“Taking Care of Business”: Alcohol as Currency in Transactional Sexual Relationships Among Players in Cape Town, South Africa

Townsend, Loraine; Ragnarsson, Anders; Mathews, Catherine; Johnston, Lisa G.; Ekström, Anna Mia; Thorson, Anna; Chopra, Mickey

doi:10.1177/1049732310378296

Cited by 34 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Our study could not detect an independent association between heavy episodic drinking and transactional sex although prior research has established that transactional sex is common at local bars where men and women drink heavily [35]. Moreover, alcohol is often used as currency in initiating such relationships [36].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 69%

“…The use of alcohol and its relationship to commercial sex work has been established, but it is also likely that heavy episodic drinking is associated with less formal modes of paying or compensating for sex among university students as seen in our study [14], [34]. A great many young people, particularly men, frequent bars and use these venues to ply potential sexual partners with drinks, as has been shown in studies in such venues in South Africa [34]–[36].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

“…A possible reason why men report providing money or gifts in return for sexual relations may include prevailing masculinity norms namely, having a provider role in relationship where the notion of sexual entitlement is a central part of that role [37]. Research has shown that a part of masculinity norms is having multiple female sexual partners, something that can be achieved through transactional sex [36], [37]. The prevalence of transactional sex is much lower in communities and among individuals characterized by higher gender equity values [6], [38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Giving or Receiving Something for Sex: A Cross-Sectional Study of Transactional Sex among Ugandan University Students

Choudhry

Östergren

Ambresin³

et al. 2014

PLoS ONE

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ObjectiveThis study sought to determine the prevalence of transactional sex among university students in Uganda and to assess the possible relationship between transactional sex and sexual coercion, physical violence, mental health, and alcohol use.MethodsIn 2010, 1954 undergraduate students at a Ugandan university responded to a self-administered questionnaire that assessed mental health, substance use, physical violence and sexual behaviors including sexual coercion and transactional sex. The prevalence of transactional sex was assessed and logistic regression analysis was performed to measure the associations between various risk factors and reporting transactional sex.ResultsApproximately 25% of the study sample reported having taken part in transactional sex, with more women reporting having accepted money, gifts or some compensation for sex, while more men reporting having paid, given a gift or otherwise compensated for sex. Sexual coercion in men and women was significantly associated with having accepted money, gifts or some compensation for sex. Men who were victims of physical violence in the last 12 months had higher probability of having accepted money, gifts or some compensation for sex than other men. Women who were victims of sexual coercion reported greater likelihood of having paid, given a gift or otherwise compensated for sex. Respondents who had been victims of physical violence in last 12 months, engaged in heavy episodic drinking and had poor mental health status were more likely to have paid, given a gift or otherwise compensated for sex.ConclusionsUniversity students in Uganda are at high risk of transactional sex. Young men and women may be equally vulnerable to the risks and consequences of transactional sex and should be included in program initiatives to prevent transactional sex. The role of sexual coercion, physical violence, mental health, and alcohol use should be considered when designing interventions for countering transactional sex.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Giving or Receiving Something for Sex: A Cross-Sectional Study of Transactional Sex among Ugandan University Students

Choudhry

Östergren

Ambresin³

et al. 2014

PLoS ONE

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“…Observing that these behaviours cluster together in a predictable manner across study settings, Jewkes et al [8] and Dunkle et al [11] argue that the associations can be explained by IPV and risky sex having a common origin in a dominant idea of masculinity [8,11,19]. This model of masculinity, which emphasizes power and control over women [18], and sexual 'success' with women, not only legitimises the pursuit of multiple female sexual partners (facilitated by the practice of TS [44]) as a means to enhance men's esteem among peers, but also control over sexual encounters and decisions around safe sex practices. Heavy drinking and non-condom use both stem from the same set of ideas, as this model of masculinity that values courage and toughness, which become equated with a lack of concern about health and risks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

HIV Risk Behaviours and their Relationship to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Among Men Who Have Multiple Female Sexual Partners in Cape Town, South Africa

et al. 2010

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HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence (IPV) are growing public health concerns in South Africa. Knowledge about adult men's perpetration of IPV and links between HIV risk behaviours and IPV is limited. Respondent driven sampling was used to recruit men who have multiple concurrent female sexual partners. Forty-one percent of the 428 recruited men had perpetrated IPV. Inconsistent condom use was associated with physical IPV; experiencing a symptom of a sexually transmitted infection and engaging in transactional sex were associated with physical and sexual IPV; problem alcohol use was associated with physical, and any IPV, but not sexual IPV; having five or more partners was associated with sexual IPV; perceptions of partners' infidelity were associated with physical and any IPV. HIV risk reduction interventions among men, especially those with multiple female sex partners, should incorporate strategies to change the underlying construction of masculinity that combines the anti-social and risky behaviours of IPV perpetration, inconsistent condom use, transactional sex and heavy alcohol consumption.

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“…In studies of women, 19% of teenagers reported having sex for money or presents (Jewkes, Vundule, Maforah, & Jordaan, 2001), and 21% of pregnant women reported ever having had sex with a non-primary partner in exchange for gifts or money (Dunkle et al, 2004). Sex trading has also been documented in the context of alcohol serving venues in South Africa, where qualitative research suggests that sex is widely recognized as a way for women to procure drinks and participate in the social milieu of the venues (Townsend et al, 2011; Watt et al, 2012; Wojcicki, 2002b). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Nothing Is Free”: A Qualitative Study of Sex Trading Among Methamphetamine Users in Cape Town, South Africa

et al. 2015

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South Africa is facing an established epidemic of methamphetamine, known locally as “tik”. Globally, methamphetamine has been linked to high rates of sexual risk behaviors, including sex trading. The goal of this study was to qualitatively examine the experiences of sex trading among methamphetamine users in Cape Town, South Africa. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 active methamphetamine users (17 men and 13 women) recruited from the community. Interviews were conducted in local languages using a semi-structured guide that included questions on sex trading experiences and perceptions of sex trading among methamphetamine users. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using analytic memos and coding with constant comparison techniques. The data revealed that in a setting of high levels of addiction and poverty, sex was an important commodity for acquiring methamphetamine. Women were more likely to use sex to acquire methamphetamine, but men reported opportunistic cases of trading sex for methamphetamine. Four models of sex trading emerged: negotiated exchange, implicit exchange, relationships based on resources, and facilitating sex exchange for others. The expectation of sex trading created a context in which sexual violence against female methamphetamine users was common. Multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use in acts of sex trading put methamphetamine users at high risk of HIV. Interventions in this setting should address addiction, which is the primary driver of sex trading among methamphetamine users. Harm reduction interventions may include education about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, availability of condoms and HIV testing, and sexual violence prevention.

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“Taking Care of Business”: Alcohol as Currency in Transactional Sexual Relationships Among Players in Cape Town, South Africa

Cited by 34 publications

References 32 publications

Giving or Receiving Something for Sex: A Cross-Sectional Study of Transactional Sex among Ugandan University Students

Giving or Receiving Something for Sex: A Cross-Sectional Study of Transactional Sex among Ugandan University Students

HIV Risk Behaviours and their Relationship to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Among Men Who Have Multiple Female Sexual Partners in Cape Town, South Africa

“Nothing Is Free”: A Qualitative Study of Sex Trading Among Methamphetamine Users in Cape Town, South Africa

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