"clickbait" and the White Slave Trade

In the 19th century, many of America's cities had designated, legally protected areas of prostitution; and increased urbanization as well as greater numbers of young women entering the workforce led to greater flexibility in courtship without supervision. It is in this changing social sphere that concern over "white slavery" began. This term referred to women being kidnapped for the purposes of prostitution.

In the 19th century, many of America's cities had designated, legally protected areas of prostitution; and increased urbanization as well as greater numbers of young women entering the workforce led to greater flexibility in courtship without supervision. It is in this changing social sphere that concern over "white slavery" began. This term referred to women being kidnapped for the purposes of prostitution.

A group of books and pamphlets appeared announcing a startling claim: a pervasive and depraved conspiracy was at large in the land, brutally trapping and seducing American girls into lives of enforced prostitution, or 'white slavery.' These white slave narratives, or white-slave tracts, began to circulate around 1909. Such narratives often portrayed innocent girls "victimized by a huge, secret and powerful conspiracy controlled by foreigners", as they were drugged or imprisoned and forced into prostitution.
 
One of those who challenged this "hysteria" (a misogynistic term if ever there was one) was the noted radical and feminist Emma Goldman who was prepared to ask and answer this question honestly and directly:

"What is really the cause of the trade in women? Not merely white women, but yellow and black women as well. Exploitation, of course; the merciless Moloch of capitalism that fattens on underpaid labor, thus driving thousands of women and girls into prostitution. With Mrs. Warren these girls feel, 'Why waste your life working for a few shillings a week in a scullery, eighteen hours a day?' ... Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of woman is responsible for prostitution."

While prostitution was widespread, contemporary studies by local vice commissions indicate that it was "overwhelmingly locally organized without any large business structure, and willingly engaged in by the prostitutes."

The reference to Mrs. Warren's Profession is to the play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving daughter. It is a problem play, offering social commentary to illustrate Shaw's belief that the act of prostitution was not caused by moral failure but by economic necessity.

Roman scandals

The Roman Slave Auction scene from the 1933 Hollywood film Roman Scandals is a tour de force of erotic titillation by the director and musical choreographer Busby Berkeley.

This YouTube upload features original music and lyrics by Chris Jeffries. Recorded live at the Northwest Film Forum - July, 2006.

More white female slaves . . .

Roman Scandals is a 1933 American black-and-white pre-Code musical film starring Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold and David Manners. It was directed by Frank Tuttle but features a number of intricate production numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley, including this Roman Slave Auction scene.

Hollywood in the early years of the Great Depression would provide audiences with a cinema experience of spectacular escape from the troubles of everyday survival, such as Roman Scandals. However it was also possible to make movies in the late 1920s and early 1930s that depicted or implied sexual innuendo, miscegenation, mild profanity, illegal drug use, promiscuity, prostitution, infidelity, abortion, intense violence, and homosexuality. Strong female characters were ubiquitous in such pre-Code films as Female, Baby Face, and Red-Headed Woman.

Still image taken from Safe in Hell, a 1931 American pre-Code thriller film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Dorothy Mackaill (pictured).

This was "Pre-Code Hollywood", the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in pictures in 1929 and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known as the "Hays Code", in mid-1934.