WHITE SLAVERY

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1914, Page 2

WHITE SLAVERY

— . <e^. -_ .. ._ THE FALLEN SISTERHOOD.

VIEWS OF A SOCIAL WORKER

Tlie Society for the Protection of ' Women and Children is a very fine j society in Christchureh, and the value \ of its work is fully recognised. ;' .Interviewed, (regarding ,ithe social I conditions, the secretary, Miss Early, \ touched on vital matters. v "I should ■ like to say right off," Miss Early, I "that as far as I know such a thing j as white slavery does not exist" in Christchureh. There is no doubt a certain amount of .irregular going on in the way of recruiting the ranks of the fallen sisterhood, but nothing so systematic as to justify the name of white slavery being applied to it. Some years ago a case occurred which looked suspicious. A girl went to a registry office for employment, and whilo she was there a woman, fashionably attired, drove up in a carriage, and, hearing she wanted work, engaged her on the spot. She took the i girl into the carriage beside her, and drove her to her home. When she had been a while in the house she realised that it was a brothel. Strong suasion was brought to bear on her to remain, and, filled with shame at her predicament, she" allowed herself to be overcome, and, as a result, died later in the hospital of a disease contracted while there. However, this is only an isolated case which happened many years ago. But there is a far more insidious danger,'' continued Miss Early, "and parents with girls in shops and offices would do well to keep careful watch upon them, and make inquiries before they allow them to accept any position. Unpleasantly often cases are brought under the notice of the Society of girls entering offices as clerks or typists, and being led astray by thejr employers. More often, it is gratifying to be-; able to say, we hear of girls having overtures made to them by their employers and resisting them, indignantly, but maiiy cases have come .under our notice where middle-aged married men wijtih families, who are regarded as respectable men of; business, have seduced young and innocent girls who have gone to work for them. The privacy of a. room where private letters are typed by a more or less confidential typiste is very apt to lead unscrupulous men to endeavor to make the typiste more confiding than she has any business to be. The prestige of being the employer gives such men greater opportunities than they would otherwise have. Tho main body of ■? u.r independent girls, indeed, are splendidly able to look after themselves, but it behoves parents to keepa- careful eye on them, and girls themselves1 to be continually vieilant." ■.