🚀 go-pugleaf

no less than the trafficking in human
    flesh between the brothel-keepers and the vagabonds of the Colony.
    Women are bought and sold in nearly every brothel in the place.
    They are induced by specious pretexts to come to Hong Kong, and
    then, after they are admitted into the brothels, such a system of
    espionage is kept over them, and so frightened do they get, as to
    prevent any application to the police. They have no relatives, no
    friends to assist them, and their life is such that, unless goaded
    into unusual excitement by a long course of ill-treatment, they
    sink down under the style of life they are forced to adopt, and
    submit patiently to their masters. But cases have occurred where
    they have run away, and placed themselves in the hands of the
    police; who, however, can do nothing whatever toward punishing the
    offenders for the lack of evidence, the women being afraid to
    tell their tale in open court. Women have, it is true, willingly
    allowed themselves to be sold for some temporary gain; but that
    brothel-keepers should be allowed to enter into such transactions
    is of serious moment. I have myself tried to fix such a case on
    more than one brothel-keeper