Merete Bøge Pedersen:
Inside marriage - outside marriage. National and scientific tools to control prostitution and sexuality

The purpose of this article is to show the link between prostitution, sexuality and marriage. The ways public decency and the marital institution were considered in drafting and administrating the prostitution legislation will be demonstrated. The remainder of legislation on immorality did not paint a picture of a society that demanded high standards of morality and restrained sexuality. So much more surprising it is to find that the Criminal Act of 1866 and the Act of 1874 officially recognised prostitution. The explanation is to be found in the fact that the eradication of prostitution was considered impossible and prohibitions consequently pointless. The existence of customers was of course the reason why prostitution was impossible to eradicate. The customers were the same who realised and tacitly accepted sexual instincts, the men. However, in order not to offend public morality discretion concerning these activities was required. Hence, prostitution became isolated. The idea behind the prostitution system was therefore to make prostitution visible only to those in search of it. The gentle wives of gentlemen were spared, while realising the ideals of high standards of morality and decent marriage at home.