8. No Legal Protections
In Victorian England, child labor and abuse laws were virtually nonexistent until the late 19th century. Authorities often turned a blind eye to the mistreatment of children in both homes and workplaces. The first significant legislation, the Prevention of Cruelty to, and Protection of, Children Act 1889, known as the Children’s Charter, enabled the state to intervene in cases of child mistreatment. However, prior to this, children had little to no legal protection against exploitation and abuse (en.wikipedia.org).
