human trafficking

Human Trafficking

The illegal trade of people through force, fraud, or coercion for labor or sex

Victim

A person who has been exploited or forced into trafficking

Exploitation

Taking unfair advantage of someone for money, labor, or sex

Recruitment 

Luring or tricking people into trafficking situations 

Transportation 

Moving victims from one place to another, often across borders 

Harboring

Hiding or sheltering victims to control them

Force

Physical violence or threats used to control someone

Fraud

Lies or false promises are used to trick someone into trafficking

Coercion

Pressure or threats (emotional, fictional, or physical) to force someone to comply. Threats or perceived threats of serious harm to or physical constraints against any person; a scheme intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform will result in serious harm to or physical restraints against any person

Traffickers

People who exploit others for profit. They can be any demographic, individuals and groups, street gangs and organized crime, businesses, or contractors 

Pimp

A person who controls and financially benefits from the commercial sexual exploitation of another person. The relationship can be abusive and possessive, with the pimp using techniques such as psychological intimidation, manipulation, starvation, rape and/or gang rape, beating, confinement, threats of violence toward the victims family, forced drug use, and the shame from these acts to keep the sexually exploited person under control 

Pimp partner

Two pimps who are friends and allow their victims to work together

Quota

A set amount of money that a trafficking victim must make each night before she can come “home”. Quotas are often set between $300 and $2000. If the victim returns without meeting the quota, she is typically beaten and sent back out on the street to earn the rest. Quotas vary according to geographic region, local events, etc 

Serving a pimp

The actual phone call one pimp makes to another after “taking” his victim

Squaring up

Attempting to escape or exit prostitution

Stable

A group of victims who are under the control of a single pimp

Automatic

A term denoting the victim’s “automatic” routine when her pimp is out of town, in jail, or otherwise not in direct contact with those he is prostituting 

Bottom or “Bottom Bitch”

A female appointed by the trafficker/pimp to supervise the others and report rule violations, collect money, book hotel rooms, post ads, or inflict punishments on other girls. “The Bottom Bitch is subjected to the most physical abuse and is the one most likely to be killed by the pimp. She had the toughest job of all of us” 

Branding

A tattoo or craving on a victim that indicated ownership by a trafficker/pimp/gang 

Brothel (aka cathouse or whorehouse)

These establishments may be apartments, houses, trailers, or any facility where sex is sold on the premises. It could be in a rural area or a nice neighborhood 

Caught a case

A term that refers to when a pimp or victim has been arrested and charged with a crime 

Seasoning

A combination of psychological manipulation, intimidation, gang rape, sodomy, beatings, deprivation of food or sleep, isolation from friends or family and other sources of support, and threatening or holding hostage of a victim’s children. Seasoning is designed to break down a victim’s resistance and ensure compliance 

Reckless Eyeballing

A term which refers to the act of looking around instead of keeping your eyes on the ground. Eyeballing is against the rules and could lead an untrained victim to “choose up” by mistake. 

Renegade

A person involved in prostitution without a pimp

Choosing up

The process by which a different pimp takes “ownership” of a victim. Victims are instructed to keep their eyes on the ground at all times. According to traditional pimping rules, when a victim makes eye contract with another pimp (accidentally or on purpose), she is choosing him to be her pimp 

Circuit

A series of cities among which prostituted people are moved. One example would be the West Circuit of San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, and the cities in between. The term can also refer to a chain of states, such as the “Minnesota pipeline,” by which victims are moved through a series of locations from Minnesota to markets in New York 

John (aka Buyer or “Trick'“)

An individual who pays for or trades something of value for sexual acts

Lot Lizard

Derogatory term for a person who is being prostituted at truck stops

Fender Lizard

“A chick that will do anything to get on the back of a guy’s motorcycle. (a bike prostitute)” 

Madam

An older woman who manages a brothel, escort service, or other prostitution establishment. She may work alone or in collaboration with other traffickers

Commercial Sex Act

Any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person

Track (aka Stroll or Blade)

An area of town known for prostitution activity. This can be the area around a group of strip clubs or pornography stores, or a particular stretch of street 

Trade Up/Trade Down

To move a victim like merchandise between pimps. A pimp may trade one girl for another or trade with someone in exchange for money

Trick

Committing an act of prostitution, or the person buying it.

Cousin-in-Law

Victims of pimp partners who work together

Daddy

A pimp will often require his victim to call him

Date

The exchange when prostitution takes place, or the activity of prostitution. A victim is said to be “with a date” or “dating” 

Exit Fee

The money a pimp will demand from a victim who is thinking about trying to leave. It will be an exorbitant sum to discourage her from leaving. Most pimps never let their victims leave freely 

Head Cut

A victim getting beaten down by their pimp

Human Struggling

The facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation, or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries ' laws, clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents 

In-Pocket 

Not paying any other pimp than the one controlled by the victim. Not speaking to any other pimp 

Kiddie Stroll

An area known for prostitution that features younger victims

Loose Bitch

A victim who keeps choosing different pimps

Turn Out

To be forced into prostitution or a person newly involved in prostitution

Out of Pocket 

The phrase describes when a victim is not under the control of a pimp but is working on a pimp-controlled track, leaving her vulnerable to threats, harassment, and violence to make her “choose” a pimp. This many also refer to a victim who is disobeying the pimp’s rule

Family/Folks

The term used to describe the other individuals under the control of the same pimp. He plays the role of father (or “Daddy”) while the group fulfills the need for a “family” 

Pimp Circle

When several pimps encircle a victim to intimidate through verbal and physical threats in order to discipline the victim or force her to choose up

Labor Trafficking

Force someone to work against their will

Sex Trafficking

Forcing someone to perform sexual acts for profit

Domestic Servitude

Forcing someone to work inside a home, such as cleaning or childcare, under abusive control

Debt Bondage

Forcing someone to work to pay off a debt that never ends

Child Trafficking

Trafficking involving children, who are always considered victims even without proof of force, fraud, or coercion 

Grooming

Gaining someone’s trust to later exploit them

Isolation

Cutting victims off from friends, family, or help

Confiscation

Taking away identification, money, or travel documents

Psychological Manipulation

Using fear, shame, or lied to control someone

Physical Abuse 

Violence or threats used to maintain control