Pimps and Federation Western Australia Goldfields -1898-1903

Pimps and pimping occurring in the Federation’s Western Australian Goldfields have not received adequate attention in the literature as compared with female prostitutes and brothels, despite their evident close relationship. The pimp (also referred to as bludger) was pivotal in the sex trade as they controlled not only prostitutes and prostitution but also the market – a dishonest and illicit one in the eyes of the community. Drawing on Robert Entman’s news framing approach and R.W. Connell’s concept of masculinity, this article explores the place of the pimp in the Goldfield communities between 1898 and 1903 and, in particular, how it undermined hegemonic masculinity.