Transactional sex explained

Transactional sex refers to sexual relationships where the giving and/or receiving of gifts, money or other services is an important factor. The participants do not necessarily frame themselves in terms of prostitutes/clients, but often as girlfriends/boyfriends, or sugar babies/sugar daddies/mamas. Those offering sex may or may not feel affection for their partners.

Transactional sex is a superset of sex work, in that the exchange of monetary reward for sex includes a broader set of (usually non-marital) obligations that do not necessarily involve a predetermined payment or gift, but where there is a definite motivation to benefit materially from the sexual exchange.

Currencies

Alcohol

Alcohol has been used as a currency for transactional sex in South Africa and Uganda.^{[1] [2] [3]}

See also

• Casting couch
• Enjo kōsai
• Hypergamy
• Kept woman
• Prostitution among animals
• Sex for fish
• Sugar baby
• Treating (dating)

Further reading

• Chatterji, Minki; Murray, Nancy; London, David and Anglewicz. Philip The Factors Influencing Transactional Sex Among Young Men and Women in 12 Sub-Saharan African Countries, POLICY Project, October 2004. (pdf)
• Book: Cole, Jennifer. Sex and Salvation: Imagining the Future in Madagascar. University of Chicago Press. 2010. 9780226113319.
• Epstein, Helen. "The Fidelity Fix", first published in the New York Times, June 13, 2004
• Christian. Groes-Green. To Put Men in a Bottle: Eroticism, Kinship, Female Power, and Transactional Sex in Maputo, Mozambique. American Ethnologist. 40. 1. 102–117. 6 February 2013. 10.1111/amet.12008.
• Christian. Groes-Green. Journeys of Patronage: Moral Economies of Transactional Sex, Kinship and Female Migration from Mozambique to Europe. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 20. 2. 237–255. 30 April 2014. 10.1111/1467-9655.12102.
• Heidi. Hoefinger. Negotiating Intimacy: Transactional Sex and Relationships Among Cambodian Professional Girlfriends. PhD dissertation. Goldsmiths, University of London. July 2010.
• Book: Hoefinger, Heidi. Sex, Love and Money in Cambodia: Professional Girlfriends and Transactional Relationships. London. Routledge. 2013. 9781317931232.
• Mark. Hunter. 2002. The Materiality of Everyday Sex: Thinking Beyond 'Prostitution. African Studies. 61. 1. 99–120. 10.1080/00020180220140091. 10.1.1.581.2594. 146274779.
• Suzanne. Leclerc-Madlala. Transactional Sex and the Pursuit of Modernity. Social Dynamics: A Journal of African Studies. 29. 2. 213–233. 2003. 10.1080/02533950308628681. 11427/19269. 143986646. free.
• Luke, N.; Kurz, K. Cross-generational and transactional sexual relations in Sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence of behavior and implications for negotiating safer sexual practices. International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), USA, 2002. (pdf)

Notes and References

1. Mihretie. GN. Kassa. BG. Ayele. AD. Liyeh. TM. Belay. HG. Miskr. AD. Minuye. B. Azanaw. MM. Worke. MD. Transactional sex among women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. PLOS ONE. 2023. 18. 6. e0286850. 10.1371/journal.pone.0286850. free. 37289839. 10249834. 2023PLoSO..1886850M.
2. 33128109. 8807528. 2021. Miller. A. P.. Pitpitan. E. V.. Nabukalu. D.. Nalugoda. F.. Nakigozi. G.. Kigozi. G.. Grabowski. M. K.. Kennedy. C. E.. Wagman. J. A.. Transactional Sex, Alcohol Use and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the Rakai Region of Uganda. AIDS and Behavior. 25. 4. 1144–1158. 10.1007/s10461-020-03069-9.
3. Norris. AH. Kitali. AJ. Worby. E. Alcohol and transactional sex: how risky is the mix?. Social Science & Medicine. October 2009. 69. 8. 1167–76. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.07.015. 19713023.