Crimes and Misdemeanors: Who Exploits Who - Part 2

Prostitution had become a problem in Victorian London but, around this type of "business", a dense network of "induced-work" labourers was formed that was fueled by giving jobs and offering opportunities to lost girls. A dense criminal network with its rules.

First of all, we establish the hierarchy of "adult entertainment industry workers".

 In Crimes and Misdemeanors: Who Exploits Who - Part 1, we've seen those we could call brothels managers. Moving to the next level, we also have a location pass. In fact, we move from the practice of prostitution to closed places to the street: the realm of protectors and ruffians.

There was, however, an intermediate category managed by the prosecutors: those who had a house (also in rent) but who used the road to find the best service.

Prosecutors were dealing with wealthy clients and not service providers. In exchange for a small sum, they engaged, through the use of "couriers", in finding that prostitute that best approached the client's request. The activity was very profitable and sometimes it could also be in collaboration with a rented room if you did not have a home. While waiting, the customer could sip champagne, who paid a part, thus increasing the Prosecutor's revenue. Prostitutes hired by a prosecutor usually had a better life than the brothel's slaves. For 50% of their profits, they worked with affluent men who could face greater expenses and who would sometimes help them "abandon the profession" by marrying them despite their past.

If the prosecutor had a good clientele and some notoriety, he could open his own home and business: a sort of private club. But it was necessary to make the thing attractive and get visibility. In many cases, it was enough for a very attractive and "refined" girl. This acted as an image for the prosecutor's home. He could be the most sought-after girl from the clientele. Obviously, if this "image-girl" loses its clientele, withdraws or loses its charm, even the home risks economic problems. The prosecutor should therefore always be attentive to the needs of his fixed customers and to propose new things. Prosecutor's work was very similar to one of escort agencies today.

Ruffians as protectors had a business strategy very similar to that of a Prosecutor, but they lacked a home or an agreement with some renting rooms. They worked exclusively on the road. They had a sample of girls from whom they could go (protectors) or they knew (ruffians). For a small sum, customers were brought to see the girls who could be to their own liking.

Protectors, usual men, were apparently a very rare thing during the Victorian period. It must be said, however, that because of the intense Irish emigration due to Great Famine, many unscrupulous people or micro-criminal gang have resorted to an exploitation of prostitution. The local crime was in control of a more or less extensive urban area. Any business could then incur retaliation and threats to get a percentage of the cash in exchange for "protection". The Protectors physically threatened the lost girls wandering the streets and did not have a brothel to give them some sort of security (stalkers and trackers). In an environment where competition was so high, it was easy for the worst to convince the girls to give part of their income.

The ruffians knew the road and their inhabitants. They knew where they were all the brothels, the games houses, the most beautiful girls and the most casual ones. The crowd frowned on, and between a chat and the other they tried to determine what the "customer" might be interested in, then, for a small sum, would be brought to the object of his desire. Prostitutes often offered to drink at the ruffians in exchange for some more customers.

The ruffian was, however, not the lowest step in this "adult entertainment industry".

Below there were thieves, street bullies and scammers. They exploited the prostitute to robbing the client. There was someone who was pick-pocketing the client's pockets while in intimacy with the prostitute, who cut off the punch. Most creative posing as a wealthy gentleman for creating scams at the expense of the customer.  Very often all of them were in trouble with the prostitute who got so easy extra. Other times they were independent and could create problems for prostitutes and their protectors. And when a protector had problems, it was trouble for his girls.

The road was a school of life. Predators and prey confronted every day and every night. The big fish eating small fish. Demand inflated the offer and vice versa, attracting all the desperate and opportunistic people beyond whom one could afford the services offered (brothels, playhouses, pubs).

But the Londoners did not fear the night as they knew they were protected and secured by the police.