Disposable Sex Worker: Difference between revisions

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'''Archer:''' No, Cyril! When they're dead, they're just ''hookers!''|''[[Archer]]''}}
'''Archer:''' No, Cyril! When they're dead, they're just ''hookers!''|''[[Archer]]''}}


A subtrope of [[Death by Sex]] which specifically guns after ladies of the night. Want to stress how depraved and vicious your killer is? Have him--it's almost always a man--target and/or kill a few sex workers--and they are nearly always women--to drive home the fact. Maybe it's because walking the streets is a dangerous occupation and the ladies involved tend to make easier targets for weirdos. Maybe it's because sex workers are an [[Acceptable Target]]. Maybe the prostitutes are killed because [[He Knows Too Much|they know something they shouldn't, or a villain thinks they do]]. Or maybe it's just easy short-hand to let people know there's a [[Serial Killer]] loose out there, but the sex industry tends to have a high percentage of casualties when it comes to this kind of thing. And they will nearly always be [[Red Shirt|forgotten by the story]] eventually.
A subtrope of [[Death by Sex]] which specifically guns after ladies of the night. Want to stress how depraved and vicious your killer is? Have him—it's almost always a man—target and/or kill a few sex workers—and they are nearly always women—to drive home the fact. Maybe it's because walking the streets is a dangerous occupation and the ladies involved tend to make easier targets for weirdos. Maybe it's because sex workers are an [[Acceptable Target]]. Maybe the prostitutes are killed because [[He Knows Too Much|they know something they shouldn't, or a villain thinks they do]]. Or maybe it's just easy short-hand to let people know there's a [[Serial Killer]] loose out there, but the sex industry tends to have a high percentage of casualties when it comes to this kind of thing. And they will nearly always be [[Red Shirt|forgotten by the story]] eventually.


This is, in some ways, a [[Truth in Television]]. Prostitution (especially of the street-walking variety) carries with it a certain amount of danger by its nature, as the ladies occupy a gray area in society outside of the law, often being ignored both by the law and society at large as a result, and must by necessity place their trust in strangers whose intentions may not be benign. In all too many cases, women in the sex industry may be a [[Real Life]] [[Serial Killer]]'s first/only victims.<ref>Indeed, it's not uncommon for the [[Serial Killer]] to specifically ''target'' prostitutes, and actually believe that he's doing society a favor by killing them.</ref>
This is, in some ways, a [[Truth in Television]]. Prostitution (especially of the street-walking variety) carries with it a certain amount of danger by its nature, as the ladies occupy a gray area in society outside of the law, often being ignored both by the law and society at large as a result, and must by necessity place their trust in strangers whose intentions may not be benign. In all too many cases, women in the sex industry may be a [[Real Life]] [[Serial Killer]]'s first/only victims.<ref>Indeed, it's not uncommon for the [[Serial Killer]] to specifically ''target'' prostitutes, and actually believe that he's doing society a favor by killing them.</ref>
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* Played straight and subverted by the first ''[[Sin City]]'' story "The Hard Goodbye," in which the death of a prostitute in the opening pages kicks off the plot. {{spoiler|It turns out that the killers targeted prostitutes because nobody cared about them, but Marv decides to bring down the entire operation to avenge the murdered call girl who showed him a little kindness.}}
* Played straight and subverted by the first ''[[Sin City]]'' story "The Hard Goodbye," in which the death of a prostitute in the opening pages kicks off the plot. {{spoiler|It turns out that the killers targeted prostitutes because nobody cared about them, but Marv decides to bring down the entire operation to avenge the murdered call girl who showed him a little kindness.}}
** The rest of the series mainly averts this. The girls of Old Town can typically take care of themselves often carry very large firearms. It's also implied the cops don't investigate cases where the victim was a prostitute, precisely because they know the girls of Old Town will do it instead.
** The rest of the series mainly averts this. The girls of Old Town can typically take care of themselves often carry very large firearms. It's also implied the cops don't investigate cases where the victim was a prostitute, precisely because they know the girls of Old Town will do it instead.
* In ''[[Supreme Power]]'', a whole bunch of prostitutes are killed -- and have their arms ripped off as trophies -- by {{spoiler|Redstone}}.
* In ''[[Supreme Power]]'', a whole bunch of prostitutes are killed—and have their arms ripped off as trophies—by {{spoiler|Redstone}}.
* [[Sandman|The Corinthian's]] first onscreen kill (so to speak) is a teenaged male prostitute of unknown origins, played for [[Nightmare Fuel|terror and sympathy.]] It's [[Fanon|somewhat fanonical]] that these are his usual choice of victims, as he seems otherwise fairly indiscriminate about who he takes eyes from.
* [[Sandman|The Corinthian's]] first onscreen kill (so to speak) is a teenaged male prostitute of unknown origins, played for [[Nightmare Fuel|terror and sympathy.]] It's [[Fanon|somewhat fanonical]] that these are his usual choice of victims, as he seems otherwise fairly indiscriminate about who he takes eyes from.
** Although the Corinthian will take eyes from just about anyone, given the chance, he only seems to target young boys. The only victims he goes after are male prostitutes {{spoiler|and Jed}}.
** Although the Corinthian will take eyes from just about anyone, given the chance, he only seems to target young boys. The only victims he goes after are male prostitutes {{spoiler|and Jed}}.
* In one ''[[Batman]]'' story Lex Luthor artificially inseminated a prostitute with a perfect copy of the reproductive DNA of a senator that was in the way of his latest scheme. He then waited until she had given birth to her daughter and murdered her in order to frame the senator of it. If things had gone Luthor's way, the people would come to the conclusion that the senator had relations with a prostitute which produced a daughter and had the mother killed to hide them -- completely discrediting him in the process. Batman of course manages to find a measure of justice for the murdered woman and clears the senator's name. The senator also earns Batman's respect when he decides to adopt the child despite her bizarre origin. Batman notably gets pissed off when Gordon refers to the woman as a "hooker" instead of her name.
* In one ''[[Batman]]'' story Lex Luthor artificially inseminated a prostitute with a perfect copy of the reproductive DNA of a senator that was in the way of his latest scheme. He then waited until she had given birth to her daughter and murdered her in order to frame the senator of it. If things had gone Luthor's way, the people would come to the conclusion that the senator had relations with a prostitute which produced a daughter and had the mother killed to hide them—completely discrediting him in the process. Batman of course manages to find a measure of justice for the murdered woman and clears the senator's name. The senator also earns Batman's respect when he decides to adopt the child despite her bizarre origin. Batman notably gets pissed off when Gordon refers to the woman as a "hooker" instead of her name.
** In an issue of ''[[Catwoman (comics)|Catwoman]]'', Selina finds out that prostitutes in Gotham are being killed, but because they're only hookers, no one is investigating. She starts to investigate and even convinces Batman to join in, knowing he cares about justice for everybody, including prostitutes.
** In an issue of ''[[Catwoman (comics)|Catwoman]]'', Selina finds out that prostitutes in Gotham are being killed, but because they're only hookers, no one is investigating. She starts to investigate and even convinces Batman to join in, knowing he cares about justice for everybody, including prostitutes.
* [[Wonder Woman]]: Hiketeia deals with this, but from the prostitute's perspective instead. The female lead's sister was tricked into the sex trade, raped and hooked onto drugs. Her eventual death due to overdose is ignored by the police due the trope.
* [[Wonder Woman]]: Hiketeia deals with this, but from the prostitute's perspective instead. The female lead's sister was tricked into the sex trade, raped and hooked onto drugs. Her eventual death due to overdose is ignored by the police due the trope.
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* In ''[[Dark City]]'', the Strangers attempt to make John Murdock a serial killer of prostitutes by {{spoiler|implanting fake memories of the murders in his head.}} They themselves kill a woman to serve as his latest victim, though if she had been a prostitute, it was only because the Strangers {{spoiler|put her in that role.}}
* In ''[[Dark City]]'', the Strangers attempt to make John Murdock a serial killer of prostitutes by {{spoiler|implanting fake memories of the murders in his head.}} They themselves kill a woman to serve as his latest victim, though if she had been a prostitute, it was only because the Strangers {{spoiler|put her in that role.}}
* In ''[[The Crow]]'', the [[Big Bad]] Top Dollar and his [[Brother-Sister Incest|half-sister/lover]] reveal their creepy perversions by having a dead prostitute in their bed. Top Dollar states, "I think we broke her," suggesting that she died as a result of the villains' excessive indulgences.
* In ''[[The Crow]]'', the [[Big Bad]] Top Dollar and his [[Brother-Sister Incest|half-sister/lover]] reveal their creepy perversions by having a dead prostitute in their bed. Top Dollar states, "I think we broke her," suggesting that she died as a result of the villains' excessive indulgences.
** They have a dead ''girl'' in their bed. There is nothing but the [[Disposable Sex Worker]] trope itself to indicate she was a prostitute. (The sister follows up with an "I like her eyes. ''Pretty,''" and [[Eye Scream|a knife]]. The eyes appear in a later scene.)
** They have a dead ''girl'' in their bed. There is nothing but the Disposable Sex Worker trope itself to indicate she was a prostitute. (The sister follows up with an "I like her eyes. ''Pretty,''" and [[Eye Scream|a knife]]. The eyes appear in a later scene.)
* In ''[[Deadman]]'', the former prostitute Thel barely makes it to five minutes of screen time before she's murdered by an ex-lover, creating a [[I Let Gwen Stacy Die]] situation.
* In ''[[Deadman]]'', the former prostitute Thel barely makes it to five minutes of screen time before she's murdered by an ex-lover, creating a [[I Let Gwen Stacy Die]] situation.
* In ''[[Perfume]]'', Grenouille tests his new scent-capturing process on a prostitute. She doesn't cooperate, so he simply kills her and finishes the process. Once he's perfected the technique, he discards her scent as unworthy and focuses on his real targets: virgins.
* In ''[[Perfume]]'', Grenouille tests his new scent-capturing process on a prostitute. She doesn't cooperate, so he simply kills her and finishes the process. Once he's perfected the technique, he discards her scent as unworthy and focuses on his real targets: virgins.
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* Referenced in ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', where a neighbor takes a job acting as a murdered hooker on ''CSI''.
* Referenced in ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', where a neighbor takes a job acting as a murdered hooker on ''CSI''.
* One episode of ''[[Foyle's War]]'' has a murdered prostitute apparently tossed in for atmosphere; we never hear of the case again.
* One episode of ''[[Foyle's War]]'' has a murdered prostitute apparently tossed in for atmosphere; we never hear of the case again.
* A male example happens in ''[[True Blood]]'', when season 3's [[Big Bad]] Russell--during his [[Villainous Breakdown]] after his lover Talbot is murdered--hires a rentboy who looks like Talbot, then stakes him in the heart after they have sex.
* A male example happens in ''[[True Blood]]'', when season 3's [[Big Bad]] Russell—during his [[Villainous Breakdown]] after his lover Talbot is murdered—hires a rentboy who looks like Talbot, then stakes him in the heart after they have sex.
* ''[[Taxicab Confessions]]'' (a reality show where hidden cameras in taxicabs record their passengers) often had sex workers in their episodes. One particularly crushing segment featured a sweet, charming older lady who talked about her escape from a serial killer who tried to strangle her. A few sex workers had already turned up dead by him. She mentions that the cops will probably leave him alone as long as he doesn't start hurting "real" people.
* ''[[Taxicab Confessions]]'' (a reality show where hidden cameras in taxicabs record their passengers) often had sex workers in their episodes. One particularly crushing segment featured a sweet, charming older lady who talked about her escape from a serial killer who tried to strangle her. A few sex workers had already turned up dead by him. She mentions that the cops will probably leave him alone as long as he doesn't start hurting "real" people.


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