The STOPLight

Ploys of pimps II: A survivor talks

Editor's note: Beverly T. is a survivor of prostitution. A previous article about her was printed in The Stoplight in August 1997. She talks here about two techniques she has seen pimps use to trap someone into prostitution.

Pimps of all sorts succeed at getting people into prostitution by gaining their confidence. They spend their life learning to read body language, and can easily discern what a person's weak spots are; and they push the appropriate buttons. In earning their "Ph.D. of the streets," pimps learn all aspects of illegal activities. Each pimp uses different approaches.

One example: A good-looking man will approach someone (usually a young girl) he believes to be a runaway and start a conversation like this:

"Are you lost? You look really confused. May I help you? I'm not trying to be smart, believe me, but do you mind if I ask, have you had anything to eat today? I have children about your age and I wish to God someone would offer them help like I am offering you. If you're hungry there is a place across the street with plenty of people around. I wouldn't do anything wrong. Let's just stop in there and I'll buy you something to eat and we'll talk. Please don't think I am trying anything, but do you have safe place to sleep tonight? Believe me, I have children and my only motive is, pray God, someone gives my children the same chance I am giving you. Please trust me and come to my place. There are three bedrooms and my sister lives with me. She will be there when we get there, okay? You just do not realize how much you remind me of my runaway child."

Another example: I knew a white pimp who worked with a black male partner. The white pimp would choose his victim, then wine and dine her, pretending to be a well-to-do businessman. He would take her to his beautiful house, make love to her, and leave her in bed sleeping. Then he would leave and his partner would slip into the bedroom, slap the unsuspecting woman awake, and put a knife to her throat. Then he would rape her and force her to commit other sex acts. He would put $500 on the night stand as he left.

As soon as he left, the white pimp would come home and find the hysterical woman. He would gently, lovingly probe from her the whole sordid story.

(The white pimp always chose as his victim a young southern white female who had always been taught that the worst thing that could happen was to be raped by a black man. No self-respecting white man would want her after that. She would be like a dirty rag or worse.)

The pimp would profess his love for her and convince her it did not make a difference to him. They would keep it a secret together.

As soon as his business got out of the slump it was currently in, they would get married, he'd tell her. He hadn't told her about the slump before because he had hoped the meeting he had gone to that very day would solve his problems. However, it hadn't worked out as he had hoped.

Then he would notice the money left on the night stand. "Wow, honey," he would say, "Look at all this money! This could just be a blessing in disguise! We can turn this unfortunate event into a windfall! Baby, he didn't really hurt you. Maybe there's a way..."

from the writings of Beverly T.