Another complex term commonly used in the discourse around sexual exploitation of children in prostitution is ‘transactional sex’. The term refers to commodified relationships in which sexual acts are exchanged for cash, goods or benefits, often linked to survival, but also for other benefits like educational achievement or elevated social status. It is argued that ‘transactional sex’ differs somewhat from sexual exploitation of children in prostitution as it may involve “agreement or predetermined payment, form part of a broader set of social obligations, is often embedded in an emotional relationship, and is generally not perceived by communities as a form of prostitution or sexual exploitation. The reality is not so black and white, there are a range of complex nuances at play holds the concepts of sexual exploitation of children in prostitution and transactional sex are not mutually exclusive. However, it can be said that whenever adults are exchanging sex for anything with children, it always constitutes child sexual exploitation. Furthermore, ‘transactional sex’ may in fact be ‘survival sex’, where sexual services are exchanged for basic necessities such as food, clothing or shelter. In instances of survival sex, one party is exploiting another’s need for basic necessities, and is taking advantage of the power they have to provide these necessities in return for sexual acts. “Transactional sex” is described as a commodified relationship in which sexual acts are exchanged for goods, cash, or benefits, often linked to economic survival, educational achievement, enhancing one’s economic opportunities, or boosting one’s social status. The term “transactional sex” first appeared in the 1990s as part of the discourse on HIV transmission patterns among young women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed, transactional sex has been associated with increased risk of sexual violence, and higher risk of HIV transmission.
Published in Chapter:
Socio-Religious and Cultural Discourse on Gender and Human Trafficking: Perspectives on Globalization in Nigeria
Nancy Alaribe (University of Uyo, Nigeria)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 16
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-9282-3.ch013
Abstract
In recent years, scholars have noted that there are gender-specific vulnerabilities and risks faced by women throughout their livelihood trajectory, making them more susceptible to trafficking. A number of axioms have emerged that provide a generally accepted framework that women and girls are more disadvantaged because of their gender and social class. Due to gender discrimination and the undervaluation of low-skilled occupations, women are commonly concentrated in low-skilled and lowly paid jobs such as domestic work that are unregulated and informal with little or no legal protection. These conditions make women particularly vulnerable to gendered-specific exploitation, forced labor, extortion, debt bondage, and violence. This study examines the socio-religious and cultural discourse surrounding gender and human trafficking in Nigeria. The study reveals that even when human trafficking is not a new phenomenon, it has acquired a new dimension in the context of globalization and has been facilitated by increased mobility and the development of the internet and new technologies.