A new study of ex-pimps and madams in the Chicago area shows that most of them were victims of prostitution prior to becoming pimps and had family members involved in the illegal sex trade.

Jody Raphael, senior research fellow at the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center at the DePaul University College of Law, and co-author Brenda Myers-Powell, released their findings today in “From Victims to Victimizers: Interviews with 25 Ex-Pimps in Chicago,” during a conference at DePaul Sept. 15.

“Jody and Brenda have revealed a facet of the sex trade that is largely ignored—the pimps who recruit girls into prostitution,” said Lynne Johnson, advocacy director at the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation. “If we want to end sex trafficking in our community, we must hold accountable the pimps and the people who buy sex.” CAASE is the lead agency for the End Demand Illinois campaign, which seeks to reform Illinois law to enforce increased penalties against pimps and johns.

Of the 25 pimps and madams interviewed, 68 percent had themselves been prostituted prior to pimping. Their average age of entry into prostitution was 15, and 60 percent had family members who were involved in prostitution.

DePaul’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center is a collaborating partner with the End Demand Illinois campaign, which aims to transform Illinois’ response to the exploitation of prostitution and sex trafficking by addressing its root cause: demand.

The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation is committed to building a global community free from sexual exploitation. It is founded on the belief that all forms of sexual exploitation – including sexual assault and the commercial sex trade – are detrimental to a healthy society and undermine the dignity of all people.

To learn more, visit www.caase.org or call (773) 244-2230.

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Editor’s note: Author Jody Raphael is available for interview about this study. Please contact Deborah Snow Humiston at (312) 362-8508 or dsnowhum@depaul.edu to set up an interview or receive a copy of the study.

About DePaul’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center

Established in 2000, DePaul’s Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center focuses on teaching, legal reform and community service in all areas of family law, including child protection, juvenile justice, marriage, domestic violence, divorce and elder law. It also gives students opportunities for hands-on legal experience through fellowships, internships and community service projects. For more information about the center, visit www.law.depaul.edu/centers_institutes/family_law/