Summary
Published in 1858, The History of Prostitution by Dr.
William W.
Sanger is a comprehensive historical and sociological study that traces the origins, prevalence, and consequences of prostitution across different cultures and eras.
Commissioned while Sanger served as a physician at the penitentiary on Blackwell’s Island (New York), the book is based in part on direct interviews with hundreds of incarcerated women and aims to offer a scientific, non-moralistic understanding of the subject.