CAUSES OF PROSTITUTION 263 



defect which, though in themselves serious enough, will not be of such an 

 interfering character as to justify sterilisation. 



Besides the constitutional causes of prostitution, the environmental causes 

 are, as has been mentioned before, of great importance; in every individual 

 case there is a cooperation of these two chief groups of factors, one of which 

 may predominate in the one, and the other in the other group. 



In addition to (1) the hereditary factors, among which the psychic ab- 

 normalities usually for the most part are classed, there are, as has already 

 been mentioned, (2) the bad environments during childhood and adoles- 

 cence, (3) chronic diseases, (4) the low wages and, on the whole, the difficult 

 working conditions for female workers, which constitute the chief causes 

 of prostitution, though there are of course many other factors, which 

 have been united in each individual case. 



However, as the causes of prostitution are so complicated and as they 

 must be sought in social life as well as in the very individual and her an- 

 cestry, it cannot be expected that prostitution could be limited and its 

 fatal consequences be prevented by simple measures. 



Amongst the means, by which this end may be attained, I have in my 

 researches of the conditions in Denmark received the impression that some 

 of the most efficient measures will be : 



1. A general reduction of social inequality and in particular an improve- 

 ment of the working conditions for female hands, especially for domestic 

 servants. 



2. Increase of social provident care for the mentally defective both during 

 childhood, adolescence and the adult age, which should not only comprise 

 the actually insane, demented and imbecile, but also the psychopaths and 

 retarded. 



3. An augmentation of the enlightenment on the results of hereditary 

 research, particularly in regard to psychic disorders in man in connection 

 with scientific work in these domains and possibly combined to a certain 

 degree with guidance in birth control, "Eheberatung" (advice in regard to 

 matrimony) and sterilisation. 



4. It remains to be definitely settled, whether a special legislation con- 

 cerning prostitution is required; if it be so, punishment of prostitutes 

 ought to be employed to a very moderate extent only, whereas, in connec- 

 tion with morals police and morals court, adequate institutions for the 

 support and guidance of the weak ought to be set up. 



