SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS INFLUENCING COMMERCIAL SEX IN AWKA SOUTH LGA

ABSTRACT: This study examined the Socio-cultural factors influencing commercial sex with particular reference to Awka South L.G.A. Commercial sex is the act of performing or offering or agreeing to perform a sex act for hire; engaging in or agreeing or offering to engage in sexual conduct with other persons under a fee arrangement with that person or any other person. Social structure and anomie theory, social learning theory and functional theory were reviewed in the study, while Social structure and anomie theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. The sample size of the study was 203 participants selected through multi stage sampling technique which involves the simple random sampling technique, while purposive sampling technique was used for the selection of IDI participants. Questionnaire schedule and In-Depth interview guide were the instruments used for data collection. The findings from the questionnaires were manually analysed using frequency tables and simple percentage; qualitative data from the In-depth interviews were analyzed using manual content analysis, while the study hypotheses was tested using Chi-square () inferential statistic. The findings indicated that female respondents are more likely to be involved in commercial sex act than their male counterparts in Awka South LGA. Highly educated persons are not less likely to engage in commercial sex act than their lowly educated counterparts in Awka South LGA. The researcher recommended that Federal, State and Local Governments and other stakeholders should award scholarship and bursaries to indigent students as this may discourage them from indulging in prostitution. It was also recommended that government should promulgate laws to regulate sex work, these laws will consider sex work as a criminal activity and also give a strong disapproval of it; this will definitely reduce the total dependence on sex work as a profession.

• CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION
  • Background of the Study

  Prostitution is an age long phenomenon that is gradually becoming institutionalized in many countries of the world, despite its immoral undertone. According to Bullough and Bullough (2000) prostitution is the sale of sexual services, usually a specific sexual performance for a specific fee. Hornby (2004) defines prostitute as a person who has sex for money. Prostitution is defined by Garner (1999) as the act or practice of engaging in sexual activity for money or its equivalent. Frey, Reichert & Russel (1981) stated that prostitution is the granting of non marital sexual access for remuneration that provides part or all the prostitutes‘livelihood. The authors further stressed that most prostitutes involves women who engages in sexual intercourse with male clients for material things. However, there are very few cases involving male having sexual intercourse with other males and male having sexual intercourse with many females.

  Historically, in tracing the origin of prostitution, Bullough and Bullough (1987) noted that prostitution has existed at all times. According to them, prostitution is derived from the Latin word “Prostarel” and which means to sell oneself in public. Ericsson (1980) emphasised that the first prostitution business was recorded between 640 – 556 B.C. Ericsson also pointed out that prostitution was organised by a Greek known as Solon who bought and sold prostitutes for general use in ancient Greece and was known as being the founder of state brothels. Report by Rosen (1982) revealed that in the Middle Ages, prostitutes were replenished by traders selling people. For instance, in Germany during the middle ages, young women were placed in brothels by their consent because of the debt owed by their husbands or parents. Bullough and Bullough (1987) reported that in Athens during the Middles Ages, brothels were situated on the outskirts of the town, in the desert or near the market. Prostitution therefore is an age long phenomenon. Ojo (2007), agreed with the above assertion by stating that prostitution has acquired notoriety of being regarded as the oldest profession in the world and which can be traced to boredom and idle pastimes. In line with the above observation, Uzokwe (2008) stated that prostitution is a very old profession. Prostitution is seen as the exchange of sexual services for money. It may be men, women or children. The buyer of prostitute‘s services is usually a man and in very rare cases a woman.

  Scholars are of the view that likelihood of one engaging in prostitution is acquired not inherited (Ajuwom, Oladepo, Adeniyi, & Brieger, 1994). In other words prostitution is the product of various existing socio-cultural factors. It has been argued that certain traditions and culture may enhance or promote prostitution. Beavogui, Diakite, Campeau & Albert (2000) noted that, in Guinea, West Africa, young girls are expected to have intercourse with many men in order to gain experience on how to make their husbands happy after marriage. In South-Eastern Nigeria, among the traditional Owerri people, there is the Mbari practice which enables a woman to have sexual relations with as many men as are available during the period they are enclosed in the Mbari house (Okparaocha, 1976). Among the Yorubas of Western Nigeria, Ajuwom, Oladepo, Adeniyi, and Brieger (1994), reported that polygamy is an acceptable practice and so may make parents not to frown when their children are dating older men since it may eventually lead to marriage.

  One other cultural factor that has been held accountable for prostitution is the extended family structure. Adesina (2006) is of the view that the peculiar nature of the extended family support arrangements of the Nigerian people encourages prostitution in order to sustain these arrangements. The author further noted that, the most practical expression of the extended family system in Nigeria is mutual help. In many of Nigeria‘s ethnic groups, each family comprises a lineage, or part of a lineage, tracing its descent from a common paternal or maternal ancestor. From these spring a pattern of kinship: siblings and their families, their wives and children; broad classification of relatives; and, several dependants. But every lineage will develop accretions outside the lineage since generation after generation of the same community becomes related in some manner or the other. Thus, members of the same community or even the same ethnic group tend to acknowledge the umbilical relationships between them, even when these have become blurred and far fetched. Adesina further stressed that this practice of looking after the extended family‘force many young girls to engage in acts that will enable them to make more money, and one of such acts is prostitution.

  The preference for male children in Nigeria is considered by Izugbara (2004) as one of the strongest cultural factors that could lead to prostitution. According to him, male children are less likely to suffer rejection, prejudice, discrimination, and abandonment than female ones. They are also more likely to be sent to school. Many girls in Nigeria are left at home to do domestic work or engage in child labour as a way of life. Therefore it is likely that some of the girls who force themselves into the University do that by supporting their selves by any means available and this is done mostly through prostitution. Ejikeme (2002) has found evidence that during emergencies and disasters, many Nigerian parents selectively attend to the male child while Bullough and Bullough (1997) are of the belief that prostitution has often represented the only way some women can actually survive in a world dominated by men.

  Another potent factor that may lead to prostitution is early sexual experience. James and Meyerding (1978) in their study concluded that early sexual experience is an important factor that leads to prostitution in later life. The authors are also of the view that being in an abusive relationship can lead one to becoming a prostitute. For Macleod (2006) poverty and drug/alcohol addiction were found to be the major causes of prostitution among other minor causes like child abuse, lack of skill/education, family breakdown, learned behaviour, need for love and peer group pressure. Uzokwe (2008) has identified other causes of prostitution as including bad company, peer group pressure, lust for sex, ignorance, improper parental upbringing, bad influence from the environment, stress, broken homes, frustration, illiteracy, unemployment, indiscipline and greed. The author also attributed the rise in prostitution to the influence of modern films, western culture and over ambition. Prostitution among the youth is on the increase (Johnson, 2007; Olugbile, Abu & Adelakun, 2008; Uzokwe, 2008). Some commercial sex workers are unemployed youths who indulge in this trade because of the need to pay their bills and have enough money to take care of their needs.

  In Nigeria, sex work is an illegal business because, the law prohibits its, but no active action has really been taken against it by the government (Okoh, 2009). In Anambra State particularly, Awka South local government, commercial sex workers can be found in hotels, bars, brothels and on the street, (Okoh, 2009). Despite the efforts made by the government and other private organization to eradicate sex work in Awka South LGA, it has rather grown to become one of the outstanding social problems that have really apprehended the people of Awka South LGA (Okoh, 2009). It is against this background that the researcher embarked on investigation on the socio-cultural factors influencing prostitution in Awka South LGA.

  • Statement of the Problem

  Commercial sex has become a way of life in many Nigerian societies. Olugbile, Abu and Adelakun (2008), noted that some young girls have resorted to full time prostitution in their campuses under the guise that they are “hustling”. According to them prostitution goes by different names such as “Aristo”, “Runs” and “Paroles”. They observed that there is an innovative approach to prostitution. For instance, some prostitutes now advertise themselves through photo albums kept by middlemen in popular hotels close to the campuses. In some cases also, these prostitutes are recruited on contract basis by politicians to attend parties and see to the needs of the men in the parties.

  Prostitution tendency is proneness or readiness to engage in or practice prostitution. Uzokwe, (2008) puts the blame for the proliferation of prostitution in the society squarely on parents as a result of the child-rearing practice they adopt. According to Uzokwe, some parents of young girls see them come home with multiple and expensive cell phones they did not buy, flashy and expensive clothes they did not purchase and even cars. Such parents never ask any questions. Some of these parents gladly take gifts from their daughters knowing full well that they do not work. Uzokwe (2008) has identified other factors that influences prostitution such as bad company, peer group pressure, lust for sex, ignorance, improper parental upbringing, bad influence from the environment, stress, broken homes, frustration, illiteracy, unemployment, indiscipline and greed.

  According to Okujagu (2003) the socio-economic background of the family may be one of the reasons why people engage in prostitution. Onyia (2012) observed that a family of high income status is likely to adequately provide the needs of a child more than a family of low socio-economic status. It is a known fact that high socioeconomic parents are likely to attach greater importance to their children‘s school requirements than a poor family because they have the financial capability to provide adequately for their children‘s education. Consequently, a family of high economic status tends to have all basic necessities of life and provide the necessary requirements for their children. Conversely, people from families with low socioeconomic background are not adequately provided with the basic necessities of life and these force some of them into prostitution as a way of augmenting their income for the provision of these needs.

  According to Lex (2012) sex workers has been identified as the core group for transmission of HIV/AIDS and STD; thus, they face discrimination throughout the world. Due to the diseases that befall these people on daily basis, sex work has been considered a menace in the society and also violence against humanity, (Lex, 2012). These negative effects includes untimely death, frustration, unwanted pregnancy etc. one of the major challenges is that, some of these sex workers are illiterates, they neither attain seminars nor listen to news on television where they could be enlightened on the risk of their work.

  Commercial sex has particularly taken a worrisome and indeed despicable turn on the continent through trafficking in person and violation of people’s human right and these have become major issues in West Africa (Human Right Action, 1997). In recent time, commercial sex has become a lucrative business in Nigeria especially among the youths (Ikpe, 2008). Research has it that, 31% of sex workers are students particularly in Nigeria institutions (Onah, 2010). Onah (2010) is of the view that, there are different forms of sex workers, those that stay in the brothels, those that stand on the road side, those that operate from home etc. Prostitution affects our society in many ways. It is more than just a sexual related offense and can actually lead to more crimes and violence on the streets. Over the years, it has become a threat to our society. Unfortunately, when soliciting a prostitute, many buyers do not think about the serious consequences that come with it. Sexually transmitted disease, infidelity, violence, thefts, and many crimes take place daily with the average prostitute exchange. The negative consequences of prostitution affect not only individuals who are involved but also their families and friends, businesses, and government. The implication of STD’s and HIV/AIDS transmission through unprotected sex with prostitutes puts not just them at risk, but the society from which their ‘clientele’ is, sourced. School attendance rates go down, while dropout rates rise. The idea of get rich quick syndrome; an illusion shared by many; only to live to regret. As a result, they end up as unskilled, unemployed and unproductive citizens, a burden to society. The illiteracy rates for young persons in Africa remain high, and the prostitution culture amplifies it even more. In the end, they repeat the cycle through their own children. This cycle needs to be broken.

  It is, therefore, the above ugly situation and its negative consequences on our society which have reached alarming proportions that has given impetus to embark on this study, which seeks to investigate the Socio-cultural factors influencing prostitution in Awka South LGA.

  • Research Questions

  The study was designed to address the following questions;

  1. What are the types of commercial sex that are in existence in Awka South Local Government Area?
  2. What are the factors responsible for commercial sex among youths in Awka South Local Government Area?
  3. What are the consequences of commercial sex in Awka South Local Government Area?
  4. What measures have been put in place to check the problem of commercial sex in Awka South LGA?

   

  • Objectives of the Study

  The main objective of this study is to examine the Socio-cultural factors influencing commercial sex in Awka South LGA. The specific objectives of the study include;

  1. To examine the types of commercial sex that are in existence in Awka South Local Government Area
  2. To examine the factors responsible for commercial sex among youths in Awka South Local Government Area.
  3. To examine the consequences of commercial sex in Awka South Local Government Area.
  4. To examine the measures that has been put in place to check the problem of commercial sex in Awka South LGA.

   

  • Significance of the Study

  This study has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, this work will add valuable literature by contributing to knowledge on the factors responsible for prostitution in our society; this study will also be of immense benefit to future researchers who may wish to conduct further research in this area or other related areas. All these will help to broaden the knowledge base of prostitution in our society.

  Practically, the findings of this study will be of immense benefit to, counselors, sociologists, Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc.

  The sociologists will benefit from this study as its findings will generate data concerning the factors that encourages prostitution among youth. Consequently, the sociologists will be in a better position to advise parents on how best to treat their children.

  This study will further provide insights to the government on the extent to which socio-cultural and economic factors predispose society to prostitution. This will assist the government to proffer mechanisms for dealing with these factors and which can be communicated to the people through seminars, workshops and public enlightenment campaigns for the benefit of a better society.

  The findings of this study will also provide vital information to the nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) vis-à-vis the extent of prevalence of prostitution among youths in Awka South LGA. This information will assist them in evaluating and improving their HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and other related issues. This is very important because the issue of HIV/AIDS is one that cannot be swept under the carpet especially as it concerns prostitution.

  • Definition of Terms

  For the purpose of clarity, some words that appear ambiguous are defined below;

  AIDS: this can be defined as an infectious disease, caused by human immune deficiency virus, which causes the gradual degeneration of the body’s immune system.

  Brothel: This is a house where men pay to have sex with sex workers or where sex workers live.

  Commercial sex: This is defined basically as sex for money.

  Culture: this can be defined as the arts, custom, lifestyles, background, and habits that characterize a particular society or nation.

  HIV: Human Immune Virus.

  Prostitution: this refers to the act of engaging in sexual activity, usually with individuals other than a spouse or friend in exchange for immediate payment in money or other valuables.

  Prostitute: A prostitute is a person who is paid to provide sexual intercourse or other sex acts to male or female customers. And in derogatory sense, the term has been used as whore, sluts etc.

  Sex: this can be defined as an erotic attraction between two people or sexual intercourse that can lead to orgasm in female and the secretion of semen from the penis in male.

  Sex Work: This is defined as any sexual performance carried out by a person for payment of certain amount of money or in exchange of any material thing. Their aim is mainly on money making.

  Sex Worker: This is a person who works in the sex industry. They are paid to engage in sexually explicit behaviour which involves varying degrees of physical contacts etc.

  Socio-cultural: of or relating to both society and culture

  Society: a long standing group of people sharing cultural aspects such as language, dress, norms of behavior and artistic form

  Social problem: social problem is a condition affecting a significant number of people in ways considered undesirable about which it is felt that something can be done through collective social action.

GET RELATED PROJECT TOPICS HERE