Regulating Prostitution

Regulationism is a system of state control of prostitution (brothels, the registration of prostitutes, medical check-ups, police controls) introduced in France from 1800, which spread throughout Europe in the nineteenth century under the title “French System” but was gradually abolished between the end of the nineteenth century and the middle of the twentieth century under pressure from abolitionism and the struggle against the white slave trade. It was succeeded by neo-regulationism.