Why are prostitutes targeted?

Question

In the US, murder is the number one cause of death for a prostitute.

In a fairly recent case that occurred in Atlantic City (4 or 5 prostitutes were killed), a women's group asked: Is it prostitutes they're after or is it just women and prostitutes are an easy target?

Here's a recent case occurring in Houston:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21759793/

More than 100 years ago, Jack the Ripper also brutally murdered sex workers and some say he helped rid society of its dregs (this was Victorian England, afterall)

What are your thoughts on this?

Answer 1

Excellent question. I've studied prostitutes' issues and the prostitute/serial killer connection and think what's going on is in fact partly the latter theory: "it's just women and prostitutes are an easy target." Unsurprisingly, motives behind male and female serial killers differ dramatically, and many male serial killers actually confess to misogyny playing a central role in their killing. I have some quite good academic articles on this subject to e-mail you.
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"They are throw-away people because they have already thrown themselves away." - wtf? If you sleep with people for money, suddenly your life is "throw-away" - you might as well be *dead*? And the woman herself is to blame for being viciously murdered? The majority of prostitutes overseas are forced into the industry because of desperate poverty. This is a perfect example of the ridiculous dehumanization of prostitutes that occurs because we STILL judge women's value by how much sex they have and with whom. Again, an obvious double standard. Have men who sleep with lots of women "given themselves up for dead," "chosen to make themselves worthless"? Ugh.

Answer 2

I think it's horrible that women have to sell their body. If this world wasn't so cruel than maybe they could have a different occupation. I was in London and I saw some of the spots where Jack the Ripper murdered females. After hearing how gory it was, I almost passed out.

Answer 3

Religious reasons, which relates a woman that gives sex as an object, disposable thing. Sex, related to guilt . The idea because a man pays gives him the right to abuse=misogyny.

What is sad, is that a big percentage of prostitutes are forced into prostitution, there is a big slave market out there. This is one very sad example (warning, it breaks your heart to watch)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arqbDRYzvjM

Answer 4

They are easy targets to get alone for one thing. And another reason is that some killers hate prostitutes for tempting them to "sin" and they believe they are helping to clean up the Christian world to get rid of the sex workers. Still other sociopaths look at prostitutes as "throw away" people with no value and they are into torture, fear and killing for killings sake.

Answer 5

with the aid of fact prostitutes are frequently homeless human beings, without family contributors to care approximately them, else they might stay with family contributors. additionally, prostitues are frequently desperate for funds, so there an trouble-free objective. and because they have not any worrying family contributors, it is going to take an prolonged time for every person to observe they have long gone. or maybe observe in any respect.

Answer 6

It would be interesting to compare the numbers of prostitutes murdered in the US/Canada (where prostitution is illegal) with countries where it is a legal, regulated industry (Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, etc). I suspect there is a lower rate of such homicides in the latter (countries) than in the former.

Answer 7

Prostitutes make easy targets because they are one of the few examples of women who will go with a complete stranger and put themselves in a physically compromising situation and secluded place with a complete stranger.

Answer 8

i think they may be targets because they ARE targets. they are generally out at night. alone. in more secluded areas. often they will go to (hotels, etc) places where there may be little or no security and they are going with men that they do not even know. how much more of a target can one be? also, it may be thought that prostitutes do not have loving and supportive families, and no one would miss them if they were gone any way.

Answer 9

There is a number of things in

1. you can do anything you want with a prostitute, that's what they are for

2. and nobody would care, b/c prostitutes rarely live with a family of any kind

3. and in fact some religious nuts would approve the "clearing the filth from the world"

4. and it is easy to get a prostitute alone with you in an isolated place.

Answer 10

Part of it is that prostitutes make their living by going off with strangers. Another part of it is that as a rule, prostitutes aren't going to be reported missing by anyone.