Factors Contributing To Young Women’s Engagement In Sex Industry: A Case Of Temeke Ward In Temeke District, Dar-Es-Salaam City, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Sex work is a practice that is so thoroughly disapproved and so widely outlawed in our

civilization and yet flourishes so rampantly. The aim of the study was investigate

socio-economic factors influencing commercial sex work in Temeke ward. It aimed to

assess the nature and extent of commercial sex in Temeke ward. The methods used to

gather information consist of interview which was conducted to young women

engaging in prostitution by examining their life history. Focused group discussion and

questionnaire were also used.

From the study findings it was found that the major factors influencing young women

to engage in the sex industry are poverty, unemployment, lack of education,

corruption, urban migration and trafficking, early pregnancy, demand, peer pressure,

broken home family, low self-concept/esteem, lack of settlement, globalization and

harmful culture. The study also found out that intervention measures to be adopted to

lessen the sex industry should constitute Improvement of social welfare of the people,

mobilization and sensitization measure, vocational training, women empowerment,

youth and women empowerment fund, promotion of economy and agriculture,

information and counseling centres and entrepreneurship (Small-micro projects).

Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the government should

design proper policies on how best to deal with the sex industry. The society should

stop turning a blind eye to commercial sex. It should stop the demand for sex workers.

Efforts should be increased at empowering women to education, for example through

girls‟ scholarship programs.