413047-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy

Employee Recruitment
Pimps rely on employees to earn money within the UCSE, so recruitment is an essential piece of the
business. Law enforcement interviews suggested that recruitment tactics used by pimps vary from
psychological manipulation to physical force and the use of drugs. Offender interviews also demonstrated
variation in tactics, though pimps generally emphasized the use of mental and emotional persuasion over
violence or drugs. A 45-year-old pimp explained his recruitment process, which involved detailed
questions to determine his potential employees’ expectations and background:
I would get a phone call from one of my partners—[he’d say] “I got a little girl, make some
money.” He’d give her my number, she would call me up and we would chat, and set a
time to meet up. [I’d say], “You can come to me.” When I sat her down with me we would
go over what’s going on with you. If you’re trying to make a career or pay your rent, you
want somebody who is really going to hold it down for a certain amount of time, because
you know, after I talk to her, and get an understanding of how you was treated, if you
have ever been sexually abused, if you have a relationship with your mother or father,
because a female needs relationships.
You need an idea if she can take orders and follow instructions. If she likes money or
needs money; there’s a difference. Just like an interview, “Are you a people person” [You
have to] get a good idea of the female. I always ask questions, because I want to get with
someone who is compatible with me. I don’t want to get with no hard head. If she has a
lot of drug problems, if she has a lot of folks or pimps, I don’t want to deal with her.
If you have a lot of pimps, she doesn’t really know what she’s doing or they don’t know. In
a woman’s life, she is not going to have more than three or four [pimps] over a 20-year
period. Once I get an idea if she’s a good girl, bad girl, if she’s a thief, [if she] can hold a
conversation, if she knows different languages, ethnicities, [if she’s] dumb or smart. I
don’t mess with bipolar women at all, I’ve had experience.
Once we talked, I let her know what my deal is—I provide you with transportation, living.
[You’re] well taken care of, not want for anything, you have your own car, own place,
protection, and a bunch of clientele because if you don’t make no money, I don’t make no
money. So then I set her up and go find some clothing.
If you have been abused, I need to find out how much abuse you have had. Too much
abuse is really not good. Raped ever since she was age 3 and now 19 or 20 She ain’t going
to have no balance. If she’s been molested or maybe her brother or cousin tampered with
her, you can get through that. Everyone, I want to make them comfortable, absolutely
comfortable. If she’s not comfortable, she’s not going to perform. You always gotta be
honest with your female, because if you lie to them then you lie to yourself, and you’re
playing yourself out of money. (D5)
Another 38-year-old pimp, who learned marketing techniques through previous sales experience, offered
a full description of his own recruitment method. It entailed an involved process dependent on creating
impressions to intrigue potential employees:
I’d go into the club dressed real nice, have my hair corn rowed. I let my mustache grow,
had two diamonds [in my ear]. Wearing Cole Haan, Polo, Gucci, Coach on the feet, same
as the wallet, belt—everything matched. Looked really nice. I’d go in and order, I wouldn’t
go that often. They’d know I want a table in the back, champagne. I sit at the back, girls
would automatically come. Black girls that came up, my homeboy would pull them to the
side. Anything that wasn’t black, they’d sit at the table, I’d pour them drinks. I didn’t say
anything slick. I’d purposefully not show them any attention. The girl would notice I’m
not talking to her. The next couple times, I’d come in during the week and not get a table.
I’d sit at the bar, buy her a drink. This is a process. If a girl is already a prostitute—[it
would take] one and a half to two weeks. If not, we’re going to do a lot of kicking it, having
sex, smoking weed. She’s thinking this is a special dinner—but it’s not—it’s my routine …
If I had other girls, after I’m kicking it with her for a couple of weeks, I’d have a girl dress
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