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Other interviewees did not reject the term, but expressed concerns regarding media representations of the
relationship between pimp and sex worker:
[The media representation of a pimp] is kind of cartoony. If you think so little of yourself
that you are willing to take a woman and break her down—break her and make her totally
dependent on you for every want and need and at the same time her neediness is feeding
your ego—that’s a joke. (D10)
Respondents also noted that pimps could be defined by their full reliance on prostitution earnings to
support themselves. The same offender quoted above distinguished himself from a pimp based on the
variety of criminal activities in which he engaged: “A pimp’s primary existence is [pimping]—that’s how
you live. That wasn’t really my thing. I sold drugs or stole or robbed, whatever came up at the moment.
Whatever it took to get money, that’s what I was about” (D10). One individual convicted of attempted
pimping reported, “I’m just a businessman. A pimp is a person who relies on the female and that’s all he
does. If it wasn’t for a female he couldn’t survive. I go to school, I work, and I do whatever I have to do to
survive” (E16).
Respondents also suggested that the relative sophistication of their business operation distinguished them
from pimps. A female offender, who reported her conviction offense as conspiracy to commit sex
trafficking of a minor, stated:
I am a madam—I am not a pimp. Pimps are bitches. [Pimps] are not doing the advertising
or doing anything. You are using intimidation to get the girls to sell themselves and bring
back the money. I provided the advertising, customers, safety, and security, and I didn’t
take most of their money. They were making double to triple of what I was making per
session … After a month of meeting me, one girl had a new apartment and a new car. (F1)
While respondents contested the term pimp for multiple reasons, the majority of respondents
problematized the word for its implication of violence. Respondents believed the emphasis on violence in
popular perceptions of pimps is unrepresentative of the average individual who facilitates sex work (for
further discussion of the role of violence in pimping, see chapter 6). A 38-year-old respondent explained,
“The media representation of pimps is an inaccurate representation. They label us as animals, bullies, and
predators … A pimp stumbles upon girls” (D3). Respondents felt that the media’s focus on violent cases of
pimping produces an inaccurate portrayal of the field. A 56-year-old respondent reported his observations
regarding media coverage of pimping cases:
I just read something in the newspaper; this Mexican dude robbed these dudes and sold
this girl for $500. Pimps don’t do stuff like that. They would probably be pissed to hear
you say something like that. Pimping has a lot to do with standards. Some people are so
anxious to be involved, they will just go below standards. (D8)
Another offender critiqued the media representation, while suggesting that violent pimping does occur in
some situations:
I think the way the [media] portrays pimps is inaccurate. It is difficult to say because you
only speak for yourself. But when you got friends who are pimps as well, you never see
[them] do nothing like that. I watched an MSNBC show, and some of the things girls say
on there is so disturbing to me, it makes my blood bubble. No girl is forced to prostitute. I
am telling you guys the truth. [They were] interviewing prostitutes that are arrested that
don’t have pimps. I have some girls who wanted to call MSNBC, and say, “I would like to
speak on behalf of the life of prostitution.” Some of it is not real, a painting. This is a
picture we want to paint to society.
Mexico is a different story. Those girls are being forced. Took from their country, don’t
know the language. I know a girl who was locked in someone’s house for a whole year,
couldn’t leave, just had johns coming in and going. How did they get there [Was the]
dude going out and finding them None of the [johns] had a big enough heart to see you
were trapped and don’t do nothing (E3)
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