UC Berkeley

PURPOSE: Intergenerational transactional sex (ITS) occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa within the context of widespread poverty and limited employment opportunities. We examined how adolescents describe these relationships, why their peers engage in ITS, and what repercussions adolescents shoulder as a result. METHODS: We conducted 14 focus group discussions with boys and girls (N = 120) aged 15-19 years in informal settlement communities in Kisumu, Kenya. We used a framework approach to guide data analysis. RESULTS: Adolescents referred to a relatively well-off older partner in ITS relationships as a sponsor. Poverty proved the main driver of ITS. Boys and girls noted family and peer pressure to have a better life via sponsors who provided for three levels of need: urgent (e.g., food), critical (e.g., school fees), and material (e.g., clothes). Adolescents described multiple risks, including no power to negotiate condom use. Repercussions included dropping out of school because of community stigma, abandonment in the event of pregnancy, and unsafe abortions. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents face the difficult choice between the need for money to contribute to their families income and the discomfort and health risks of a sponsor relationship. The pressure to have a sponsor was higher among out-of-school adolescents and adolescent mothers because of heightened poverty and vulnerability. Structural interventions, such as eliminating school fees, could help reduce adolescents perceived need to acquire sponsors. Our findings suggest a need to update guidelines for sexual and reproductive health counseling in schools and community settings to openly discuss why ITS is so commonplace and engage in risk reduction conversations with adolescents.