Oh, please! At 16, she could be convinced that this was “normal”? Not in any way letting the gangster off the hook, but a 16-year-old who was allegedly a straight-A student cannot be so stupid.
You likely had two involved parents who instilled their values in you. A lot of today’s 16 year olds aren’t that fortunate.
I agree, Red Horse, the lack of parental guidance is a big issue. I read a detailed article about teenage girls active in prostitution in the UK, and what struck me was how none of them seem to come from two parent families. The role of the pimp seems often to be the male authority figure otherwise lacking in her life.