Transactional sex in the fishing communities along Lake Victoria, Kenya: a catalyst for the spread of HIV

Abstract

The study describes the nature, context and implications of a unique form of transactional sexual relationships in the fishing communities along Lake Victoria in Kisumu County, Kenya. We conducted 12 focus group discussions and 17 key informant interviews among fishermen, fishmongers and fish transporters in Kisumu. Women fishmongers in the fishing communities commonly form relationships with fishermen, which are often sexual, as part of the jaboya system, wherein women who wish to sell fish in the market secure the rights to purchase the fish caught by the fishermen. Due to the nature and context of the sexual intercourse, sex typically occurs in a hurried manner, often without preparation or protection. Thus, by engaging in a web of these relationships, conducted in contexts that compromise their ability to practice safer sex, men and women in these fishing communities are at increased risk of HIV.

Renegotiating cultural practices as a result of HIV in the eastern region of Malawi

“…Elsewhere in Africa, studies have been conducted on the nature, context and implications of transactional sexual relationships in fishing communities, for instance along Lake Victoria in Kisumu, Kenya (Kwena et al 2012) and the Kafue River on the Zambian Kafue Flats (Merten and Haller 2007). Kwena et al (2012) investigate the jaboya system in Kisumu, in which women traders safeguard access to the fish by entering into a sexual transaction with the fishermen.…”

“…Kwena et al (2012) investigate the jaboya system in Kisumu, in which women traders safeguard access to the fish by entering into a sexual transaction with the fishermen. Nagoli, Holvoet and Remme (2010) describe transactional sex practices in Mangochi District, in the southern-eastern part of Lake Malawi.…”

“…The transformation of sex work through ambele cile Merten and Haller (2007), Nagoli, Holvoet and Remme (2010) and Kwena et al (2012) suggest that women's vulnerability to contracting HIV increases as they have diminished power of negotiation, and that transactional sex happens so quickly that they are unable to insist on use of protection. However, the practice of ambele cile gives the women the window to negotiate whether to use a condom or not.…”

Contextual drivers of HIV risk among young African women

“…Female sex work is often symbiotic with labour migration, and places many women at particularly high risk . Young women with migrant partners such as fishermen or truck drivers are also especially vulnerable . Gendered economies thus amplify the HIV risk environment for young women by creating economic circumstances that can increase their likelihood of being involved in transactional and/or concurrent partnerships with high risk men, as well as commercial sex relationships.…”

“…Many hyper-endemic settings also have similar economic configurations characterized by widespread inequality and poor employment opportunities [31,60,61]. This contributes to high circular male labour migration to cities, mines, farms, on the road and on water for more lucrative work; women, meanwhile, have relatively limited employment and wage income [5,[62][63][64][65][66][67]. Labour migration has been linked to high rates of concurrency, with patterns of reunion and separation providing regular opportunities for HIV transmission, and serving as bridges between sexual networks in different locations [62,63,[65][66][67][68][69].…”