Tricking and Tripping

This article focused on lives on prostitutes from the perspective of the prostitute herself. Sterk began her study by slowly integrating herself into the prostitute's world. She allowed herself to be approached and through that approach gained trust faster than if she had forced her way in. Sterk's prior knowledge of prostitution was also helpful in gaining trust, though it was important not to seem like she knew it all, because to do so would be disrespectful and insulting to the woman who actually worked as prostitutes. Sterk found that the people who first approach and offer assistance in the study are also not always whom they seem. The first contacts could be insiders whose job is to learn a newcomer's motives, and once they are assured of good intentions provide valuable information and access to key players. First contacts could also be outcasts who by associating with a researcher attempt to re-enter the inside circle, but by talking to the outcast the researcher then unintentionally alienates herself from the people she is trying to study.
It was also necessary to befriend the women who Sterk came in contact with to build trust. This including performing favors for the woman that friends would provide each other: child care, errand-running ect. Through this intimate relationship women understood Sterk's desire to learn how they saw themselves and what they thought of their life, not that they were being studied so they could be presented as dirty whores. It was also beneficial, and in some cases necessary, to develop relationships with the pimps, either for Sterk's own protection or because to talk to a woman Sterk must first get to know her pimp.
Sterk learned to keep opinions to herself, and that any expression that could be viewed as pity could put up walls.
By having open-ended interviews, Sterk provided a forum for woman to address the issues that were of the most concern to them. A formal interview would have held women to specific topics and Sterk would not have gained as much important and relevant information.
During her study, Sterk identified six themes. The first is how a woman became a prostitute and her justification for what she does. The second is the type of prostitute and what goes into each definition. There are streetwalkers, hooked prostitutes, prostituting addicts and crack prostitutes. These types have different methods of solicitation, different prices and varying degrees of bargaining power. The third theme is the role of pimps. The fourth is the impact of the AIDS epidemic. The fifth is the prostitute's exposure to violence and drugs, and the six is how, and if, women leave the prostitution trade.
The biggest question this article left me with is why pimps would protect her. Is it because if Sterk was harmed and reported it to police the crackdown would most likely not just the pimp who harmed her but the pimps in the same area as well? Or is a matter of territory? If a pimp perceived Sterk to be working in their territory, then any action towards her would be his choice. If another pimp tries to harm her, it is invading the first pimp's territory and is not to be tolerated. Is it a combination? I am very interested in this because it seems to me like little effort was made to study the pimps, and in general the pimps were not portrayed pleasantly. So why would some of them protect Sterk?