History Main / ChastityDagger

* ''Literature/TheElenium'' and its sequels feature Mirtai, who always has knives on her person and more than once used them to protect her innocence after having been sold to a brothel. She even keeps knives strapped to her inner thighs to ensure that she can fight off any attacker. In fact, she once ''sharpened the end of a'' '''spoon''' when a little girl. Put it to good use and still has it

* Aliena from ''Literature/ThePillarsOfTheEarth'' carries one strapped to her leg ever since she was raped early in the book

* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' MirrorUniverse episodes heavily implied that this is one reason all of the women in the MirrorUniverse carry daggers in those BareYourMidriff outfits; note that any of them are chaste, but they clearly need to fend off rape in a CrapsackWorld where MightMakesRight. Uhura uses one to fend off Mirror Sulu's lecherous advances on her at one point.

* The story of Telephus and Auge. Auge was a former lover of Heracles who was given to Telephus as a wife in reward for him saving a kingdom. Still faithful to Heracles, she brought a knife along in order to kill her husband. Fortunately, right before she stabs him (or, in some variants, simply before the consummation of marriage), a lightning bolt flashes between them. They start talking, and Telephus gets a legitimate reason to leave her alone - [[SurpriseIncest turns out he is the son Auge bore of Hercules]].

* A device invented in South Africa during a time when rape crimes were especially common was a combination of this and a chastity belt. Use your imagination.

* ''Film/TenThousandBC'': The [[TheBrute lead warlord]] buys off [[LoveInterest Evolet]] as his concubine and tries to have an private moment with her. As he prepares to have his way with her, she pulls out an knife to kill him. However, they are interrupted by the [[BigBad Atlantean's]] servants who are none to pleased to see that the warlord tries to keep one of their master's slaves for himself.

* In ''Fanfic/BloodTies'', Noah sleeps with a knife because she had previously been gang-raped, beaten, and left for dead.

* In the early days of train travel, ladies were advised to put pins in their mouth before entering a tunnel, lest a man attempt to steal a kiss in the darkness.

* In the first book of the ''Literature/{{Tales of the Otori}}'', Kaede uses a ''needle'' to defend herself against the feudal lord who had planned on raping her.

* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' MirrorUniverse episodes heavily implied that this is one reason all of the women in the MirrorUniverse carry daggers in those BareYourMidriff outfits; note that any of them are chaste, but they clearly need to fend off rape in a universe where MightEqualsRight. Uhura uses one to fend off Mirror Sulu's lecherous advances on her at one point.

* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' MirrorUniverse episodes heavily implied that this is one reason all of the women in the MirrorUniverse carry daggers in those BareYourMidriff outfits; note that any of them are chaste, but they clearly need to fend off rape in a universe where MightIsRight. Uhura uses one to fend off Mirror Sulu's lecherous advances on her at one point.

* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' MirrorUniverse episodes heavily implied that this is one reason all of the women in the MirrorUniverse carry daggers in those BareYourMidriff outfits; Uhura in particular uses one to fend off Mirror Sulu's lecherous advances on her at one point.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'': Sakuya keeps a mind-boggling number of daggers in two bandoliers around her thighs.

* A device invented in South Africa during a time when rape crimes were especially common was a combination of this and a chastity belt.

* In ''Film/SherlockHolmes'', thugs attempt to [[MuggingTheMonster rob Irene Adler]] at knifepoint. Irene takes out a concealed knife and robs the robbers.

->''"Unappalled by the calm dignity of blameless womanhood, your minion has torn me from my spotless home, and dragged me, blindfold and shrieking, through hedges, over stiles, and across a very difficult country, and left me, helpless and trembling, at your mercy! Yet not helpless, coward sir, for approach one step--nay, but the twentieth part of one poor inch--and this poniard shall teach ye what it is to lay unholy hands on old Stephen Trusty's daughter!"''

The villain has [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty cornered a beautiful maiden]]! Trembling at the very thought of his touch, she tearfully lifts her skirt, things look bad--but what's this? She's pulled a knife from her garter! Before he can react, she stabs him, saving her virtue and possibly putting an end to his evil ways once and for all.

An inversion almost as common as the trope itself is when the knife is like a CyanidePill for suicide rather than self-defensive--averting FateWorseThanDeath and invoking BetterToDieThanBeKilled.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* While not a dagger, Casca from ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' uses a chastity stick in order to [[EyeScream plunge it into the eye]] of a would-be rapist during the battle with Adon's soldiers.

[[folder: Fan Works ]]

* In ''Fanfic/HopeForTheHeartless'', the Horned King decides to teach [[AllLovingHeroine Avalina]] self-defense and has a dagger crafted for her, telling her to keep it hidden if possible and [[CombatPragmatist use it seriously]] if out of options.

[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

* Combined with FanDisservice in ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'': Yzma pulls up her skirt, causing the protagonists to recoil in terror. Turns out she keeps her dagger there. They're both immensely relieved.

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* A double subversion in ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves''; The Sheriff of Nottingham gives Maid Marian a dagger for protection. However she can look after herself and donates it to Robin's cause. Then, in the final battle [[spoiler: when the Sheriff's in full on IHaveYouNowMyPretty mode, Robin turns up and (after being disarmed) ultimately uses the dagger as a weapon of last resort to save her.]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* While Asha Greyjoy of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' is [[ActionGirl far from a timid and ladylike virgin]], she's still had to learn to defend herself in the NoWomansLand that is the Iron Islands (possibly more than most women, even, as her tomboyish attitude causes a lot of the men to want to [[RapePortrayedAsRedemption "put her in her place"]]). She keeps a dagger in VictoriasSecretCompartment and an axe by her side at all times, and refers to the former as her "suckling babe" and the latter as her "husband" whenever men make allusions about her being unmarried and thus available.

-->'''Ygritte:''' A man can own a woman or a man can own a knife, but no man can own both.
* Aliena from ''ThePillarsOfTheEarth'' carries one strapped to her leg ever since she was raped early in the book

[[folder: Live-action TV ]]

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''

* Male version in Series/{{Angel}} episode "Parting Gifts", Wesley shows he strapped a dagger to his thigh and boasts about being well prepared. During the big fight scene at the end, [[EpicFail he is unable to unstrap it]].

[[folder: Mythology ]]

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

* ''ComicStrip/PrinceValiant'': Princess Aleta has one of these, and she uses it to great effect on numerous occasions, whether to free herself from ropes or to stab an unsuspecting villain.

[[folder: Theatre ]]

* In ''Theatre/{{Ruddigore}}'', when Robin as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd has Hannah kidnapped, she pulls a small dagger with which she menaces him in swashbuckling style. She releases it only to pick up a much larger sword and continues to advance on him as he cries for mercy.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'': Sakuya keeps a mind-boggling number of daggers in two bandoliers around her thighs.
* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVI'' has a variant. Lady Celeste (daughter of the rulers of the Winged Ones) has one of these because she was being sacrificed to the Minotaur (it just didn't do her any good), and gives it to Alexander as a reward. Alexander has to smuggle it to Cassima, who is being threatened with a forced marriage to the BigBad, who plans to marry her to secure the throne, then murder her ''after'' the wedding night. Cassima later uses it to cut her bonds and stab her EvilVizier in the back, allowing Alexander to knock him out with a heavy ceremonial sword.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* In the early days of train travel ladies were advised to put pins in their mouth before entering a tunnel, lest a man attempt to steal a kiss in the darkness.

For a fantastic, BodyHorror variation, see VaginaDentata.

* In old Spain, women used to carry a knife literally called "salvavirgo".
* A device invented in South Africa during a time when rape crimes were especially common was a combination of this and a ChastityBelt.

* An apochryphical (read: unconfirmed) story states that Ghengis Khan died because he tried to rape a woman with scissors hidden in her, um, area.

** Shae carries one on the night King's Landing is attacked by Stannis's fleet, insisting she won't be raped if the castle is taken.

* While Asha Greyjoy of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' is [[ActionGirl far from a timid and ladylike virgin]], she's still had to learn to defend herself in the NoWomansLand that is the Iron Islands (possibly more than most women, even, as her tomboyish attitude causes a lot of the men to want to [[RapePortrayedAsRedemption "put her in her place"]]). She keeps a dagger in VictoriasSecretCompartment and an axe by her side at all times, and refers to the latter as her "husband" whenever men make allusions about her being unmarried and thus available.

* ''Film/PansLabyrinth'': Mercedes carries such a knife. It's the same knife she uses to chop food in the kitchen, and she's [[{{Foreshadowing}} shown multiple times folding the knife back into her dress after she's done chopping vegetables]]. Her knife is not only used against her attacker, as is traditional, but also to cut through ropes binding get wrists.

[[folder: Film ]]

* Combined with FanDisservice in ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'': Yzma pulls up her skirt, causing the protagonists to recoil in terror. Turns out she keeps her dagger there. They're both immensely relieved.

[[AC:{{Anime and Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* A double subversion in ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves''; The Sheriff of Nottingham gives Maid Marian a dagger for protection. However she can look after herself and donates it to Robin's cause. Then, in the final battle [[spoiler: when the Sheriff's in full on IHaveYouNowMyPretty mode, Robin turns up and (after being disarmed) ultimately uses the dagger as a weapon of last resort to save her.]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC: Live-action TV]]

[[AC:{{Mythology}}]]

[[AC: Newspaper Comics]]

[[AC: Theatre]]

[[AC: Video Games]]

[[AC:Real Life]]