19世纪英国围绕性病防治的争端

The Controversy on the Prevention and Control of Venereal Diseases in 19^(th)-Century Britain

工业革命以来,英国卖淫的盛行造成性病患者日渐增多,如何防治性病遂引起社会关注。19世纪上半叶,民间团体和教会采用救助妓女、开设性病医院等措施来防治性病。19世纪中后期,为了降低军队性病的发病率,议会先后颁布三部《传染病法》,逐步强化对军事要塞和城镇妓女的医学检查,并试图将这一举措推广至全国。然而,以中产阶级女性为主体的废除派从道德、法律、阶层、性别等角度谴责《传染病法》,并发起废除《传染病法》的运动。同时,废除派还揭露"白奴贸易"的罪恶,呼吁社会关注雏妓问题。在议会内外废除派的共同努力下,《传染病法》被废除,性病防治又回归成为公民的个人事务。这场性病防治争端既展现了英国注重个人自由的传统,又推动了女权运动的兴起。

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution,the venereal diseases caused by the prevalence of prostitution became commonplace. The prevention and control of venereal diseases therefore attracted broad social attention in Britain. In the first half of the 19^(th) century,civil societies and the Church helped set up hospitals to prevent and control venereal diseases. In the second half of the century,in order to curb the occurrence of venereal diseases in the army and navy,the British government enacted the Contagious Diseases Acts which issued mandatory medical inspection in certain military fortress and towns,and tried to promote it nationwide. However,the Repealers,mainly consisting of middle-class women,condemned the acts from the perspectives of morality,legislation,class,gender,etc. They launched the 'Repeal Movement 'and actively exposed the evil of 'white slave trade ',trying to increase the social awareness of child prostitutes. With the concerted effort of the Repealers and the Parliament,the acts were abolished. The prevention and control of venereal diseases returned to the private sphere. The controversy on the prevention and control of venereal diseases reflected traditions of individual freedom and promoted the feminist movements in Britain.