The mother of a convicted Tasmanian pimp has asked prison authorities to provide protection for her son.

Gary John Devine is serving a 10-year jail sentence at Risdon Prison for his part in prostituting a 12-year-old girl.

He placed the newspaper advertisement, acted as the girl's pimp and ran the underage prostitution business from his unit.

Gloria Devine wants the 51 year old moved from medium security to the prison in Hobart for people on remand because he is in danger at Risdon.

"He said he gets a lot of things thrown at him and called names."

Mrs Devine says she does not condone her son's actions but believes he is at risk because his crimes involved a child.

"He's got the rights to be protected more than any other prisoner with what's been going on."

Mrs Devine says she's contacted prison management to request her son's transfer.

She wants him moved to the Hobart Reception Prison which holds remand prisoners.

"Well medium security is just in a large block of units all in one, you can walk from one yard to another. There's no-one stopping anyone getting out from one yard to another if they want to do anything to anyone," she said.

"Everyone knows what goes on at the prisons... you don't have to be genuis to work that out, everyone knows and that is a concern."