The Rise and Fall of the "Pimp"

We all know the word I would guess, but few know the history of the term “Pimp”. Meta AI defines the term "pimp" as referring to a person who procures or takes a share of a prostitute's earnings. It emerged in English around 1600 but is suspected to have come from the French. Several theories exist, including potential connections to French words meaning "to dress elegantly" or "to decorate". The "pimp" however came to mean a prominent male figure managing multiple prostitutes, and as depicted in pop culture, became prevalent in the 20th century. Prior to this, "bawds," who could be male or female, managed prostitution networks, according to a Live Journal post. In the 1890s, male pimps began to take over from female madams, which, according to Wikipedia, led to a general decline in the treatment of women. 

There is certainly a history of pimping in Australia. However, the role usually that of a male “protector” of one or more working girls (generally the very vulnerable street walkers often drug addicted) is now long illegal across all Australian states. In Western Australia the law is specific, and The Police Act prohibits men living off the earnings of prostitution.

Being a Pimp in Australia existed as what could loosely be termed an occupation prior to the legislators recognising the inherent exploitative function of a pimp. That role typically involving coercion, threat and actual violence resulted in the ladies doing all the hard work and the parasitic Pimps taking more than a fair share of the hard-earned takings. Internationally and especially in the big cities of the USA, the prostitutes walking the beats on the dangerous streets under the control of Pimps are more often than not drug addicted. They do the sex work to pay for the drugs. They do the drug to handle the sex work. A viscous cycle of despair, complicated often by the rough attention of the Pimp as he exercises his territorial claims and forces the ladies under his “care” onto the dangerous streets.

It is from the USA that the stereotypical Flash Harry persona and the look of the black Pimps in particular has fed into modern pop culture. Madam Google advises that there is even a Pimp Walk among African Americans. That exaggerated swagger is known as a jive-ass walk or pimp walk. A cane may be used as a walking stick as part of the performance and typically the Pimp has an overabundance of rings on his hands and bling around his neck as well as being dressed in overdone sartorial splendour.

With the police and politicians in Australia being properly offended by the Pimp role, several decades past, the coercive male has been removed from managing or mismanaging the working girls. Brothels for example must be managed by women.

Criminal Defence Lawyers Australia state on their webpage that the modes of brothel regulation across Australia can broadly be described as ‘criminalisation’, ‘licensing’ and ‘decriminalisation’.

Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania are characterized as having a criminalisation model with respect to brothels. This means that criminal sanctions are imposed for brothel-keeping, as well as other associated offences, (except for those brothels allowed under the Police Containment policy such as the exclusive Langtrees VIP).

The Northern Territory, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory, have adopted a licencing model. This enables brothels to operate yet require licences to be gained with often strict conditions.

New South Wales and now Victoria, have adopted a decriminalisation model. This enables brothels to operate similar to other local businesses, and with less restrictions than under licences. However, they still require planning approval and are subject to governing laws.

Brothels, by design, offer a safer, regulated environment for sex workers, completely removing the need for the notorious "pimp" figure. However, in recent years, there have been troubling reports of human trafficking, particularly involving Southeast Asian and Eastern European women who are deceived or coerced into travelling to Australia, only to be exploited in forced sex work. Fortunately, Australian police remain vigilant, actively monitoring and prosecuting those behind these organised crime networks ensuring that the so-called Mr and Mrs Pimps of this dark trade are brought to justice.

Although the iconic Pimp can be an entertaining figure in modern pop culture such as movies, the eradication of the creature from real life in Australia has only been to the benefit of all working ladies. No longer can Flash Harry exert his will with threat, coercion and violence on his stable of working ladies. In fact, the last time a Pimp was allowed to exist in Australian sex work culture was prior to 1908 with the enforcement of the Police Offences Act in NSW, and with similar legislation soon adopted by all States and Territories.

Goodbye and good riddance to the dastardly Pimp!

Author: Magnum
For: Langtrees.com

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