International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue IX, September 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Determinants of Commercial Sex in South-West Nigeria: A Case Study of Akure Metropolis
Saheed Olawale Olayiwola1*, Bayo L.O. Kazeem2, and Emmanuel I. AJUDUA3
1Department of Economics, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
2Department of Banking and Finance, Osun State University, Nigeria
3Department of Economics, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author
Abstract: This study investigated the determinants of prostitution in South-West Nigeria using Akure metropolis as a case study. A purposive sampling technique was employed for data collection in Akure metropolis and logistics regression was used for the estimation. Female was found to engaged more in offering sex for money and the youths involvement in commercial sex was at increasing rate. More importantly, it was found that difficult economic condition, unemployment and desire to meet responsibilities and societal expectations were the key reasons for engaging in commercial sex. Price in the sex industry was found flexible and cheap and determined by hours of work, performance and bargaining skill. It was concluded that government should create job opportunities and introduce more social security nets for youths and different age groups to stop the growth of commercial sex in Nigeria.
Key words: Sexual Exchange, Female Sex Work, Poverty,
I. INTRODUCTION
Prostitution is commonly conceptualised as a practise of having sexual relations in exchange for economic gain (Wood, 2001) and it is one of the branches of the sex industry. Commercial sex is a world’s oldest profession that involves practice of engaging in sexual activity with individuals other than a spouse or friend in exchange for immediate payment in money or other valuables (Mansson, 2008; Sanger & William, 1999). Prostitution had been in existence since around 300 B.C and found nearly everywhere including place of worships (Shahid, et al, 2013). It was a culture in certain places like Cyprus where women had to be a prostitute at least once to a stranger (Benjamin, 1964). Taylor and Jamieson (1999) argued that sex industry work on the basis of the principles of supply and demand as other industries. Prostitution market gained the attention of economists due to the incredible amount of resources that it attracts. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute or commercial sex worker (Mansson, 2008). Contributions by economists to this field include Edlund and Korn, (2002); Cameron, (2002); Cameron and Collins, (2003) etc. These studies shared the assumptions that the object of the commercial sex transaction is sex, and that prostitution is one of the possible ways in which women supply sex to men. The 18th century was called ‘’The Golden Age of Prostitutes’’ because many places were established where people could get training to start professional life as commercial sex worker.