Violence against women in San Diego County during the late 19th century occurred less often than today. It took a variety of forms including spousal abuse, robbery, prostitution-related assaults, and property disputes. Caught within the web of Victorian views of women, the criminal justice system—dominated by White male prosecutors, judges, juries, and police—tended to respond with bipolar extremes: harshness or leniency. In cases where state evidence was overwhelming, justice was severe. But more often, district attorneys were unwilling to prosecute White males accused of abusing their wives and had even less interest in prosecuting men for abusing prostitutes. The study suggests that gender, ethnicity, and social class of the disputants were the most important factors in the disposition of cases involving women as victims.
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