PREVALENCE, CAUSES AND PERCIEVED EFFECT OF COMMERCIAL SEX AMONGST STUDENTS OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN KWARA STATE

Abstract

This study investigates prevalence, causes and the effect of commercial sex amongst students of
tertiary institutions in Kwara state. It was guided by four research questions. This study is a
descriptive survey design that involves a sample of 50 students from four randomly selected
tertiary institutions, making a total of 200 respondents with data collected using a researcher-
designed questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics of frequency count, simple
percentage, mean and standard deviation were adopted in analyzing the research questions. The
result of this finding revealed that the level of prevalence of commercial sex was neither high nor
low amongst students of tertiary institutions as they involve in sex work to fund their education;
the number of which are thought to have increased with the introduction of top-up tuition fees;
negative exposure to sexual contents on TVs and internet; and heart break and loneness. It was
concluded that commercial sex promotes the spread of deadly diseases (especially STDs); lead
to an increase in the rate of abortion in the society; difficulty in academic concentration among
students and school dropout; physical hazards such as infertility, cervical cancer, etc.;
degradation of personality; unwanted pregnancy and physical risk. It was recommended
amongst others that proper parental care; parent's visitation to student's schools and hostels;
sex education should be made compulsory at all educational levels; enactment of law to prohibit
commercial sex among students by the government; besides, films stimulating sex interest and
pornographic literature should be discouraged; the value of self-control should be taught at the
early stage.