Since the medical link between sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS was established, there has been an increased focus on the spread of STIs in South Africa. The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth picture of the dynamics involved in sexuality and the spread of STIs and HIV/AIDS. The authors present the findings of a focus group study, which was a part of a larger, national project addressing the broad question of health-care seeking behavior for STIs. A discourse analysis carried out on 10 focus groups reveals complex and rich narratives on the way in which STIs are constructed in South African communities. The dominant discourses focused on the continuing stigmatization of STIs, causal explanations, and prevention strategies. The analysis raises important recommendations for both educational interventions and health services toward the challenge of halting the spread of STIs and HIV/AIDS.

Recent research on young women's sexuality highlights the transactional nature of relationships among young people, as well as the increase in intergenerational sexual relationships. These unequal and often coercive sexual practices may increase young women's vulnerability to unsafe sexual practices. Within this context, while there have been some media reports on the relationship between girls and taxi drivers, there has been little documented research on the phenomenon of 'taxi queens'. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the understandings and constructions of taxi queens among local youth. A qualitative study involving 13 focus groups were held with youth in the Cape Town Metropole and the southern Cape region and analysed thematically. In general, there was widespread recognition among participants of transactional relationships between young women and usually older drivers. Taxi queens were strongly stigmatised, but their behaviour was also constructed as normative, especially in poor communities, and reflecting contradictory notions of vulnerability and power. However, taxi drivers were less stigmatised. Such constructions allow for the 'othering' of these young women, which may undermine their ability to seek help in negotiating safer sexual relationships. At the same time, their concerns need to be understood within the larger context of challenges facing youth, especially in poor South African communities. KeywordsIntergenerational sex, stigma, taxi drivers, taxi queens, transactional sex, vulnerability A focus on young women's sexuality in South Africa has proliferated over the last 15-20 years, reflected by academic research as well as organisational attempts to address girls' and young women's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, early and unwanted pregnancies, and coercive and violent sexual relations with boys

Media reports are emerging on the phenomenon of young girls who travel with older mini-bus taxi drivers, and who are thought to have sex with the drivers in exchange for gifts and money. The extent to which such relationships might facilitate unsafe sexual practices and increased risks for both the men and the young women, often referred to as taxi queens, remains an important question in the light of the current challenges of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little research has been undertaken on this issue, especially regarding the perceptions and experiences of taxi drivers. Thus this paper aims to provide some preliminary findings on taxi drivers' attitudes and beliefs about taxi queens and their relationships with taxi drivers. A 22-item questionnaire was administered to 223 male taxi drivers in two regions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Taxi drivers in this study largely saw the relationship between taxi drivers and the young girls who ride with them as providing status for both the girls and drivers, and there seemed to be recognition of the transactional nature of the relationship between taxi drivers and taxi queens. The stigmatisation of young girls who ride with taxi drivers was evident. Drivers had knowledge and awareness of the risks of unsafe sex and supported condom use, although there appeared to be some uncertainty and confusion about the likelihood of HIV infection between drivers and girls. While taxi drivers recognised the role of alcohol in relationships with young girls, they seemed to deny that the abuse of drugs was common. The study highlights a number of key areas that need to be explored with men in the taxi industry, in order to address risk behaviours for both taxi drivers and the girls who ride with them.Keywords: taxi drivers, taxi queens, intergenerational sex, transactional sex, HIV/AIDS risk RésuméLes rapports des médias font leur apparition sur le phénomène des jeunes filles qui voyagent avec les chauffeurs agés de taxi minibus, et qui sont soupconnés d'avoir des rapports sexuels avec ces derniers en échange des cadeaux et de l'argent. Le dégré auquel de telles relations pourraient faciliter les pratiques sexuelles non protégées et les risques accrus pour les deux: les hommes et les jeunes femmes, souvent designées comme les 'taxi queens', reste une question importante à la lumière des défis actuels du VIH/SIDA en Afrique Sub-saharienne. Cependant, très peu de recherches ont été menées sur cette question, en particulier en ce qui concerne les perceptions et les expériences des chauffeurs de taxi. Ainsi, ce document vise à fournir quelques conclusions préliminaires sur les attitudes des chauffeurs de taxi et les croyances au sujet des 'taxi queens' et leurs relations avec les chauffeurs de taxi. Un questionnaire de 22 points a été administré à 223 chauffeurs de taxi de sexe masculin dans deux regions de la province de Western Cape, Afrique du Sud. Dans cette étude,les chauffeurs de taxi en grande partie ont vu que la relation entre les chauffeur...

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We used an African-centered model of male-female equality, Black feminist theory, racial identity theory, and findings from the rape myth acceptance literature to explore male dominant and White racial dominant attitudes among antirape activists and a comparison group of nonactivists. As predicted, activists and sexually nonaggressive men rejected rape myths and possessed more egalitarian attitudes toward women than did nonactivists and sexually aggressive men. Activists also rejected White racial dominance more than nonactivists at the internalization-stage leveL Attitudes related to White racial dominance did not predict rape myth acceptance. However, preencounter racial attitudes and internalization of racial attitudes are significantly associated with rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward women. Implications are discussed and recommendations put forward to include educational materials in manhood training programs that counter White supremacist and male supremacist ideologies.