The majority of women were forced into Prostitution because they were alone and poor.
Some had children to support with no job prospects.
We have included a chart with the courtesy of Alexander Parent-Duchatelet
This Chart is a study of Prostitution in Paris in the 19th
Century shows details of why French women went into this line of work.
Some women were unfit to do even the most menial jobs which may be why they chose to become prostitutes.
A Street Walker is approached by a man he appears to be a member of the Bourgeoisie judging by the way he is dressed. She seems to be disgusted with him telling him "Go tell your Mother to wipe your nose" implying he is not much of a man. Why is she so angry with him, maybe he has been harassing her or could it be that he looks down on her as a whore with no morals without a thought of what brought her to this harsh life. Street Walkers often had to defend themselves due to the poor treatment from the upper class men of Paris
The majority of unregistered prostitutes (unlike the registered prostitutes in the brothel) worked without the help of a mistress/Madame. This is significant because the Madame’s brought clients to the prostitutes and saw the first profit from the business. Streetwalkers were forced to approach prospective clients themselves and sell themselves as a commodity to them. The approach varied from woman to woman. "'Are you going to make me rich?' was the usual formula for approaching a client. Some prostitutes were not afraid to grab a man by his sleeve and cling to him, even yelling insults at him if he refused their attentions."
After 1850, the brothels became less and less significant as Paris grew in size. Likewise, the unregistered street prostitutes became more spread out, perhaps making it much more difficult for police to locate where streetwalkers roamed the streets looking for clients. The difference between soliciting prostitute and the lorette was that the lorette, like the courtesan, was a kept woman.
It is important to note that the streetwalker was in her profession for a reason. This was not a desirable lifestyle choice, but rather something women were usually forced into for any number of circumstances. It is even more important to note that it was next to impossible for these women to become courtesans. Women who became courtesans usually already held jobs (usually in shops) and were looking for financial security. "Conversations in the workshop, the example of older women, and rivalries and jealousies soon persuaded the young apprentice to find herself a bourgeois lover...". The main point is that it was not rivalries and jealousy that motivated the streetwalker, but necessity.
It is such a blessing that in the 21st Century women can choose this profession because they can openly admit they "Love SEX"