To secure rights for women, while in the Provincial Assembly Hsu petitioned to have licensed prostitution abolished, inciting procuresses from all over the island to protest at Shun Tien Tang.
為了爭取女權，許世賢擔任省議員期間，也曾提出質詢，建議廢除公娼制，還惹得全台各地老鴇坐在順天堂裡抗議。