CHAPTER V

prostitute and customer

(a)  the prostitute

The professional prostitute, in the sense in which the
term is here used, is the woman or girl who sells her¬
self for money, whether for her own pecuniary benefit,
or under the direction or control of owners of vice
resorts, of madames, procurers, or pimps. There has
been much speculation as to the number of such women
in New York City. Various estimates have been made
from time to time, ranging from 25,000 to 100,000.
A recent estimate places the number at 30,000.

At the beginning of this investigation, it was deter¬
mined to count all women who were believed to be pro¬
fessional prostitutes seen in connection with resorts of
all kinds in Manhattan, as well as those who used the
streets for solicitation. Although these resorts were
visited two or more times, only one count made on one
visit is included in the total. As a result of this method,
adhered to throughout the entire period of the study, i. e.,
from January 24th, 1912, to November 15th, 1912, the
number of professional prostitutes actually counted was
14,926. Of this number, 6,759 were found on the streets
in different localities in Manhattan; 8,167 prostitutes
were  seen  and  counted   in  parlor  houses,   resorts   in

100