Love, power, resilience and vulnerability: relationship dynamics between female sex workers in Ghana and their intimate partners

Abstract

Little is known about female sex workers' daily lives or emotional relationships. Using relational-cultural theory, this study explored the relationship dynamics between sex workers and their intimate partners in Kumasi, Ghana. We collected qualitative data from 37 male intimate partners through 24 in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 13 male partners. We also conducted three FGDs with 20 women involved in sex work. Relationships between sex workers and their intimate partners were mutual, reciprocal and transactional. Male partners provided protection for financial support, a place to sleep and intimacy. Both men and women described their relationships in terms of friendship, love and a hopeful future. Women were reluctant to quit sex work because they depended on it for income. Most respondents did not use condoms in these romantic relationships, citing trust, love, faithfulness and commitment. Both men and women described high levels of violence in their relationships. The context of sex work heightens vulnerability but also appears to facilitate resilience and creative coping strategies. The relational dynamics between sex workers and their intimate partners in Ghana merit further exploration to examine the extent to which women involved in sex work hold and exert power within these relationships.

What’s in a Name? A Mixed Method Study on How Young Women Who Sell Sex Characterize Male Partners and Their Use of Condoms

“…Nonetheless, survey and interview findings reinforce that condom-less sex is more common with longer term, more "regular" partners, as found elsewhere (29)(30)(31). YWSS reported highest condom-less sex at last sex and in the past month with "regular" partners.…”

Intersectional Stigma, Identity, and Culture: A Grounded Theory of Female Escort Perspectives from Brazil and Pakistan

“…This is fundamental to gain a rounded perspective on sex work. Secondly, research should consider that the impact of stigma may not affect all sex workers negatively and seek to identify strengths and resilience amongst the population (eg as in Onyango, 2018;Burnes et al, 2012) and indeed the factors that provide resilience such as having at least one ally to whom workers can be their authentic self or truly supportive governance structures that support individual, human, and employment rights (c.f. Brooks-Gordon, 2018).…”

“…Drawing on recent work on intersectional experiences, stigma-related stress, and psychological health (Jackson et al, 2020;Iram, et al , 2019;Schmitz et al, 2019) and relationship dynamics between female sex workers and their family groups (Onyango, 2018) we aim to understand the resilience and vulnerabilities of independent escorts dealing with stigma (Koken, 2012).…”

Conflicted masculinities: understanding dilemmas and (re)configurations of masculinity among men in long-term relationships with female sex workers, in Kampala, Uganda

“…Such relationships are challenging for both the woman and the man, as they attempt to define their relationship differently from that of the woman's encounters with clients (Bhattacharjee et al 2018;Warr and Pyett 1999;Mbonye et al 2016). Besides dealing with negative social perceptions, couples in these relationships may be disadvantaged economically, have higher HIV infection rates and have children from previous relationships (Onyango et al 2019;Warr and Pyett 1999). However, with most research highlighting the plight of female sex workers within relationships, the voice of their long-term partners is missing (Bekker et al 2015;Huynh et al 2019) which may be partly due to the challenges of accessing men in relationships with women who practice sex work (Fleming et al 2015;Schmidt-Sane 2020).…”

“…When clients become lovers they cannot expect to have a monopoly over sex with a woman, something that may be challenging to dominant forms of masculine identity (Huynh et al 2019;Jewkes et al 2012). Studies focusing on the long-term partners of female sex workers, particularly on how these relationships shape men's perceptions of themselves are few, especially within sub-Saharan Africa (Onyango et al 2019;Schmidt-Sane 2020). In response to this gap, this paper explores the experience of men in long-term relationships with female sex workers in Kampala, Uganda, and the construction of their masculine identities.…”