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Sex, money, and premarital partnerships in southern Malawi

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  • Poulin, Michelle
Abstract
In this paper, I argue two main points. First, in premarital, sexual partnerships in rural Malawi, the purpose of money exchange extends beyond the alleviation of female partners' economic constraints, and, second, by clarifying this broader purpose, it becomes possible to recognize where women exert control over their own sexual selves. These findings come from field observations and a rich set of in-depth interviews (N=54), bolstered on occasion by survey data, conducted with young women and men, aged 15-24 years, in the Balaka district in the southern region of the country. This research demonstrates that, contrary to typical expectations, money and gift transfers in sexual partnerships are part and parcel of the courting practices of young Malawian women and men. Transfers are as much about the expression of love and commitment as they are about meeting the financial needs of women or the acquisition of sex for men. Using narrative information to shed light on the semiotics of the sex-money link, these findings from Malawi offer a new perspective that broadens usual interpretations of transactional sex, the understanding of which is critical in fighting AIDS.

Suggested Citation

  • Poulin, Michelle, 2007. "Sex, money, and premarital partnerships in southern Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 2383-2393, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:65:y:2007:i:11:p:2383-2393
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Alexander A. Weinreb, 2014. "Heterophily in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 31(50), pages 1477-1502.
    4. Anais Bertrand-Dansereau & Shelley Clark, 2016. "Pragmatic tradition or romantic aspiration? The causes of impulsive marriage and early divorce among women in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(3), pages 47-80.
    5. Underwood, Carol & Skinner, Joanna & Osman, Nadia & Schwandt, Hilary, 2011. "Structural determinants of adolescent girls' vulnerability to HIV: Views from community members in Botswana, Malawi, and Mozambique," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 343-350, July.
    6. Baird, Sarah & Gong, Erick & McIntosh, Craig & Özler, Berk, 2014. "The heterogeneous effects of HIV testing," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 98-112.
    7. Datta, Saugato & Burns, Justine & Maughan-Brown, Brendan & Darling, Matthew & Eyal, Katherine, 2015. "Risking it all for love? Resetting beliefs about HIV risk among low-income South African teens," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 184-198.
    8. Packel, Laura & Dow, William H. & de Walque, Damien & Isdahl, Zachary & Majura, Albert, 2012. "Sexual behavior change intentions and actions in the context of a randomized trial of a conditional cash transfer for HIV prevention in Tanzania," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5997, The World Bank.
    9. Stoebenau, Kirsten & Heise, Lori & Wamoyi, Joyce & Bobrova, Natalia, 2016. "Revisiting the understanding of “transactional sex” in sub-Saharan Africa: A review and synthesis of the literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 186-197.
    10. Mojola, Sanyu A., 2011. "Fishing in dangerous waters: Ecology, gender and economy in HIV risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 149-156, January.
    11. Anne-Emmanuèle Calvès, 2016. "First union formation in urban Burkina Faso: Competing relationship transitions to marriage or cohabitation," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(15), pages 421-450.
    12. Megan Klein Hattori, 2018. "Young Adults’ Understanding of Fidelity: Social Structure and Relationship-Level Barriers to Fidelity Described During In-depth Interviews in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 23(3), pages 622-636, September.
    13. Watt, Melissa H. & Aunon, Frances M. & Skinner, Donald & Sikkema, Kathleen J. & Kalichman, Seth C. & Pieterse, Desiree, 2012. "“Because he has bought for her, he wants to sleep with her”: Alcohol as a currency for sexual exchange in South African drinking venues," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(7), pages 1005-1012.

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