In our monthly Blue Heart workshop, Armand King, former pimp and present-day COO of Paving Great Futures, uncovers the realities of human sex trafficking. According to a recent estimate from the International Labor Organization and the Walk Free Foundation, there are 4.8 million people currently trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally. For context, that is almost the entire population of New Zealand and Ireland.
In the United States, it is estimated that almost 200,000 human trafficking incidents occur every year. Shockingly, California consistently has the highest human trafficking rates in the country. Armand King, former Pimp and now COO of Paving Great Futures, a nonprofit that is dedicated to increasing the health and wealth in underserved communities in order for marginalized and at risk individuals to thrive socially, economically, and politically, educated us on the realities of human sex trafficking in our own community in this month’s virtual enrichment workshop.
As someone who understands the brutality of the streets, King brings real world experience and knowledge of human sex trafficking to Paving Great Futures. Providing comprehensive work experience programs that transform misguided young people into productive and empowered community leaders capable of guiding relevant and lasting changes.
Dedicating his life to guiding others out of the prison pipeline, criminal activities, and human sex trafficking, he believes that it’s important to have open discussions in the communities that would benefit the most from this knowledge.
King openly shares his personal story and perspective of the pimping and prostitution subculture in San Diego to uncover the real impacts on communities of color and prevent people from getting into this illicit economy.
What is human sex trafficking?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Human trafficking can occur in any community, and victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality.
Typically, traffickers use violence or manipulation to lure victims into trafficking situations. There are many factors that keep human sex trafficking a hidden yet rampant crime, including language barriers and economic hardship.
As a result, there is a deeply rooted history of human sex trafficking in low-income communities, which is often made worse with the current criminalization of both the survivors and traffickers. However, for a long time, law enforcement turned a blind eye to this crime. King recalls that police officers even called him and his former colleagues by their “pimp names.” This is largely due to how the black pimp culture was established in society.
Human sex trafficking in the black community
In the 1970s, black pimps were not necessarily looked at as the bad guy. As depicted in Hollywood and blaxploitation films, pimps positively contributed to the community – giving money to kids, taking care of older community members, as well as sheltering, feeding and clothing young women.
But as the drug and gang epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s trickled down to San Diego from Los Angeles and the Bay Area, there was a major shift in the pimping game.
Lost, poorly-educated, and underserved populations devastated by the drug and gang epidemic often turned to pimping and prostitution as a way out of the poverty they grew up in. King describes this time as the “bling bling” era, when the focus was on getting money, having money, and spending money. Human sex trafficking became a falsely promising option for financial security and personal success in the streets.
Supporting underserved communities
Ultimately, the root of the human sex trafficking in the black community is the lack of resources, opportunities, and education to escape generational poverty. Too often, these dismal circumstances result in people staying in the game because they don’t know anything else or have access to other options.
To end sex trafficking completely, King believes that we must end poverty. As an economic-based crime, he believes that as long as there’s poverty, there will be sexual exploitation.
We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated local and global economies, and with this new, tremendous financial hardship on families, the risks of human sex trafficking has increased. In response, The Blue Heart Foundation remains relentlessly dedicated to the education and empowerment of under-served youth in San Diego.
During these unusual times, The Blue Heart Foundation is here to help parents and students alike. Our hearts and thoughts go out to each and every one of you as we continue to navigate these strange, challenging times. To learn more about the history and current realities of human sex trafficking, watch a replay below of our workshop with Armand King
Together We Rise!
The Blue Heart Foundation
Our Mission
“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.”
Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org
Location
San Diego CA 92154
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