Puleng Segalo
Transactional sex – the exchange of consensual sex for material support like gifts, money or food – occurs on university campuses in many parts of the world.
South Africa is no exception. Some scholars have highlighted the importance of understanding transactional sexual relationships beyond seeing it only (or mostly) as a way for young women to mitigate poverty, or because they want to enjoy the advantages of what is perceived as an elite and glamorous lifestyle. It’s more complicated than that.
We came together as a trio of psychology scholars to explore how young South African female university students construct themselves as sexual beings, and negotiate dating and intimate relationships.
Our findings highlight that young women view transactional intimate relationships from multiple levels, including family experiences, the cultures they are embedded in and broader social contexts. These factors all influence how they articulate their understanding of intimate relationships.
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