Entre lo permisible y lo prohibido: prostitución y proxenetismo en Sancti Spíritus, Cuba (1942-1952)

Abstract

In recent times there has been a trend in historiography towards studies of the so-called "people without history." Among them, those related to blacks, bandits, criminals and prostitutes stand out among many others who, due to their social exclusion, had remained for a long time on the margins of history. The prostitution that has focused on women as subjects bearing a story in and of themself, has been one of the most interesting. First, because it is a fiefdom of testimonial and fictional literature and because its particularities are not collected in historical documents signed by the authorities or official instances. The study carried out aims to explain the incidence of the historical context in the rise of prostitution in Sancti Spiritus between 1942 and 1952, using the historical-logical method, used for the analysis of the rationality inherent to the object of investigation in particular and the relationship that exists between structural processes and the development of prostitution in Sancti Spiritus; the explanatory-illustrative, the analytical-synthetic and the analysis of documents. Sources of primary information were also consulted, highlighting archive documents and periodical publications.