EFFECT OF COMMERCIAL SEX WORKERS ON GIRLS IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF BENUE STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Commercial sex is conventionally known as thetrade of money, goods, property, etc for sexual services rendered or that will be rendered. It has to do with two or more people, being the sex worker and client(s).

Primarily, commercial sex is not constrained to any culture rather, it involves the whole world at large it goes beyond all age constrains because there are instances where young girls of eight nine years are involved. Commercial sex has transcended over the years specifically in Nigeria. This system of making money has transcended over time and has become more confusing and complicated in the sense that there are now male sex workers in Nigeria who have sex with men for commercial purpose. An organization supports them in makurdi, Benue state, Nigeria.

Sex work on the other hand is the supply of sexual services for money or goods. Sex workers are women, men and mixed-gendered people who accept money or goods traded for sexual services and who perceive the activities as a source of income and occupation.

Men and women/girls who are into this trade are liable to contact diseases. It has been discovered and proven that unprotected commercial sex has a major role in many HIV epidemics. There therefore a well-reasoned attestation that HIV transmission can be drasticallyminimized during commercial sex and thus, making an impact too large to be overlooked on the broader dynamics of the epidemic. Howbeit, loop holes in our knowledge considering the exact nature of transmission during commercial sex, stigmatization of sex workers, and the inability to recognize and work hand in hand with a good number of customers, have hinderedquite a number of communities from enhancingproductive prevention campaigns for sex workers and their respective customers.

In recent times, commercial sex has specifically become a thing of great concern and a turn on the country. There has been histories of human trafficking and trespass of people’s human right which has become a concern to the country. Over the years, commercial sex has carried as a wealth producing business in Nigeria specifically among our youths. From the previous research works on that, 45 percent of these sex workers are students. Moreover, there are numerous forms of sex workers and it involves those that stay in the motels, those that stand on the road side, those that operate from home, those that rented and lives in hotels, etc.

The negative effects of this trade on girls in Nigeria and the world at large are too numerous to mention. It is a proven fact that girls who are into this scheme encounter negative effect they make profit out from it. In most cases where there are rape or kidnap incidents, the victims are the sex workers. Sex work has been perceived as the major group for transmission of HIV/AIDS and STD and they face a challenge of isolation all over the world.

Specifically in Nigeria, sex work is perceived to be an illegal business because, the law is against it. Though there has not been any active action that has been taken against it by the government, aside in few states where there movement was restricted by the governors. Irrespective of the efforts made by the government and other private organization to terminate sex work in Nigeria, it has instead transcended to one of the major social problems that have really dealt with the people. It is on this platform that, this research work attempts to find a possible ways of completely eradicating this problem and also to find out the effects of commercial sex workers on girls in Nigeria.

STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The negative consequences of commercial sex work both on the society and girls especially cannot be over emphasized, the increase in the cases of commercial sex work has resulted to the increase of cases of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS which has regrettably been on the increase in recent times.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the effect of commercial sex workers on girls in Benue state and Nigeria by extension. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To examine the level of commercial sexual work in Nigeria.
2. To determine the rate of commercial sex work in Nigeria.
3. To know the benefit of reducing commercial sexual work in Nigeria.
4. To examine the nature of influence commercial sex workers have on girls in Nigeria.
5. To recommend ways of reducing commercial sex work in Nigeria.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the level of commercial sexual work in Nigeria?
2. What is the rate of commercial sex work in Nigeria?
3. What are the benefits of reducing commercial sexual work in Nigeria?
4. What is the nature of influence commercial sex workers have on girls in Nigeria?
5. What are the ways of reducing commercial sex work in Nigeria?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: commercial sex workers do not have an effect on girls in Nigeria.

H1: commercial sex workers have significant effect on girls in Nigeria.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be of importance to the general public and relevant stakeholders as it would reveal the effect of commercial sex workers on girls and the society in general. The study would also be beneficial to students, researchers and scholars who are interested developing further studies on the subject matter.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the effect of commercial sex workers on girls in Benue state, Nigeria.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.