Abstract

Research on transactional sexual relationships has largely focused on women’s perspectives. Better understanding the men’s views—especially regarding relationships with adolescent girls and young women—can inform HIV prevention efforts. In 2017, 134 in-depth interviews were conducted with the male partners of girls and young women aged 19–47 years, 94 in Uganda and 40 in Eswatini. Respondents were recruited at venues such as bars where men and potential partners meet and through other young women. Most respondents believed that providing money/gifts was the way to establish relationships with women in their communities, a context that some found undesirable. Young women were mainly perceived as actively pursuing transactional sex for material goods, but respondents also described economically impoverished women who were manipulated into relationships. Men described conflict with longer term partners as a driver to seeking younger partners, who were more compliant. Transaction dominates the male partners of adolescent girls and young women’s understanding of sexual relationships, and inequitable power dynamics are reinforced by seeking younger partners. However, some respondents’ discontent with this dynamic suggests an opportunity for change. HIV prevention programmes should directly address the underlying drivers of transactional relationships (e.g. gender norms) and work with men who question the practice.

摘要

对交易性性关系的研究主要集中在女性的观点上。更好地理解男性的观点——尤其是关于与少女和年轻女性的关系——可以为艾滋病预防工作提供信息。2017 年，对 19-47 岁女孩和年轻女性的男性伴侣进行了 134 次深度访谈，其中 94 人在乌干达，40 人在斯威士兰。受访者是在男性和潜在伴侣会面的酒吧等场所以及通过其他年轻女性招募的。大多数受访者认为，提供金钱/礼物是与社区中的女性建立关系的一种方式，有些人认为这种情况并不受欢迎。年轻女性主要被认为是积极追求物质商品的性交易，但受访者也描述了被操纵进入关系的经济贫困女性。男性将与长期伴侣的冲突描述为寻找更顺从的年轻伴侣的动力。交易主导了青春期女孩的男性伴侣和年轻女性对性关系的理解，寻求年轻伴侣强化了不平等的权力动态。然而，一些受访者对这种动态的不满表明存在改变的机会。HIV 预防计划应直接解决交易关系的潜在驱动因素（例如性别规范），并与质疑这种做法的男性合作。交易主导了青春期女孩的男性伴侣和年轻女性对性关系的理解，寻求年轻伴侣强化了不平等的权力动态。然而，一些受访者对这种动态的不满表明存在改变的机会。HIV 预防计划应直接解决交易关系的潜在驱动因素（例如性别规范），并与质疑这种做法的男性合作。交易主导了青春期女孩的男性伴侣和年轻女性对性关系的理解，寻求年轻伴侣强化了不平等的权力动态。然而，一些受访者对这种动态的不满表明存在改变的机会。HIV 预防计划应直接解决交易关系的潜在驱动因素（例如性别规范），并与质疑这种做法的男性合作。