History Main / SexForServices

* On ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer,'' [[BigBadWannabe Harmony]] asks her ex-boyfriend, [[TokenEvilTeammate Spike]], to shelter her when she assumes that [[TheChosenOne Buffy]] is out to get her. (Harmony has sort of an unrealistic view of how much Buffy cares.) It takes Spike a bit of sarcastic hinting before she realizes what he wants in return. Her response is basically "oh, sure, whatever."

* {{Discussed|Trope}} in ''Film/TheAmericanPresident'' when President Shepard's election opponent implies in a talk show appearance that his girlfriend, a lobbyist, may have traded sexual favors for votes. Shepard calls him out on this specifically in a literal TheReasonYouSuckSpeech at the end of the film.

* Perhaps the most triumphant example occurs in the film ''Dangerous Beauty'', in which Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco has sex with King Henri III of France in exchange for French naval support in Venice's war against the Turks. After one night with her, he returns to his royal barge to leave the city, sits down very gingerly on a cushion, and tells the Doge "You'll get your ships." The entire Venetian crowd cheers wildly. Talk about doing your patriotic duty.

* The "Adam trades sex" version gets a reference in ''[[OlderThanTheyThink Les Liaisons Dangereuses]]'' in which Valmont reminiscences about the time he had an affair with a well-connected noblewomen in exchange for her pulling strings to advance his career. He despised her ([[DeadpanSnarker he mentions that he was tempted to tell her "Madam, I'll forget about the position I'm seeking if you'll let me leave the one I now occupy]]) and took immense pleasure in [[JerkAss trashing her reputation the minute she was no longer useful to him.]]

* In ''Film/{{Chicago}}'', Roxie comes up with a plan to use pregnancy as a moral weapon against a possible death penalty. In her words, "''I would just like to say that my own life doesn't matter now. It's just that of my unborn child.''" She's put up for inspection of course. She uses sex to convince the doctor.

* Subverted in ''[[TheWindsOfWarAndWarAndRemembrance War and Remembrance]]''. Natalie, out of pure desperation, offers this to a Nazi camp guard in exchange for protecting her child. The guard replies contemptuously that she has nothing to bargain with as he could have it any time [[ArentYouGoingToRavishMe but really didn't feel like it]].

* ManipulativeBastard: Bob weasels his way into Alice's bed with promises he never intends to keep and might not even be capable of keeping.)

* AManISAlwaysEager: Alice use this to get whatever she want.

* Perhaps the most triumphant example occurs in the film ''Dangerous Beauty'', in which Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco has sex with King Henri III of France in exchange for French naval support in Venice's war against the Turks. After one night with her, he returns to his royal barge to leave the city, sits down very gingerly on a cushion, and tells the Doge "You'll get your ships." The entire Venetian crowd cheers wildly, and the Doge proclaims Franco "a national asset." Talk about doing your patriotic duty.

* Perhaps the SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample occurs in the film ''Dangerous Beauty'', in which Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco has sex with King Henri III of France in exchange for French naval support in Venice's war against the Turks. After one night with her, he returns to his royal barge to leave the city, sits down very gingerly on a cushion, and tells the Doge "You'll get your ships." The entire Venetian crowd cheers wildly, and the Doge proclaims Franco "a national asset." Talk about doing your patriotic duty.

* Perhaps the MostTriumphantExample occurs in the film ''Dangerous Beauty'', in which Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco has sex with King Henri III of France in exchange for French naval support in Venice's war against the Turks. After one night with her, he returns to his royal barge to leave the city, sits down very gingerly on a cushion, and tells the Doge "You'll get your ships." The entire Venetian crowd cheers wildly, and the Doge proclaims Franco "a national asset." Talk about doing your patriotic duty.

* In {{My Life in Ruins}}, the man at the counter at the hotel offers Georgia this option in exchange for postage, but she's mortified.

* In ''{{Chicago}}'', Roxie comes up with a plan to use pregnancy as a moral weapon against a possible death penalty. In her words, "''I would just like to say that my own life doesn't matter now. It's just that of my unborn child.''" She's put up for inspection of course. She uses sex to convince the doctor.

The act of trading sexual favors for non-sexual favors: Having sex with someone who you wouldn't want to have sex with "for free", or ''pretend'' that you wouldn't have sex with "for free", in exchange for work, gifts, or similar. The whole thing may or may not be portrayed and/or [[YourMileageMayVary perceived]] as ''really'' being a form of prostitution.

* In ''[[VideoGame/DruunaMorbusGravis Morbus Gravis]]'', the protagonist Druuna has to endure the SexualExtortion variant: Her boyfriend is very ill, and in her desperation for medication she begs a disgusting old doctor to have sex with her.

* In ''Morbus Gravis'', the protagonist Druuna has to endure the SexualExtortion variant: Her boyfriend is very ill, and in her desperation for medication she begs a disgusting old doctor to have sex with her.

* AbusivelySexyWoman: Alice gets poor Bob all worked up, and makes sure to to keep him frustrated in a way designed to delight the audience.

The act of trading sexual favors for non-sexual favors: Having sex with someone who you wouldn't want to have sex with "for free", or ''pretend'' that you wouldn't have sex with "for free", in exchange for work, gifts, or similar. The whole thing may or may not be portrayed and/or [[YourMileageMayVary perceived]] as ''really'' being a form of prostitution.

This trade is usually a heterosexual affair with Alice trading the sex and Bob trading the services, and thus we use the names that way. However, it can just as well be the other way around (with Adam trading the sex and Beatrice trading the services) or between two or more individuals of the same gender.

This trade may be portrayed in a neutral manner, or it may portray either Alice or Bob as more or less a victim of the other. In either case, the act is often closely related to at least one other trope.

Neutral versions (As in, they are either equally good or equally bad)
* ForHappiness: They both get something they want, and everyone is happy. Life is good.
* SexIsEvil: They both get something they want, and they are both immoral creeps.
* SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: They both get something they want, ''and'' they are both pitiful creeps.
* CasualKink: ''Any'' of the "poor Alice" or "poor Bob" variants below, but as a SafeSaneAndConsensual sexual role-playing game.
* PizzaBoySpecialDelivery: The exchange is little more than an excuse for sex.

"Unlucky sex-trader" versions
* EntitledToHaveYou: Bob just keep nagging her about sex that she doesn't want, until she finally give in with an "okay, but at least do something for me as well". Alternatively, he does something for her first, and doesn't reveal until afterwards that the help actually came with a price tag.
* SexualExtortion: Sure, Alice is the one taking the initiative, but what choice do she really have if Bob is the only source of the medication her dying child needs, or whatever. (In regular SexualExtortion, Bob pushes AnOfferYouCantRefuse on Alice.
* ManipulativeBastard: Bob weasels his way into Alice's bed with promises he never intends to keep and might not even be capable of keeping.)
* DrugsAreBad: Alice is addicted and will do anything to get her fix.

"Unlucky services-trader" versions
* AManISAlwaysEager: Alice use this to get whatever she want.
* ManipulativeBitch: Alice makes sure to make eager Bob believe that he's getting sex, but she has no intention of going through with her end of the bargain.
* AbusivelySexyWoman: Alice gets poor Bob all worked up, and makes sure to to keep him frustrated in a way designed to delight the audience.
* HenpeckedHusband: They are married, and Alice uses [[LysistrataGambit "withholding sex"]] as a means to make sure that she have all the power in the relationship.

"Portrayed either way" versions
* CastingCouch: Actress Alice has to sleep with producer Bob to get the role. This is a SubTrope of SexForServices, rather than a separate trope that can be used to portray it.
* CompensatedDating: Alice is dating Bob, who she probably wouldn't be interested in if he didn't give her so cool stuff.

For all of these variants, Alice is normally not a sex worker. Contrast PlatonicProstitution, where Alice ''is'' a sex worker and they ''don't'' have sex.

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!!Examples

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* In ''{{Preacher}}'', Cassidy used to be a junkie. In one flashback scene, he is giving oral sex in exchange for some drugs... and then beats the living shit out of his girlfriend for catching him in the act.
* In the Swedish comic ''Elvis'', the titular character often falls prey to the HenpeckedHusband variant, with Elvis having to do all kinds of chores and concessions in return for the rare marital intercourse with his wife Hedvig. ''Also'' reversed (but still with Hedvig as the abuser) with a PlayedForLaughs case of the SexualExtortion variant: Elvis is desperate for a new [=PlayStation=], and Hedvig forces him to dance like Chippendales for her before she allow him to buy it.
* In ''Morbus Gravis'', the protagonist Druuna has to endure the SexualExtortion variant: Her boyfriend is very ill, and in her desperation for medication she begs a disgusting old doctor to have sex with her.
* In ''WhateverLoveMeans'', traditional gender roles (man works, woman is housewife) are portrayed as effectively forcing women into a kind of prostitution. This is portrayed as destructive to both genders.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''{{Chicago}}'', Roxie comes up with a plan to use pregnancy as a moral weapon against a possible death penalty. In her words, "''I would just like to say that my own life doesn't matter now. It's just that of my unborn child.''" She's put up for inspection of course. She uses sex to convince the doctor.
* In ''Film/{{Duets}}'', Suzi Loomis often uses sexual means to fund her cross-country trip, including a scene in which she needs to get a new paint job for a stolen car.
--> '''Suzi''': "Sir, we're a little bit short on cash at the moment, but I would consider it an honor and a privilege to suck your dick."
* In {{My Life in Ruins}}, the man at the counter at the hotel offers Georgia this option in exchange for postage, but she's mortified.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In ''[[EndersGame Xenocide]]'', Wang-Mu "bribes" a foreman to allow her to strike up a conversation with the local aristocrat's daughter, Qing-Jao, in hopes of raising her social status. (It works.)
* Subverted in ''[[TheWindsOfWarAndWarAndRemembrance War and Remembrance]]''. Natalie, out of pure desperation, offers this to a Nazi camp guard in exchange for protecting her child. The guard replies contemptuously that she has nothing to bargain with as he could have it any time [[ArentYouGoingToRavishMe but really didn't feel like it]].

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* In ''{{Frasier}}'', Bebe subtly insinuates that she will become Frasier's agent again if he sleeps with her. ("I'm just talking about having a little fun. After all, when I'm having fun, I'm happy. When I'm happy, I work harder. When I work harder, you become famous and powerful. Isn't that what you want? Fame and power?") He tries to bluff her by subtly enticing her with the ''possibility'' of sex, since he notes that she loves the chase, enough to make her want to take him on again in order to pursue him. He fails, badly, as a freak collision of coincidences makes her seem so much like the devil that he loses his head and runs screaming.

[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* Subverted in the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CQHIP-38jA official video]] for {{Madonna}}'s song ''Material Girl'': Madonna's character let the rich men buy her all kinds of expensive stuff, using their competition with each other over her as her convenient excuse to not kiss ''any'' of them - eventually sneaking off to kiss some guy who didn't try to pay her for it.
* In the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbPAIexC9r8 official video]] for StudioKillers ''Ode to the Bouncer'', lead singer [[BigBeautifulWoman Cherry]] has sex with a bouncer to get into a night club.

[[AC:RealLife]]
* An animal psychology textbook describe that this trope applies to some animals. For example, a male insect gives some food to the female, which generally takes 5-10 minutes to eat. This keeps the female occupied by eating, allowing the male to proceed.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* TheOnion: [[http://www.theonion.com/articles/housewife-charged-in-sexforsecurity-scam,1773/ Housewife Charged In Sex-For-Security Scam]].

* In the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbPAIexC9r8 official video]] for Studio Killers' ''Ode to the Bouncer'', lead singer [[BigBeautifulWoman Cherry]] has sex with a bouncer to get into a night club.