Mental health implications of the commercial sex industry in Nigeria

Abstract

The history and some of the consequences of the growth of the sex industry in Nigeria have been identified and discussed by previous researchers (Little 1973; Caldwell, Caldwell and Orubuloye 1992; Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1991, 1994). These authors have contributed immensely to providing fundamental information that may be useful in preventing or at least minimizing the hazardous effects of the sex industry. They stress the vital roles played by the sex workers in transmitting STDs and HIV/AIDS and suggested how the situation can be controlled. There are however, some issues of psychological importance that are yet to be examined. For instance, we are interested in knowing what prompted the interest of the women in the business, the occupational hazards in the sex industry, the coping mechanisms adopted, what is keeping the sex workers on the job in spite of the occupational hazards, their level of satisfaction with the business, and most importantly, the mental health implications of the growth of the sex industry in Nigeria. The present study was an attempt to give a psychological analysis of commercial sex in Nigeria and to appraise the prevalence and level of psychopathological symptoms among sex workers. Findings from this study not only will suggest how to arrest the growth of the sex industry in Nigeria but also may alert the Federal Ministry of Health and other health organizations to the mental health implications of commercial sex.