Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who forces, entraps, or procures women (or sometimes men) into prostitution, typically for financial gain and often involving control, coercion, or deception. This term historically emphasized the exploitation of white women, but its usage is now considered dated and offensive due to its racial implication and association with discredited historical narratives.

Usage

• The term is used as a countable noun to label an individual engaged in the specific criminal act of forcing others into prostitution.
• Important Note: This term is largely archaic and carries significant historical and racial baggage. Its use in modern contexts is strongly discouraged. Contemporary terms like "human trafficker" (specifically for sex trafficking) or "pimp" (though this can have broader/colloquial meanings) are more accurate and appropriate.

Examples

• The 19th-century novel portrayed the villain as a white slaver who preyed on young women arriving in the city.
• Sensationalist newspapers of the era often ran stories warning about white slavers to generate fear and sell copies.
• (Modern, preferred phrasing): He was convicted as a human trafficker for forcing vulnerable individuals into the sex trade.

Advanced Usage / Historical Context

• The term "white slaver" and the associated concept of "white slavery" were prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often in moral panic narratives. These narratives frequently exaggerated the scale of the problem and were intertwined with xenophobic and racist attitudes, falsely blaming specific ethnic groups. Modern scholarship and law recognize the issue as human trafficking or sex trafficking, which affects people of all races and ethnicities.

Variants and Related Words

• White slavery (n., historical/offensive): The now-rejected historical term for the practice of forcing white women into prostitution. It is a compound term using "white."
• Trafficker (n.): A person who trades or deals in something illegal, especially drugs or people. When specified as a sex trafficker, it is the modern equivalent.
• Pimp (n.): A person, especially a man, who controls prostitutes and arranges clients for them, taking part of their earnings. This can imply coercion but also has other colloquial meanings.
• Procurer (n.): A formal term for a person who obtains someone, especially for prostitution.

Synonyms

• Human trafficker (specifically for sex trafficking)
• Sex trafficker
• Procurer (archaic)
• Panderer (archaic)

Important Note on Usage

Avoid using the term "white slaver" in contemporary writing or speech. It is an outdated, racially charged term rooted in historical misinformation. Using it can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and minimize the universal nature of human trafficking. Always opt for precise, modern terminology like "human trafficker" or "sex trafficker."

Noun

1. a person who forces women to become prostitutes