Shonisani Thivhase
University of Venda, South Africa
Title: Perceptions of students regarding transactional sex and its effects on health at a selected University in South Africa
Biography
Biography: Shonisani Thivhase
Abstract
Background: The exchange of money or gifts for sexual relationships, also called transactional sex, is considered a sexual risk behavior worldwide; and continues to pose sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies risks and other health complications amongst people engaging into this type of relationships.
Purpose: The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of students regarding transactional sex and its effects on health at the University of Venda.
Methods: The study adopted a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design to understand the perceptions of students regarding transactional sex. The target populations of the study were registered students at one of the selected University in South Africa. Purposive technique was used to recruit 18 participants. Data was collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed using Tesch’s thematic analysis.
Results: The study concluded that students at one of the selected Universities of South Africa perceive transactional sex as a material based relationship, prostitution, immoral behavior and abusive relationship. Students perceived socio-economic status, social classes, behavioral aspects and peer pressure to be driving factors pushing students to engage in transactional sex.
Conclusion & Recommendations: Transactional sex is common among University community and has far reaching public health consequences as well as social. Students at this University perceived transactional sex as a bad behavior and this calls for the University to ensure enough extra mural activities and students to engage in activities that could generate the pocket money, awareness to educate student not to engage into transactional sex and also provide health talks through printing of pamphlets with communicating massages.