Anti-White Slavery Legislation and its Legacies in England

This paper argues that the foundation of modern anti-trafficking laws in England and Wales was created at the turn of the twentieth century, during the peak of white slavery hysteria. It shows that a series of interrelated legal interventions formed that foundation. While white slavery as a myth has...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anti-trafficking review 2017-09 (9), p.64-76
Main Author: Lammasniemi, Laura
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
Archives & records
Children & youth
england
Human trafficking
Immigration
Law
legal history
Legislation
Library collections
May, Theresa
migration
Morality
Narratives
Politics
Public officials
Sex industry
Slavery
trafficking in women
victimhood
white slavery
Women
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Summary:This paper argues that the foundation of modern anti-trafficking laws in England and Wales was created at the turn of the twentieth century, during the peak of white slavery hysteria. It shows that a series of interrelated legal interventions formed that foundation. While white slavery as a myth has been analysed, this paper turns the focus on legal regulation and shows why it is important to analyse its history in order to understand modern responses to trafficking. It focuses, in particular, on the first legal definition of victims of trafficking, involvement of vigilance associations in law reform, and on restrictions put in place on women's immigration. Finally, it reflects on how laws enacted at the turn of the twentieth century still resonate with those of today.
ISSN:2286-7511
2287-0113
DOI:10.14197/atr.20121795