413047-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy

they’ve made enough. That’s what people don’t realize; these girls are in relationships,
they come from stable homes too. They can be married and have a family. (A4)
Due to such high turnover rates, multiple pimps worked with large numbers of employees over the course
of their involvement in the sex market. Ten respondents reported working with 100 or more employees.
One respondent explained:
I’m going to say [I worked with] 500 to 600 [employees]. From around the world. A
female going to do one of two things—pay and be on her way, or she pay and stay. The
one that pay and be on their way, they may pay you for a day and you don’t see them no
more. Came in, left her clothes, and I don’t see her. They come like street cars, five
minutes apart. (D5)
High numbers were quoted by other respondents as well. When asked how many women worked for him
over the course of his involvement in the sex market, one respondent reported, “about 300. They’re like a
rotating door” (H7).
While many respondents reported high turnover rates, some pimps reported stability in their employee
base: “I never had a broad really leave me. In the line of work I was in, it wasn’t a force thing, it was a
choice thing” (G15). Similarly, 18 percent of respondents reported only working with one to four
employees over the full course of their involvement in the sex market. While pimps varied in their
estimations and preferred business size, they generally shared the need to either retain employees or
expediently replace employees who departed. The demographics of individuals targeted by pimps to
engage in sex work are discussed below under ‘Employee Recruitment.’
Customers
I’m dealing with anyone: lawyers, police officers, some judges, and the common dude
on the corner. My son was in middle school; some of his teachers would come. (H7)
The final primary actor in pimp-managed sex work is the consumer who buys sex. Respondents expressed
general agreement that their clientele was diverse, spanning ages, races, genders, occupations, and
socioeconomic statuses. “Wives would call up. They don’t want to be putting their mouth on something at
a club. I would have a lot of women who had money who would call from a rich neighborhood. A lot of
times the women would call up for their husbands” (F6). Clients also sought a broad spectrum of different
services; one respondent who ran an escort service reported, “You do get customers that call just to go out
to eat. There are old men … They call and say they want to go here and you need to be dressed this way.
They want someone without tattoos, or they love tattoos, or certain color hair or eyes” (H8).
While acknowledging the diversity of their clientele and their requested services, some respondents did
report a customer base or “preferred” clientele. One respondent explained, “Any of the construction
workers—that is where I made most of my money” (F6). Respondents’ preferences for a particular
clientele were not always monetary. Another interviewee, who reported that a large percent of his clientele
were enlisted in the army, explained, “Army dudes aren’t going to jeopardize their career. I know that type
of dude. A lot of white guys. That’s thumbs up, they don’t to try no bull. Older men, obese men, they don’t
try to pull anything” (G11). 59 As discussed below under ‘Rules,’ pimps also placed explicit limitations on
clientele, most commonly prohibiting transactions with African American men.
At times, pimps would also try to encourage repeat transactions with profitable or preferred clientele:
“The thing is to establish repeat business. You don’t want to go there and act all crazy” (D8). Repeat
clients could provide a more steady and reliable income than one-time dates. Another interviewee
reported, “I would tell [my employees]: if you get a trick for $100 or more, get his phone number, give
him your number. That’s the only way we made money during the week” (D13). Some clients sought
sustained relationships: “[Men will say,] I’ll give you $1,000 a week every Friday, come see me Monday
and Wednesday’” (B3). Client preferences varied though, and did not always provide for repeat
transactions: “Some clients liked girls that they can see over and over. Some liked variety” (F1).
59 For additional discussion regarding clientele preferences, see “Limitations on Clientele.”
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