Terminology

There are specific terms that are associated with sex trafficking that you may have heard or need to know. Many of these terms may be considered offensive. Below are a few.

Often the first victim of a trafficker/pimp, and who is forced to handle money or do other things for the pimp. They may be treated as criminals in an investigation due to the crimes they were forced to commit at the demands of their trafficker.

Where street level trafficking takes place.

The term many pimps insist their victims use to refer to them, in order to create the family-like or paternal bond many victims crave.

The lifestyle of sex work or sex trafficking.

Violent pimp who beats and uses physical force to obtain and control his victims. More prone to kidnapping.

Real Hoeing Going On (often put on sex ads or social media tags, etc).

A lover-boy strategy in which victims fall in love and believe they are in a relationship with their trafficker, thus creating loyalty.

A new pimp or pimp-in-training: young and often thought of as not as serious.

A white victim of sex trafficking.

A group of victims under the same trafficker.

This is someone not involved in commercial sex.

“That Hoe Over There”

The buyer of sex.

A newly lured victim of sex trafficking, prior to their first time engaging in commercial sex.

Another woman or girl who is with the same trafficker/pimp.