A Comparison of Pimp- and Non-Pimp-Controlled Women

Abstract

A study of 50 incarcerated urban prostitutes finds that 40% have been under the control of a pimp. Pimp-controlled prostitutes are more likely to be single, to have failed to complete high school, to be non-White, to have never held a legitimate job, and to come from exceptionally dysfunctional families. Pimp-controlled prostitutes were younger when they had their first sexual experience, first used illegal drugs, and first engaged in prostitution. Pimp-controlled prostitutes are also more likely to be the victims of violence from customers, suggesting that the pressure to make extra money to support the pimp exposes these women to additional risk. Because of these accumulated adverse experiences, this group may require additional, long-term interventions.

Prostitution 2.0: The changing face of sex work

“…The latter result may partially reflect the greater difficulty we faced in receiving responses from those without their own advertised email address, including some workers in brothels or under pimp management; nevertheless, it appears that a very sizeable share of those who solicit online are independents. By contrast, studies of streetwalking prostitutes generally find between 40% and 80% work under pimp management (Giobbe, 1993;Norton-Hawk, 2004).…”

Expanding our lens: Female pathways to antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood

“…These relationship dynamics work to maintain the woman as a conforming actor in the relationship over time and to isolate her socially from other support or resource networks (Lebloch & King, 2006), which increases the likelihood of further engagement in antisocial behavior. In addition, women under the control of a pimp are at greater risk of violence (Norton-Hawk, 2004), and women engaging in sex work in general also experience violence from the men who hire them, further reinforcing their isolation and the consequences of victimization. In one study, almost all female prostitutes reported constantly being threatened with male violence, and the majority had experienced multiple forms of such violence (Barnard, 1993).…”

An Exploratory Study of Adolescent Pimping Relationships

“…Department of Justice, 2003). From the limited studies that do exist, data reveal that pimps target girls between the ages of 12-14 with particular vulnerabilities to recruit them into the commercial sex industry (Reid & Jones, 2011), using a number of recruitment strategies (e.g., violence, expressions of love) (Kennedy, Klein, Bristowe, Cooper, & Yuille, 2007; Norton-Hawk, 2004). Many of these young people are runaways, come from abusive homes, and/or have low self-esteem (Williamson & Cluse-Tolar, 2002).…”