Experiencia de vida de jóvenes homosexuales y su influencia en la práctica del sexo transaccional / Life experience of homosexual young men and its influence in the practice of transactional sex

Introducción: el sexo transaccional es el acto mediante el cual un individuo accede a satisfacer las demandas sexuales de una persona o grupo de personas a cambio de una remuneración monetaria u otra contraprestación. Objetivo: caracterizar las experiencias que, en la historia de vida de jóvenes homosexuales, han influido en la práctica del sexo transaccional. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal, durante los años 2012 y 2013. La muestra la conformaron 25 jóvenes homosexuales pertenecientes al policlínico "Ana Betancourt", a los que se les realizó entrevista abierta y semiestructurada. Resultados: el ámbito familiar constituye, en la totalidad de los entrevistados, un espacio de conflicto y frustración, manifestándose prohibiciones e incomprensiones de los familiares vinculados a la identidad de género y sexo-erótica. Se constató frustración e inestabilidad en el área de pareja; sobrevaloración de la figura materna, vinculada a la necesidad de afecto, y una valoración negativa de la paterna, asociada a la percepción de rechazo por una orientación sexual diferente. La necesidad de afecto era canalizada a través de las relaciones interpersonales y en el marco de la práctica de sexo transaccional. Resultaron motivaciones para esta práctica, poder emigrar a otros lugares donde puedan suplir las carencias detectadas. Conclusiones: las experiencias de vida, vinculadas a la práctica del sexo transaccional, confirman y consolidan las concepciones entorno a la doble moral. Las que más influyen en la práctica de este acto son las vivenciadas en las áreas familiar, de pareja y psicosexual(AU)

Introduction: Transactional sex is the act by which an individual accedes to satisfy the sexual demand from a person or group of persons in exchange for monetary remuneration or compensation. Objective: To characterize the experiences in the life history of homosexual young men that have influenced the practice of transactional sex. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out during the years 2012 and 2013. The sample was made up by 25 homosexual young men from Ana Betancourt Polyclinic, who were conducted on an open and semi-structured interview. Results: The family environment is, in the totality of the interviewees, a space of conflict and frustration, with manifestations of prohibitions and lack of understanding by the relatives associated with gender and sexual-erotic identity. Frustration and instability was perceived in the couple area; over-assessment of the mother's figure, associated to the lack of affection; and a negative evaluation of the father's figure, associated with the perception of despise for a different sexual orientation. The necessity of affection was channeled by interpersonal relationships and by practicing transactional sex. Among the motivations for this proactive were to migrate to places when they can supply the scarcities detected. Conclusions: Life experiences associated with the practice of transactional sex confirm and strengthen the conception regarding double morality. Those influencing this practice the most are the experiences in the family, the couple and psychosexual areas(AU)

Transactional Sex among Youths in Post-conflict Liberia.

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.