413047-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy

… She probably told them the truth that she got raped. She met a guy at the club and went to a hotel. I
would take her but I didn’t wait around in no hospital” (G3).
One pimp expressed his remorse that he was not supportive of his employees when they were sexually
assaulted. He explained, “We’d go to the hospital. There were some girls who were raped. So at first I
didn’t know what to do. I blamed it on them, but I wasn’t supposed to do that. I was supposed to stick by
them. I didn’t know” (A3). While interviewees took different steps to address employee safety, both
preventative and remedial, employee safety was an identified fear.
Summary of Perceived Risk
Respondent cited multiple risks involved in pimping, with arrest, employee safety, and personal wellbeing
as primary concerns. In response, some pimps attempted to implement risk mitigation tactics.
Despite the risks, some pimps still felt it was possible to work within the underground sex market with
impunity. When asked if he believed other pimps understood the involved risks, a respondent explained,
“Some don’t. Some don’t even care. I got pimp friends who are in their late 60s still pimping, [and they
have] been pimping since high school. They never spent one day in jail. Those are the ones I look up to”
(E2). Other respondents expressed remorse regarding past actions and acceptance of the sentence they
received: “I messed up my life. Other people’s lives too. That’s my burden to carry” (E11). The same
respondent concluded his interview by reflecting, “I’m atoning. The old pimp in me beats in my heart and
in my blood … Me coming up, I know I could have taken the straight [and] narrow path, I chose to deviate.
When I did that, everything that came my way I earned” (E11). An offender serving a 14-year sentence
reflected on the value of serious punishments for crimes: “I think that my comprehension is high enough I
could’ve taken the warning. I think when hard lessons [are given] out, firm lessons are gained. If I can’t
have a pair of Chanel loafers, that’s ok” (G13).
For respondents who admitted to pimping or sex trafficking, the perceived benefits presumably
outweighed the understood risks.
Chapter Summary
This chapter explored respondent perspectives regarding identity and popular perception of pimps, entry
into the underground sex economy, and business-related risks. While respondent perceptions varied,
some cross-cutting themes emerged.
Respondents viewed popular conceptions of the term “pimp” as a distortion of sex market facilitators
which places undue emphasis on the role of violence in pimping. Some respondents reported the use of
violence, but disputed common perceptions of its prevalence and regularity. At the same time,
interviewees acknowledged that poverty, economic need, past abuse, and the use of emotional
manipulation all have bearing on the meaning of “choice” for individuals who engage in sex work.
Similarly, respondents also reported that external factors influenced their choice to become a pimp.
Common influences included the normalization of sex work through family experience and neighborhood
context, pressure from a family member or friend who served as a business mentor, and encouragement
by a female peer or partner who expressed desire to engage in sex work or was already actively working in
the sex market. Internal and personal factors could also play a role. Multiple interviewees felt they were
well-suited to be a successful pimp based on personality, temperament, people skills, and even a
propensity for manipulation. Both external pressures and internal considerations shaped respondent
choice.
Finally, respondents shared their perceptions of the risks involved in pimping and explained the concerns
that factored most prominently into their assessments of risk. Arrest was the most prevalent fear shared
by respondents, with personal safety and employee safety also considered.
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