. Six Hundred and Ninety-three of these outrages have been pe petrated, and in One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Case without even the excuse of disease. No less than 127 po* women preferred prison life and hard labour to the atrocities the Acts! These outrages are carried on daily at the present tim (The Laws are based on the Unrighteous and Immoral prr ciple that Prostitution is a Necessity, and that it is the duty the State to protect Immoral Men, by placing in jeopardy tl character and personal honour of all 2^oor and helpless Women. In the House of Commons, on the 23d of July 1872, I Mundella, M.P. for Sheffield, and a Member of the Koyal Cor mission of Inquiry into the working of the Acts, said : Ijjrot [against a law lOhich visits upon Women the consequences of i ' delinquencies of Men, The course which Parliament has tah must he retraced ; it is infamous and discreditable to a Chridv < Legislature, and cannot be suppoiiedJ^ Demand of all Candidates—the Total and UnconditioD ' teepeal of these Acts, and their opposition to all similar leg: lation in future!! If they will not comply, refuse to Vote 1 them, or you will perpetuate and share in the nifamy and a ||; credit of these Laws. Re-hsued by the Executive Committee of tiie Scottish Natioi Association fo/^ Repeal of tlie Contagious Diseases Acts, h STEPHEN WELLSTOOD, Hon. Secy., 5 St Andrew SqU& Edinburgh, where Copies can be had.