Victorian women's rights and privileges were limited, and both unmarried and married women faced hardships and disadvantages. During this time, there were clear inequalities between men's and women's rights; men were given more security, financial standing, and control over their houses than women. Women had little or no legal right to their own property, which belonged to their husbands or fathers. For example, they could not write checks, make contracts, or get loans without a male guardian's approval. They also couldn't be witnesses in court unless an attorney was present (the lawyer could be male or female). In addition, women lacked many civil liberties. For example, they could not vote in national elections until after the First World War. Also, since they did not have the right to own property, they could not leave their husbands if the marriage turned out to be bad for them. If a woman got divorced, she would still need her husband's permission to marry again. Women's roles were also restricted by social class. Poor women had many duties that kept them from getting an education or finding a good job. They worked in factories during the day and then had to look after the house and children at night. Middle-class women didn't work outside the home but they still had many responsibilities including looking after the house, kids, and aging parents. Rich women had plenty of time to spend on themselves.