Carl's Pimping Out His Girl, Spending €700 Weekly on Drugs (Interview)

Recently, we've brought you a few articles on the harmfulness of substance abuse that has ruined lives of those involved in the heart of the story. Some sad examples of this claim are homeless man Marcel or prostitute Monica. 

 

This time, we bring you the story of an unusual couple that couldn't avoid the drug addiction either. For a few months now, 42-year old Carl is pimping out his girlfriend Kate that's been selling her body for more than 10 years now. 

 

Although this relationship might sound uncommon, it's definitely not that exceptional. As we've found out, majority of the girls are pimped out by their life partners, with whom they share their hard-earned money. Those are then instantly invested into the purchase of meth or heroin. 

 

 

As depressing as this lifestyle may sound, the main characters have become accustomed to it after all these years. The addiction is so strong that any shame or resistance are considered secondary. 

 

We have visited Carl and Kate in their small shack, where they've told us about their unusual lives and the special way of making a living. 

 

Although we didn't know what to expect from this interview at first, we've managed to get an uncensored confession of an addicted couple that is fully aware where exactly the mistake of their lifetime took place. 

 

 

How long have you been addicted to drugs?

 

Carl: I got into drugs in the 90s when I was 17. Out of boredom. I was too curious and everyone around me was already hooked. One day they've offered me some and it took off from there. I tried it for the first time near a hospital. I was afraid of overdosing, so I wanted to be close to the doctors. I've tried it once, twice and when I've tried to stop, it wasn't possible anymore, because I needed it. Today, I'm 42 years old, so it's been 25 years now, for sure. 

 

Did you have any family issues that brought you to this path?

 

Carl: I didn't have any problems, everything was fine. I was just bored. I had everything in life, so I was just curious what it was like. I just wanted to know what my friends were going through. 

 

 

What was your life like before you started pimping?

 

Carl: I was in jail at some point, then I just went to work. I worked as a welder and I also worked on construction sites. That life was good, but the drugs always found their way into it. I would also steal to have money for drugs. When Kate and I met, I still had a a job. But later I wasn't coping well, so now all I do is this. 

 

Being a pimp for your own partner is quite an unusual occupation. How did you get there?

 

Karol: I met her when she was already a prostitute, so it's not like I made her do it. I knew what she was doing and before anything, I was her customer. Then I kept returning to her, because I liked her and later she started getting into me as well. Now we've been together for 8 months or so and I guard her during her shifts. 

 

They found her completely torn apart, they said she didn't even have eyes anymore, poor thing. At least that's what we've heard. I don't think they ever caught the killer, he was a foreigner. 

 

How do you guard her? We've met Kate before and you were quite far away from her, if something would have happened... 

 

Carl: Yeah but during the day she's not scared, it's not necessary for me to guard her then. She's already accustomed, so I don't have to be there. But as soon as the sun goes down, I'm always there for her. I pay attention to which car she gets into and where exactly they go. She has her own spot where she takes her customers and doesn't go elsewhere. If it takes them too long, I go take a look at what's going on.  

 

 

Did you ever have to step in and threaten a customer?

 

Carl: I've only been doing this for a short time, so there hasn't been any big trouble yet. And she doesn't really attract trouble. She's lucky, because her intuition for dangerous people is strong. The only problem I've experienced so far was when some of the customers got violent. In that case, I step in and shout back at them. 

 

When they're violent, aren't you afraid they could harm you or Kate?

 

Carl: You know what they say - a dog that barks, doesn't bite. So I scream at them and they leave. They'll shout back, but Kate steps back as well and we go away to avoid problems. I'm careful about attacks to avoid cops. We're junkies so it doesn't matter if they're the ones provoking it. If we called the police, who would they trust? 

 

Do you also guard other girls on the street?

 

Carl: No, just her.

 

 

Is there a lot of other pimps? Do you know any of them?

 

Carl: Of course I do, there's plenty of them. But you probably don't understand how it works around here. There's no one who would have a lot of women under his protection. It's all junkie couples that live together. 

 

Kate: The woman earns, the man secures. It's all like the relationship we have. The cash is then used for the drugs and we live from it. Maybe some private clubs have pimps like you imagine, but not on the street here. 

 

You say you don't get into conflicts very much. Are any of your colleagues different in that way?

 

Carl: There's also girls that steal from each other and cause a whole lot of trouble. There's really all kinds of people. We don't really want to interfere with them, because they're usually messed up people. The only thing they want is to steal your money and buy drugs with it. I'm not saying we don't buy drugs, but we're not thinking about the slickest way to rob you.

 

Well, thank you for that. But we've heard that a few colleagues of your partner have been killed and I consider that a valid reason to be at least somewhat afraid.

 

Kate: Yes. I knew her. She was a really beautiful girl, exceptionally gorgeous. Also, very young, I think she was only 19. Her story was similar to all other street prostitutes - ran away from home, got involved with  the wrong clique, took drugs a few times and it kept going. She didn't even work for that long, maybe just one month before that happened. 

 

She was stabbed to death, wasn't she?

 

Kate: You must be confused. They found her completely torn apart, they said she didn't even have eyes anymore, poor thing. At least that's what we've heard. I don't think they ever caught the killer, he was a foreigner. 

 

Aren't you afraid he might come back someday?

 

Kate: No. My intuition is good. If someone doesn't look right, I won't get in his car. I've been doing this job for more than 10 years, so I think I can rely on my gut feeling. And they're rarely that violent, nothing of that character has ever come into my path and I hope it never will.

 

Carl, how do you keep the situation in check? After all, you can't influence what happens to Kate once she's in the car and the man takes her someplace else than her usual spot... 

 

Carl: But she knows how to take care of herself, nothing like that has ever happened before and I always keep track of the license plates, in case she doesn't come back in time. You always know if the people are okay and if something doesn't feel right, she won't get in and that's that. 

 

I do contribute every now and then, when I steal something. What do you want me to say? That I go to work? I'm not gonna lie, it is what it is.

 

In addition to being a pimp, you're also Kates partner. How do you come to terms with what your girlfriend is doing?

 

Carl: Well, of course I don't like it and it's not ideal, but what can I do. It is what it is and I look at it as a job like any other. I met her when she was already doing this, so I won't tell her what to do and what not to do. I like her regardless. 

 

 

And how do you share the money that Kate earns?

 

Carl: It's our common money, so we spend it together. 

 

Do you also contribute to the household? You only guard Kate at night, so you could be doing something during the day. 

 

Carl: I do contribute every now and then, when I steal something. What do you want me to say? That I go to work? I'm not gonna lie, it is what it is.

 

And you, Kate, do you work every single day?

 

Kate: That depends on our need for money. Sometimes I don't even go outside. Roughly it's 4-5 days per week on average, but it depends on how things are going. I do take brakes in between. 

 

When you've mentioned that you have been doing this for 10 years, who protected you before?

 

Kate: I've had other boyfriends before, so they did it. That's how it works in our community. But of course, I don't do it al the time and there was a time when I took 5 months off. Usually in the winter. 

 

What did you do then? 

 

Kate: I went to my parents. I don't take drugs in their presence, I'm on methadone, which is like fake heroin. You can get it for free at some locations. But it doesn't really help and every time I come back from my parents house, I start taking heavy drugs again. At the moment it's real heroin. 

 

Once I counted it, because I've stored away all of the envelopes and it came up to €700 weekly, including the cigarettes.

 

Do your parents know how you earn a living?

 

Kate: No, they don't. They think I work in a warehouse and I'm not planning on ever telling them. They wouldn't understand.

 

What do you think about the people who seek out the company of a prostitute? 

 

Carl: They probably have a problem, I don't know, they're dealing with something. Maybe they have some kinks, or they want to fulfil some of their fantasies. Majority of them behave normally. 

 

Was there ever a situation that someone didn't pay and you had to deal with it, Carl?

 

Carl: They have to pay in advance, that's a requirement. Kate wouldn't go anywhere if they didn't pay forward. 

 

How do you set your prices? 

 

Carl: It's up to her how much she asks for. 

 

Kate: I have to see the person first. Based on that, you can guess how much he can afford. Usually we negotiate the prices based on that. 

 

How much can you earn this way daily?

 

Katka: On a good day,  €500 easily. That's mainly in the summer, when we can dress more seductively and we don't have to stand out in the cold for so long. It's much easier to work that way.  

 

That's quite a large sum. How much of that do you spend on drugs?

 

Carl: Depending on the money. One gram is €20. Once I counted it, because I've stored away all of the envelopes and it came up to €700 weekly, including the cigarettes. 

 

So you have all this money available to spend such a large sum of money on drugs?

 

Kate: Don't even get me started. I got sick when he made the calculations. 

 

Did you ever get into debt? Because that's a lot of money...

 

Carl: For sure. I've asked for money, they've lent it to me. I even stole from my family, but I don't do that anymore. If so, I ask for it, but of course, they don't know what it's for. I always think of something. Sometimes the money ain't there and it's not going well. It's not Christmas every day. 

 

I had 15 grams of meth on me and got 5 years of prison for it. For theft, I'd usually get 2 years. That was at a time when I was stealing cars. Altogether it's been 13 years. 

 

How many injections do you have to do daily?

 

Carl: In the morning we shoot an injection for €30 and later, depending on the effect. Once it expires, we spike another one. 

 

Where do you get the drugs from? 

 

Carl: From this place nearby. We really don't like going there, but it's where you find the goods the fastest. It's the paradise for drugs, after all.  Once they catch a dealer there, another five appear and you can really find it almost anywhere. I don't know other places. Otherwise I'd go there. 

 

 

You've mentioned that you steal sometimes. What exactly do you steal? 

 

Carl: Mainly groceries. I go to the store, put things in my backpack and go outside. That way, we save money that can buy us heroin instead. 

 

Aren't you afraid of getting caught?

 

Carl: I've had a problem with that in the past, but I'm careful about it.  

 

What did you get caught doing when you got locked up?

 

Carl: They either caught me in a theft or with drugs. Once I was in a taxi bringing drugs to this one girl and someone called the cops on me. I didn't have the time to hide it, so they busted me. I had 15 grams of meth on me and got 5 years of prison for it. For theft, I'd usually get 2 years. That was at a time when I was stealing cars. Altogether it's been 13 years. 

 

What did you do with the stolen cars?

 

Carl: I stole-to-order. Then I handed the car to the person who ordered it. I didn't care who it was and what he planned on doing with the car. I just did my job and that was it. I would deliver to one dude and it was sorted out. He had his own mechanic shop and I was giving stolen cars to him. But it wasn't on a regular basis. Sometimes I'd steal 2 cars a month, sometimes 2 cars in half a year. 

 

What's stopping you from stealing cars today?

 

Carl: I don't want to go to jail no more. I have a high recurrence now and they'd give me 10 years at least. I'm not afraid of the jail itself, but I do fear the time. When I'd get out of there, I'd be 52. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. It's bad enough that I've wasted a large part of my youth in prison already. 

 

What was life in prison like? 

 

Carl: Life in prison is always about the way you arrange it. Luckily my mom took care of me. I've had everything there so it wasn't that bad for me, and I got along with others pretty well. 

 

The alarm would ring at 5AM, we'd eat breakfast and go to work. I was assigned the welding position, with a  €170 pay check.  We could use that money to buy things from the cafeteria.  

 

The thing is that I have to quit it myself. It's impossible to go cold turkey and the situation ain't bad enough for me to rush it.

 

Was it hard to get used to the life outside, once you were released?

 

Carl: Not at all. When I got out, I went to parties and got back on the drugs immediately. This time it was meth. Later, when I met Kate, we switched to heroin together and you know the rest of that story.  

 

When you say that you're still stealing from the store, aren't you afraid of getting caught again?

 

Carl: Well, I try to be careful and hopefully they won't catch me. I've been out since 2015 without getting busted. But mostly I just steal the essentials, such as food. 

 

What about rehab?

 

Carl: I definitely want that in the future and I tried to quit before, but I ain't got the stamina. Whenever I plan to go to rehab, something always comes up and I don't make it there. I could get out of it, my mother is a doctor, after all.  

 

If your mom is a doctor, why don't you ask her for help? Are you still in contact with her?

 

Carl: Because I don't want her to know that I've returned to drugs after 13 years of being clean. And yes, we do meet up regularly. I sometimes stay with her for a few days. When I'm home, I don't take drugs. I'm good. 

 

What do you tell her about your life?

 

Carl: Nothing, that I live with my girlfriend. I didn't tell her that I'm here. They would freak out.

 

 

How come a doctor doesn't notice you're addicted? Especially when you're her son, she has to see the difference, right? 

 

Carl: She noticed I've lost some weight and of course she might sense something. She gets the idea, I tell her the opposite and that's the end of discussion. 

 

Can't you and Kate live at your moms, for example?

 

Carl: We could, but what would we do there. We'd be in a crisis, and for my mom to see me in this condition? We gotta get our stuff together first. 

 

But then the change is really up to you. Do you enjoy living like this?

 

Carl: No, but the thing is that I have to quit it myself. It's impossible to go cold turkey and the situation ain't bad enough for me to rush it. We'd like to give it up. Once we do that successfully, we can start doing something about our lives. What am I supposed to do now? Nothing, I'll get back to the drugs anyway. 

 

What would make you quit?

 

Carl: I don't know yet. It will come. One day I'll get fed up with all of this and quit. 

 

You can get into free rehab every Tuesday, right?

 

Carl: Yes, every Tuesday. 

 

We hope you and Kate will find the courage to go there again. 

 

Carl: Yeah, hopefully.