In 1864, the British Parliament passed the Contagious Diseases Acts, which allowed for the forced medical examination of women suspected of prostitution near military bases. This controversial legislation aimed to control the spread of venereal diseases among soldiers, but it faced significant opposition for its moral implications and treatment of women. The acts sparked a broader social movement advocating for women's rights and health, highlighting issues of gender inequality and state intervention.

The Contagious Diseases Acts of 1864 sparked significant feminist activism, which found expression in poetry that challenged societal norms regarding gender and morality. Poets like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and later, the suffragette poets, utilized their verses to advocate for women's rights and critique the injustices faced by women.