Laws that changed lives Key players: Exploitation of women Reform of marriage laws Votes for women text only version		The reformers The Victorian age was a turbulent time for women. Within the space of a few years their place in society changed: from being helpless victims, the property and playthings of men, they became, at least potentially, strong and independent beings in their own right. Victoria's reign brought the reform of the laws governing prostitution, the introduction of more equitable divorce and the growing strength of the campaign to give women the vote. These reforms transformed women's lives. Laws that changed lives The Divorce Act 1857. This established secular divorce in England: previously, divorce had only been possible by an Act of Parliament. The Married Women's Property Act 1884. This Act allowed married women to keep all personal property that they brought to the marriage or acquired during it. Before the Act, this automatically became the property of the husband. The Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885. This raised the age of consent for a girl from 13 to 16. The repeal of the Contagious Disease Acts in 1886 meant that prostitutes were no longer forced to be brutally examined for sexually transmitted infections and punished if they were found to be carrying such a disease. Key players: Exploitation of women Charles Dickens (1812-70). The celebrated novelist was an active campaigner for social reform. In 1847 he helped Angela Burdett Coutts set up a Home for Homeless Women, which was, in effect, a refuge for prostitutes. Angela Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906). One of the wealthiest women in England, she established the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and gave most of her money to good causes, including funding a home for former prostitutes and setting up schools for poor children. Josephine Butler (1828-1906) was a key figure in the repeal of the Contagious Disease Acts. She also helped to establish homes and refuges for friendless women. The Salvation Army. Founded in 1865 by the Methodist preacher William Booth. The Army worked hard to protect and rescue exploited women and collaborated with William Stead in his Maiden Tribute campaign which helped the passing of the Criminal Law Amendment Act. Reform of marriage laws Caroline Norton (1808-77). The victim of an abusive marriage and a writer on the plight of married women under English law. In 1855 she wrote a letter to Queen Victoria to complain of 'the grotesque anomaly which ordains that women shall be "non-existent" in a country governed by a female Sovereign.' Barbara Leigh Smith (1827-91). One of the most active campaigners in the women's rights movement. She formed a committee which was partially responsible for the passing of the Married Women's Property Act, and also campaigned for votes for women. Votes for women The women's suffrage movement. The campaign to gain equal voting rights for women lasted throughout Victoria's reign and beyond. There were a great many groups and societies supporting votes for women, including the Women's Social and Political Union and the Women's Freedom League.
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