Street Hustling

Male Street Hustling Overview

The number of males involved in male street hustling is unknown. Some start hustling as young as age 13 years and continue as adults. Male street hustlers are different from child prostitutes, also commonly referenced as commercially sexually exploited children. Street hustlers choose to practice this behavior, while many commercially sexually exploited children are typically forced or coerced to participate in the street-level sex market.

Male street hustlers are difficult to identify. First, they do not have visible markings that link them to male prostitution. Second, they may only hustle during times of personal financial troubles, which makes their behavior sporadic. Third, they are commonly around areas with much of the public present into the late hours of night (e.g., bars, streets, movie theaters), which does not automatically link someone to prostitution.

Overall, street hustlers engage in illegal and discrediting behavior. The label of a “homosexual prostitute” may have severe consequences for how they view themselves and their social reputation; they violate multiple cultural norms. They are engaging in an activity that is illegal (i.e., prostitution) and still not socially accepted in many settings (i.e., homosexuality).

Economic need has been identified as the primary motivating factor for street hustlers. Some use this as their primary source of income, while others use it to supplement their legitimate income. Other motivations are usually connected to sexual recreation, experimentation, or both. This activity provides opportunities for individuals to discretely engage in [Page 700]stigmatizing homosexual behavior while living more “traditional” lives.

Street Hustler Transactions

There is a typical order in which sexual interaction occurs; however, not all interactions pass through each stage. The stages are initial contact, confirmation, negotiation of the sexual act and fees, and negotiation of location.

During initial contact, male prostitutes utilize strategies to identify a potential client. One method of identifying a potential client is “cruising.” Cruising occurs when a potential client cruises around the same area multiple times while looking at the hustler each time around. Once a potential customer has been identified, the hustler may nod his head or wave and the potential customer may do the same. The exchanges do not guarantee the two will share sexual activities. Structured interaction is then used to decide if the hustler would want to do business with the potential client. This structured interaction can help rule out if this is law enforcement or someone else who may stigmatize the hustler.

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