Metrics details. Existing research illustrates that the motivations for transactional sex are complex. We use a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationship between transactional sex and consumption patterns among young women in rural Mpumalanga province, South Africa. In the secondary analysis of sexually active young women, we use factor analysis to group the different consumption items and we use multivariable logistic regression to demonstrate the relationship between transactional sex and consumption patterns.
The quantitative results show that young women that engage in transactional sex have higher odds of consuming items for entertainment e. However, young women seem aware of the risks associated with such relationships. More importantly, they also develop relationship with partners of similar age, albeit with the continued expectation of material exchange, despite engaging in the relationship for love. This study shows that young women are willing to take certain risks in order to have a degree of financial independence.
Interventions that provide alternative methods of attaining this independence, such as the provision of cash transfers may have potential in preventing them from engaging in transactional relationships.
Transactional sex is defined as a sexual relationship outside marriage or formal sex work where money or material goods are exchanged for sex. Research shows that the motivations for transactional sex are complex. However, young women seem aware of the risks associated with such relationships and also develop relationships with partners of similar age, primarily for love, but with the continued expectation of material exchange.
This study shows that young women are willing to take certain risks in order to be able to have a degree of financial independence. Interventions that provide alternative methods of attaining this independence, such as the provision of cash transfers, may have potential in preventing them from engaging in transactional relationships.
