White slavery

From Freepedia

White slavery is a 19th century term for a form of slavery involving the sexual abuse of women held as captives and forced into prostitution.

Although this form of abuse did occur in reality (and still does: see the article sexual slavery for this topic), the name "white slavery" is usually used to refer to the original use of the term in a moral panic in late 19th century and early 20th century United States, where there was a perception that this form of abuse was a danger to every young woman. In this moral panic, the selected scapegoats were Chinese immigrants, who were stereotyped and demonized as white slavers (eg: Thoroughly Modern Millie).

Such accusations have also been frequently applied against Jewish men and appear in a great deal of anti-Semitic propaganda.

White slavery does not refer to race, though sometimes throughout history the fear was targeted at non-whites enslaving white women.

The term white slavery is also used in revisionist and white supremacy literature to refer to any slavery of people with light skin.

External links

• "White Slavery" As Metaphor: Anatomy of a Moral Panic
• Loose Women or Lost Women? The re-emergence of the myth of 'white slavery' in contemporary discourses of 'trafficking in women'
• Pressured by U.S., Israel Battles a Burgeoning White Slave Trade