The Constitution Violated: An Essay (1871)

The Constitution Violated: An Essay is a book written by Josephine Elizabeth Butler in 1871. The book is a critical analysis of the Contagious Diseases Acts, which were passed in the United Kingdom in 1864, 1866, and 1869. These acts allowed police officers to arrest women suspected of being prostitutes and force them to undergo medical examinations for sexually transmitted infections.Butler argues that these acts violate the principles of the British Constitution, which protect individual liberties and the right to a fair trial. She also argues that the acts were discriminatory, as they only targeted women and not men who engaged in prostitution.The book is an important work of feminist literature and social reform, as Butler was a prominent advocate for women's rights and the abolition of the Contagious Diseases Acts. Her writing helped to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of these acts on women's health and dignity.Overall, The Constitution Violated: An Essay is a powerful critique of state-sanctioned oppression and a call to action for social justice.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.