Introduction

In the Victorian era, women had many challenges and

discrimination in society. These challenges were related to the
restrictions imposed on herby society and the law and the discrimination
she was subjected to in areas such as education, work, and even social
life.
The Victorian era is one of the eras of British history, and Britain was
then in control of a large empire. This era witnessed many achievements
and developments in many fields [3] The Victorian era began in 1820 and
ended in [10,1914] era in relation to the English and was called the
Victorian Queen Victoria, the second most reigning queen in terms of
duration, and the only queen whose era was named after her before her
death.

1
 Section one
1.1 The problem of the study
Studying the problems of searching for the suffering of women or
women, in general, is an eternal problem since ancient times and its
association with the society, analyzing these problems and finding
solutions to them.
1.2 Aim of the study
Aim of the study. This study aims to show the injustice and violence
that women were subjected to in the Victorian era.
1.3 Hypotheses
This study was conducted with the following hypothesis that women
in the Victorian era were invisible to men and did not have rights like
men, because that era was primarily masculine, although the ruling at that
time belonged to Queen Victoria, who was a woman.
1.4 Value of the study
This research goes beyond the overall problems, interactions, and
pressures that women were exposed to and how they had an impact on
society in analytical ways of the subject.

2
 Section two
1. Here are some of the details of women's suffering in the Victorian
era:
1. Restrictions on personal freedom: Women in the Victorian era
were under the control of men in their personal lives, as they were
subject to the authority of the father or husband. The husband had
rights and powers over his wife, including the right to force her to
do domestic work and give up her personal rights.
2. Education restrictions: Education was considered a taboo for
women in the Victorian era, and women who had an education
faced great challenges in the areas of work and professions.
3. Work restrictions: It was customary in the Victorian era that work
was the responsibility of men, and it was difficult for women to
work outside the home. And if a woman worked outside the home,
it was customary for her to be paid much less than the wages of a
man working in the same field.
4. Health challenges: Women in the Victorian era faced special health
challenges, due to the lack of health awareness and hygiene in that
time period Sexual perversion: Women in the Victorian era were
subjected to many sexual violations, and this fell under the so-
called "sexual perversion", which was particularly occurring in the
poor classes of society.
5. Legal Restrictions: Women in the Victorian era faced legal
restrictions in areas such as inheritance rights, custody, and even
the right to vote. Women were not able to benefit from many of the
rights enjoyed by men in that era.
Despite these challenges and restrictions, women in the Victorian era
led strong feminist movements in order to obtain their rights and
improve their status in society. Some progress has been made in this

3
 area, but women in some societies still face challenges and
discrimination at present.

2.They will not be allowed to work or vote

The period known as the Victorian era lasted from the nineteenth
century until the early twentieth century, and its name is due to Queen
Victoria (1837-1901), an era whose effects extended to all of the
European continent and witnessed a great commitment to women.
Roles were divided in this era between men and women within the
framework of whatwas known as the "ideology of separate fields", which
means separating the fields of the two genders from each other
according to their natural characteristics. According to this thought, the
man possessed the physical strength and the mind that enabled him to
break into the public sphere, while he viewed the woman as a weak being
of lesser status than the man,and therefore she must remain in the private
sphere in proportion to her feminine characteristics, as they were,
according to the view in that period, irrational and obedience.
Society viewed women in the “Victorian era” as unequal to men, and
their domestic roles, which are summarized in caring for the home and
raising children, and other matters such as work and the desire for self-
realization were not recognized. Rather, women who thought in this way
they were considered insolent, and they were viewed with suspicion by
society.
Britain was governed at that time by a general law, depriving a
woman of all her rights once she got married. The house she lived in was
owned by her husband, as well as her money and clothes, and if divorce
occurred, she was also deprived of children, a situation that continued
until 1975 to change laws and put in place legislation to prevent
discrimination between the sexes.
Women's liberation movements during the "Victorian era" were
known only partially and on a small scale through the social reform
movements of the nineteenth century, which expanded until the mid-
twentieth century. For example, you can see the article of the well-
known English

4
philosopher John Stuart Mill, published in 1867, entitled “Subjugating
Women”, in which he dealt with the basic theories about the status of
women in the Victorian era, as Mill argued that the way women are treated
away from freedom and equality stands an obstacle to human progress.

(Victorian Women - Source Best Health Magazine)

3.Naivety is a prerequisite for a woman
Women had a major role in society in this era, which was marriage,
and therefore they were being prepared to become a housewife, who had
to learn the skills of cooking, cleaning and sewing, in order to take charge
of the marital home, and the exception was made for wealthy women,
who were reluctant to learn these skills , because there are maids who do
it, but they were concerned with taking care of their husbands and their
work. But both classes were not allowed to go out to work, or to seek
learning and knowledge outside the home.
At that time, the place of a woman was the home, because outside it
is a place for men, and it is not permissible for her to be present in it. It
cannotexist in the public domain.

5
The society was “patriarchal” with distinction, not allowing women to
obtain the privileges of men, and the “appropriate woman” was classified
according to the standards of femininity set by the values of this era, and
“innocence” was one of these features that a girl must have in order for
men to marry her. Otherwise, you may not be able to find a partner.

4."Victorian women were expected to be lazy and ignorant."

Charles Petrie on the Victorian
The British historian, Charles Petrie, points out that the features that
the man in the Victorian era looked for in the right woman depended on
a basic characteristic, which is innocence and naivety, as the woman had
togive the man this impression. The right woman was 'naïve', and should
give the impression that she knew nothing of the outside world. To appear
meek and weak and have few opinions. Petrie adds: “In short, you must
recognize the inferiority of women in front of the male.” These qualities
used to determine their future, otherwise they would end up without
marriage, at a time when marriage was the only dream of girls, looking
forward to it as a window to the world that would allow them to find a
breadwinner, especially since they are They will not be able to support
themselves if they remain unmarried.

5.Women's rights from sex to education

Catherine Hughes, on “Gender in Nineteenth-Century Britain,” a
British historian, says that the pre-Victorian era saw women working
with husbands and brothers in the “family business,” which was often a
shop located in the same house in which they lived. This made it easier for
them to help men in business, serve customers, and do accounts, along
with thehousehold chores.

6
All this changed in the nineteenth century, when men went out to work
far from their dwellings, in faraway factories, offices, and shops, leaving
women and girls at home to tidy and supervise them, which created
separate spheres for both sexes; Until they meet only during breakfast and
dinner.
The ideology of the Victorian era, according to Hughes, was based
on the separation of the two species according to the natural
characteristics of each, the physically weak woman should excel morally,
and her safe place is the home to prepare the next generation and prepare
him as well to do his part, while the man seeks to excel in the public
sphere, in order to achieve gains The materialism that helps him to play
his role, so that he, too, does not lose the quality of manhood, especially
among his peers.

6.Women's education
Women at that time, according to Hughes, played the role of home
owners, and they were being educated, especially middle-class women,
with what was known as “achievements”, which is a set of home
educations by educators or inside a boarding school for girls. These
achievements included learning about music, singing and drawing. And
playing the piano and learning languages, which are the additional
privileges that distinguished one girl from another, in addition to
educating them in the way of walking, movement and speaking, so that
they appear so elegant.
There were a few, of course, who devoted themselves to learning
and reaping the fruits of thought, but they were considered unfeminine,
trying to steal the "natural" intellectual excellence of men, and thus
lacking - according to this era - the feminine qualities capable of
attracting men; Even some doctors of this era were saying that the high
educational attainment of girls had a bad effect on the ovaries, and the
ability to conceive, for this reason, when the universities of Oxford and
Cambridge

7
opened their doors to educate girls later in this century, families refused
to enroll their skilled daughters in the study, for fear that they would
become Not suitable for marriage.

7.Women's sexuality in the Victorian

Although marriage was the only value a woman was allowed to
aspire to in the Victorian era, she could not even express her desire to
attract a husband; The woman's audacity to speak to men during
meetings and parties was indicative of a disturbing "sexual appetite",
according to the values of this society, and therefore men might avoid her.
victorian society saw that a woman's aspiration for marriage should be
based on the desire for motherhood, and not the pursuit of sexual
gratification, so that some doctors - according to Catherine Hughes - had
stated at the time that the majority of women had no sexual desire,
saying: "Fortunately for them".
Marriage at that time was the only option for a woman to survive,
as she was prevented from earning her own living, as women were
prohibited by law from practicing crafts that ensured them to support
themselves, and thus marriage became their only source of livelihood. In
order for a woman to achieve this, she not only had to preserve her
virginity, but also her innocence and naivety, especially in matters of
love and sex at that time girls married in their twenties, and the man had
to be older than her, at least five years, in order to prove to the girl's father
that he could support a wife and children, and thus become fit for the
father to give him permission to marry.
Ordinarily, a young man was to remain chaste until he married;
However, the burden of financial ability to support his family made the
courtship period last for years, and so men used to resort to sex workers
in order to satisfy their sexual desires. Historical reports indicate that
many of them suffered from "syphilis" as a result, and later transmitted it
to their wives.

8
8.Women's Efforts in the Victorian Era
The side of women in the Victorian era was very limited and
restricted, as women were usually considered weak and unable to control
their lives. Victorian societies were characterized by strong adherence to
traditions and customs, and women were considered in most cases just a
wife, mother, and hostess at home.
Women in the Victorian era were taught the basic values of
submission to the authority of men and obedience to him, and were
taught how to run the home and take care of the family and raise
children. Usually, women did not have the necessary education and
training opportunities to achieve success in their lives. Rather, it was
believed that the role of women was only to take care of the family and
to secure the comfort of men and children.
Women's rights in the Victorian era were also very limited, as they
had neither the right to vote nor the right to own property, and they
depended heavily on the men in their lives. Women who married lost
their right to dispose of their property, as everything passed into the
hands of the husbands.
The women's struggle in the Victorian era led to an improvement in
the status of women, and the achievement of some important
achievements such as women's obtaining the right to vote, improving
educational opportunities and opening some opportunities to work
outside the home. However, true gender equality has not yet been
achieved, and women around the world still face it.

9.Violence against women in the Victorian era

Violence against women was very common in the Victorian era,
and was largely ignored and not highlighted as it should. Violence was
practiced routinely in homes, and women were subjected to many types
of violence such as beatings, rape, and psychological and physical
torture.

9
 Physical violence against women was very common in that era, and
women were treated as property of men, and violence was justified as a
result of lack of obedience or departure from the specific role of women
in society. Women who suffered violence also felt shame, shame and
guilt, and they avoided revealing their suffering.
Also, sexual violence and rape were completely ignored in that era,
and it was considered a sensitive topic and taboo enough to be talked
about in society. Therefore, women who suffer from rape find it difficult
to get the help and support needed to recover from that difficult
experience.
The women's struggle movement in the Victorian era began to
focus on violence against women and improving their status in society.
However, many perpetrators were not brought to justice in that era due
to the lack of effective laws to protect women and their strict
enforcement. Despite this, the women who fought for rights and equality
did.
In educating society about the problem of violence against women
and pressuring governments to pass more effective laws to protect women
from violence and punish criminals.
In the Victorian era, many institutions and associations aimed at
improving the status of women in society and protecting them from
violence began. One such institution is the Women's Labor
Organization, established in 1854 to provide support, education, and
training for women working in factories, mines, and other hard work.
Likewise, the Society of British Ladies for Cure and Training,
established in 1859, established a maternity hospital and training courses
for nurses.

10
 The British government began to implement effective laws to
protect women from violence in the Victorian era, as the “Late Spanking
Act” was passed in 1861 prohibiting harsh wife beating, and the
“General Protection Laws” were created in 1885 to protect women from
sexual assault, harassment and violence.
Although the situation improved after that, violence against women
still occurs in the modern era, and women's movements and institutions
continue to work to educate society and protect women from violence.
Women's institutions and associations work in the modern era to
provide support and assistance to women who are subjected to violence,
and to provide them with the necessary services such as shelter, legal
and psychological advice. These institutions encourage women to report
the violence they experience and work to provide them with support and
protection.
One of the most important initiatives taken in the modern era to
combat violence against women is the launch of the "Meto" campaign in
2017, which aims to educate society about the problem of violence
against women and encourage women to reveal the violence they are
exposed to.The campaign also seeks to change the prevailing culture. that
justify andtolerate violence against women.
In the end, combating violence against women requires uniting the
efforts of the entire society to protect women and provide them with
support and protection. It also requires encouraging women to report any
kind of violence they are exposed to and providing them with support
and assistance to overcome this problem.

11
 10. Conclusion
At the end of this research, through which we touched on the
problems of women during the Victorian era, and how they were treated,
abused, and deprived of their rights, unlike the man who had full human,
social, political, and administrative rights. That era, but many facts about
women were hidden in it that were not mentioned in the light. Which
was considered a black point in the history of that period.

12
 11.References

1. Bronte, Charlotte Shirley London: Penguin, 2006. Print.

2. Disraeli, Benjamin. Sybil, or The Two Nations. Where:

Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1995. Print

3. Gallagher, Catherine. The Industrial Reformation of English

Fiction 1832-1867. Chicago: UP of Chicago, 1985. Print.

4 Gaskell, Elizabeth North and South. London: Penguin, 1995.

Print.

5 Hellerstein, Erna Olafson, and Karen M. Offen, eds. Victorian

Women Stanford: Stanford UP, 1981. Print.

6. Holcombe, Lee. Victorian Ladies at Work: Middle Class

Working Women in England and Wales 1850- 1914. 1973: Archon,
1973. Print

7. John, Angela V., ed. Unequal Opportunities: Women's

Employment in England. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1986. Print.

8. Kooistra, Lorraine Janzen. "Goblin Market as a Cross-

Audienced Poem: Children's Fairy Tale, Adult Erotic Fantasy."
Children's Literature 25 (1997): 1581-204. Project MUSE. Web. 26 Apr.
2013.<http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/chl/summary/v025/25.kooistra.html>

9. Johnson, Patricia E. Hidden Hands. Athens: Ohio UP, 2001.

Print.

13
 10. Mayberry, Katherine. Christina Rossetti and the Poetry of
Discovery. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1989. Print.

11. Mayhew, Henry, and Bracebridge Hemyng. The London

Underworld in the Victorian Period. Mineola: Dover, 2005. Print.

12.muse.jhu.edu(http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/chl/summary/v025/25
.kooistra.html) Project MUSE - Goblin Market as a Cross-Audienced
Poem: Children's Fairy Tale, Adult Erotic Fantasy

14