Procuring (prostitution)

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"Pimp" and "pimping" redirect here. For other uses, see Pimp (disambiguation).


Examples of procuring include:

  • operating a prostitution business
  • transporting a prostitute to the location of their arrangement
  • deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another


Procuring can often take abusive forms. Pimps may punish clients for physical abuse or failure to pay, advertise services to potential clients without alerting police, and enforce exclusive rights to 'turf' where their prostitutes may advertise and operate with less competition.[2] In the many places where prostitution is outlawed, sex workers have decreased incentive to report abuse for fear of self-incrimination, and increased motivation to seek any physical protection from clients and law enforcement that a pimp might provide.

The pimp–prostitute relationship can be abusive and possessive, with the pimp/madam using techniques such as psychological intimidation, manipulation, starvation, rape and/or gang rape, beating, confinement, threats of violence toward the victim’s family, forced drug use and the shame from these acts.[3][4] Empirical and in situ research published in the 2010s has, however, suggested that these assumptions about abusive relationships represent stereotyped oppression narratives that may be only represent a small percentage of the relationships between pimps and sexworkers.[5] Pimps can be arrested and charged with pandering and are legally known as procurers.[6] This combined with the tendency to identify pimping with African American masculinity may provide some of the explanation for why 62% of all "confirmed" human traffickers in the United States are African American men. In fact, it has recently been argued that some of the extreme examples of violence cited in the article below come primarily from such stereotyping supported by Hollywood screenwriters, selective and decontextualized trial transcripts, and studies that have only interviewed parties to sex commerce in institutions of rescue, prosecution, and punishment, rather than engaging rigorous study in situ.[7][8]

Legal status and debates about legality[edit]

In most places where prostitution is illegal, so is procuring, whether the relationship between the procurer and prostitute is formal or informal. Where prostitution is decriminalized or regulated, procuring may or may not be legal. If it is legal, however, it is only forms that do not involve threats or other forms of non-consensual acts towards the prostitute or other persons that are permitted. In jurisdictions where procuring is allowed, the regulations of if differ widely from place to place.

Procuring and brothels are legal in the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, most of Australia and Nevada among others.

In Canada, there is currently a legal battle regarding prostitution laws (see Bedford v. Canada). In 2010, in Ontario, superior court judge Susan Himel overturned the national laws banning brothels and procuring, arguing that they violated the constitution guaranteeing "the right to life, liberty and security".[9] In 2012, Ontario Appeal Court reaffirmed the unconstitutionality of the laws.[10] The case has been appealed by the Canadian government, and was under trial at the Supreme Court of Canada.[11] On Dec 20th, the law was struck down. The current law will continue to be enforced for one year, by which time the government must have a new law in place.[12]



The convention reads:

Article 1




Article 2




Various UN commissions however have differing positions on the issue. For example, in 2012, a UNAIDS commission convened by Ban Ki-moon and backed by UNDP and UNAIDS, recommended the decriminalization of brothels and procuring.[14][15][16][17]



The word pimp first appeared in English in 1607 in a Thomas Middleton play entitled Your Five Gallants. It is believed to have stemmed from the French infinitive pimper meaning to dress up elegantly and from the present participle pimpant meaning alluring in seductive dress. Pimp used as a verb, meaning to act as a pimp, first appeared in 1636 in Massinger's book, The Bashful Lover.[18] In the 18th and 19th centuries, the term was commonly used to refer to informers.[19] A pimp can also mean "a despicable person".[20] The term can also be applied to a person who is considered a ladies' man.[18]



In medical contexts, the verb means "to ask (a student) a question for the purpose of testing his knowledge".[23] In the US military, the verb can be used to express a superior reminding a subordinate of a task that the subordinate forgot to accomplish.[citation needed]


The word "pander", meaning to "pimp" is derived from Pandarus, a licentious figure who facilitates the affair between the protagonists in Troilus and Criseyde, a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer.[24] Pandarus appears with a similar role in Shakespeare's interpretation of the story, Troilus and Cressida.

Business of procuring[edit]


Pimping is sometimes operated like a business.[25] The pimp may have a bottom girl who serves as office manager, keeping the pimp apprised of law-enforcement activity and collecting money from the prostitutes.[26] Pimps recognize a hierarchy among themselves. The least respected, or newer pimps, are the "popcorn pimps" and "wannabes". A pimp who uses violence and intimidation to control his prostitutes is called a "Jonas pimp", while those who use psychological trickery to deceive younger prostitutes into becoming hooked into the system are called "finesse pimps". An important part of the business is obtaining and maintaining a selection of prostitutes. Losing one's prostitute to another pimp is known as being "peeled". Informing a pimp that one of his prostitutes has switched pimps is a professional courtesy, and any attempt to respond to this courtesy with violence will quickly get the violent pimp labeled a "Gorilla" or "Godzilla". Prostitutes who move between pimps often are labeled as a "Choosey Susie". In addition, a prostitute may "bounce" from pimp to pimp without paying the "pimp moving" tax.[27]

A large percentage of pimps in the United States are also documented gang members, which causes concerns for police agencies in jurisdictions where prostitution is a significant problem. Pimping rivals narcotic sales as a major source of funding for many gangs, this is particularly true with African American gangs. Gangs need money to survive, and money equates to power and respect. While selling drugs may be lucrative for a gang, this activity often carries significant risk as stiff legal penalties and harsh mandatory minimum sentencing laws exist. However, with pimping, gang members still make money while the prostitutes themselves bear the majority of the risk. Pimping has several benefits to the gang that the pimp belongs to. These benefits include it helps the gang recruit new members because the gang has women available for sex and the money brought in by prostitution allows gang members to buy cars, clothes and weapons, all of which help to recruit younger members into the gang by increasing the reputation of the gang in the local gang subculture. The presence of gangs (and weapons and drugs) is a virtual guarantee when prostitutes are present, which is why many law enforcement agencies advocate taking an aggressive stance against prostitutes. Many vice units work to ascertain if the prostitute they have arrested has a pimp, and if so they pressure them to provide information about their pimp and the gang involved. This information can then be used to go after the more serious and violent offenders.[28]


Use of tattoos[edit]

Many pimps tattoo prostitutes as a mark of "ownership".[29][30] The tattoo will often be the pimp's street or even his likeness. The mark might be as discreet as ankle tattoo, or blatant as a neck tattoo, or large scale font across the prostitute's lower back, thigh, chest, or buttocks.[31]

Internet effect[edit]


The use of the Internet for prostitution as well as other changes in the sex industry have resulted in the disintermediation of prostitution, allowing prostitutes to deal with clients directly. This has rendered pimps largely superfluous, at least in the United States. In 2011, Wired reported that of 11 pimps working out of New York's midtown Manhattan in 1999, all were out of work within four years.[33]


Loverboy is slang for young men who lure underage girls into prostitution.[34] This is a significant problem in many countries, including the Netherlands,[35][36] and estimates place the number of victims at 1,500 per year.[37]

Although loverboys use kidnapping, gang rape, and other coercive and intimidating methods on victims, Dutch politician Jamila Yahyaoui reports as of 2009 only five cases resulted in convictions in one year in the Netherlands.[38] Because of their young age, the girls' fear and emotional dependence, and vagueness about what exactly happened, often loverboys and their associates may only be charged with having sex with a minor and thus receive short sentences.[37] The socialist party ROOD wants police to remove obstacles to girls reporting abuse and not to lose contact, while some municipalities are educating front-line workers to identify victims better.[39]

Pornography and procuring[edit]

Attempts have been made in the U.S. to charge pornographic film producers with pandering under state law. The case of California v. Freeman in 1989 is one of the most prominent examples where a producer/director of pornographic films was charged with pandering under the argument that paying porn actors to perform sex on camera was a form of prostitution covered by a state anti-pandering statute. The State Supreme Court rejected this argument, finding that the California pandering statute was not intended to cover the hiring of actors who would be engaging in sexually explicit but non-obscene performances. It also stated that only in cases where the producer paid the actors for the purpose of sexually gratifying themselves or other actors, could the producer be charged with pandering under state law. This case effectively legalized pornography in the State of California.[40][41][42] In 2008, the New Hampshire Supreme Court would issue a similar ruling (New Hampshire v. Theriault) which declared that producing pornography was not a form of prostitution under state law.[43]

Other notable pimps[edit]

See also[edit]


  6. ^ "Pandering". Retrieved 2013-06-17. 
  8. ^ Marcus, Anthony, Amber Horning, & Ric Curtis. 2014. “Child Sex Trafficking: Toward an Agent Centered Approach” in Rhacel Salazar Parreñas and Kimberly Hoang Human Trafficking Reconsidered: Rethinking the Problem, Envisioning New Solutions, New York: Open Society Institute.
  9. ^ Canadian judge overturns brothel ban in Ontario, BBC 29 September 2010
  10. ^ Ontario Appeal Court strikes down ban on brothels, CBC News, Mar 26, 2012
  11. ^ "Canada's top court to hear prostitution challenge today | CTV News". 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2013-11-05. 
  12. ^ Blanchfield, Mike (2013-12-20). "Supreme Court strikes down Canada’s anti-prostitution laws as Charter breach". Retrieved 2014-04-29. 
  17. ^ Risks, Rights & Health, GLOBAL COMMISSION ON HIV AND THE LAW, UNDP, HIV/AIDS Group, , July 2012, page 43 ("Recommendation"): "Repeal laws that prohibit consenting adults to buy or sell sex, as well as laws that otherwise prohibit commercial sex, such as laws against “immoral” earnings, “living of the earnings” of prostitution and brothel-keeping."
  20. ^ "Webster's College Dictionary", Random House, 2001
  23. ^ Brancati, Frederick L. (7 July 1989). "The Art of Pimping". JAMA 262 (1): 89. doi:10.1001/jama.1989.03430010101039. 
  25. ^ Really Really Pimpin' in Da South, Rotten Tomatoes
  26. ^ a b c U.S. v. Pipkins, 378 F.3d 1281, (11th Cir. 2004).
  27. ^ Western Michigan University, The Pimping Game.[dead link]
  33. ^ Venkatesh, Sudhir (31 January 2011). "Features Inside the Mad Science of 7 Renegade Researchers Start Prison Economics: How Fish and Coffee Become Cash Play Q&A: Photog's Descent Into the Underworld 19.02 How Tech Tools Transformed New York's Sex Trade". Wired. Retrieved 26 February 2011. 
  34. ^ "StopLoverboysNU". Retrieved 2013-06-17. 
  40. ^ "''California v. Freeman''". 1989-02-01. Retrieved 2013-11-05. 
  43. ^ "Offer to tape sex nullifies conviction" by Annmarie Timmins, Concord Monitor, December 5, 2008.

External links[edit]