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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
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ISSN: 1606-0997 EISSN: 1606-0997
Vol. 29, No. 2, 2011, pp. 113-122
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Bioline Code: hn11014
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, Vol. 29, No. 2, 2011, pp. 113-122
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Transactional Sex among Youths in Post-conflict Liberia
Atwood, Katharine A.; Kennedy, Stephen B.; Barbu, Ernlee M.; Nagbe, Wede; Seekey, Wede; Sirleaf, Prince; Perry, Oretha; Martin, Roland B. & Sosu, Fred
Abstract
This paper presents findings on sexual risk behaviours of Liberian youths based on five focus-group discussions conducted with 6th and 7th graders (n=36) attending an elementary/middle school in Monrovia, Liberia. The purpose of the focus-group discussions was to gain an understanding of the sexual behaviours of in-school Liberian adolescents. The focus-group discussions were part of a larger study to adapt an evidence-based HIV-prevention intervention—Making Proud Choices!—for in-school youths. Post-conflict conditions were discussed as a contributor to the emergence of high-risk sexual behaviours, including transactional sex, sexual violence, and lack of condom-use. Transactional sex was often described by the focus-group participants as occurring between young females and older, more financially-secure males to obtain cash, food, clothing, western commodities, and school-fees and was often encouraged by parents and promoted by peers. The findings also indicate that female adolescents make choices to engage in transactional sex to gain access to a continuum of material and consumer needs. These findings suggest that individual risk-taking behaviours are nested within complex sexual economies and that HIV-prevention interventions should be considered that leverage females’ agency and control.
Keywords
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HIV; Sex behaviour; Transactional sex; Youth; Liberia
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© Copyright 2011 Journal of Health Population and Nutrition. Alternative site location: http://www.jhpn.net
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