'Teen prostitution common among Bahamian youth'
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Diigo/FurlPublished On:Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net
USING sex to get money is a part of the "common culture" of Bahamian youth, it was claimed yesterday.
Some teenagers and researchers agreed with the findings of psychologist Dr David Allen, who said teenage "prostitution" is a worrying problem for the nation.
"Usually girls try to find someone who can satisfy them with money, giving them things their parents cannot afford," said Kalene (not her real name) a 15-year-old, grade 11 student.
"They try to find someone who could be their daddy. You know how your daddy takes care of you; it is like their sugar daddy. Some of the men are married, some of them have their main girlfriend, but they just want a side order," she said.
Some of the men have young children, according to another teenager. "On your way to school you meet them, walking around on the street, coming back from school, at public events, like on holidays, and at the mall."
Another 15-year-old high school student, Ronquil (not her real name), said the problem is "nothing new to my ears. It is a common thing." She said some girls do it to find love and others do it for the money.
"Some people it is not a big deal to them. Some people don't like doing it; they don't feel right doing it, but to them it is the only way. At our age we won't find a sensible job to help us to pay for certain things. But by being in a relationship with an older person whenever they ask for the money they will get it when they ask. Instead of dating a school boy who doesn't have a job and can't afford what they want. It is more reliable," said Ronquil.
Some of the financial needs of the teenagers engaged in transactional sex are money to buy outfits for a party, medical expenses for a parent, household utility expenses, and education expenses.
"(The girls in the focus group) said they didn't see any problem with using their body for survival. They don't call it prostitution. They call it survival and that is just the way things are right now," said Dr Allen.
"There are new young Bahamians coming up and the boundaries are not there for them. They are blowing up the boundaries. If you look around you will see a new sexuality bursting at you. They know how to play it. It will be detrimental," he said.
Dr Sandra Patterson, director of the Bahamas Crisis Centre, said "transactional sex, where teenagers use sex for gifts, has been happening for quite a while".
Even so, Dr Allen said he was "just amazed" by some of the behaviour he is finding. Dr Allen said mothers are sometimes made to feel "inadequate" or "ashamed" by their children.
"They tell their mothers, 'at least I have a man'. The mothers can't handle them. They can't help with the school work; they can out talk their mothers; their mothers just know how to scream and shout; they know more about psychology, and the children play the streets better than them. It is like the mother has to tiptoe in her own house," he said.
"The boys at the same age don't seem to be as verbally alert and emotionally developed. They are more introverted. The girls have a kind of courage. They are young, expressive, and they are not afraid. They will beat you down with their tongue," he said.
"One girl said, 'I am so good at it I can cut out before the sex. I know how to talk to older men to get money'. Thus far it has worked for her."
Even though teenage girls appear secure, and they possess a lot of knowledge about "sexuality, gangs, and older men", Dr Allen said the girls are not emotionally mature.
While some girls might get away without having to have sex, Kalene said nine out of ten girls are having sex with the older men. "From about 13 years and above. The men are from 20 to 40 something," she said.
Neither the girls nor the men care about statutory rape laws, and they are not concerned about getting pregnant, according to the teenagers.
This is because abortions are "easy to get", and there is a view that "the older man will take care of the child because he has a job."
"They just have to find someone who sells the pills. One of the pills cost $50 to $100, which is relatively inexpensive compared to a doctor," said Kalene.
"This can be done at the person's home. Your period is going to come down heavily. You will have some bad pains. So it depends on how you react your parents might not find out. Some of them get catch, but mostly, they don't get catch," she said.
Based on Dr Allen's research, he said there is an association with absenteeism fathers and teenage prostitution. He said there is no evidence of a causal relationship, but there is definitely an association.
"One of the girls in the focus group said every day she goes to the corner looking to see if dad is coming back. She has tried to contact him and he says he doesn't want anything to do with her. She says, 'I just hope he is going to come back'. Another one tried to make contact with her father and he tried to abuse her. It is a very complex situation - father hunger - I was kind of shocked at that dilemma," said Dr Allen.
Ronquil said sometimes parents are physically threatened by their children.
"Most of the parents don't know what is going on. Some of them they know but they can't talk to the child. The children threaten the parents by saying their boyfriend could beat them. Some of the boyfriends sell drugs and have a gun," she said.
Young boys are also dating older women, according to Ronquil, however, "nothing they do make them look bad," she said.
She said the age difference is usually less than with the girls, and the older woman is considered to be the "main squeeze".
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