Sexuality from a positive and human rights perspective should be an empowering and enjoyable experience. It should be an experience that clearly highlights one’s humanness as an individual and social being, for it is foremost relational (relationship with one self or with other).

Sexuality from a relationship and rights perspectives can hardly be non-transactional. From a sexual rights perspective, positive sexuality and sexual relationship between two mature individuals should only be a continual transaction, in the sense of deal and consensus. However transactional and commercial sex differs from this fundamental humane expression of sexuality. Commercial sex is simply the commoditization of sex (not necessarily of sexuality). As it is well known in the Marxist approach, commoditization transforms everything into commodities. Such development should be of concern if issues around vulnerability, exploitation and rights are not adequately addressed.

Commercial sex has evolved over the last two decades. It has indeed become complex in different ways. Sex for money or reward has gone beyond the cliché of women in a brothel. It is now more sophisticated and includes male sex workers for either male or female clientele – a phenomenon often largely denied or over looked. Another important development is the evolving construction of place and space in commercial sex. The physical place of the transaction is now just one of the many ways commoditized sexuality is practiced. Indeed physical space and bodies do acquire different importance and meaning in commercialized sexual service. For instance Erotic massage, call girls and call boys, virtual sex and voyeurism – all part of transactional sexual services- may value different physical locations and bodies.

The commoditization of sex brings the question of not only market operations but also ways in which different people get involved in the market as indicated in the articles in this issue. While there are adults in the business as a choice, there are others who are forced into sex work. Commercial Sex has particularly taken a worrisome and indeed despicable turn on the continent through trafficking in person, and violation of people’s human rights and these have become major issues in west Africa .

In spite of the complexity of transactional sex, there is one fundamental truth that should guide any action or inaction, and this is the fact that both men and women in transactional sex are simply human beings with social rights and ties. Therefore the concern should be to ensure that their fundamental human rights are protected and enforced and their right to health and wellness promoted. Such positions would require a comprehensive approach to transactional sex that includes prevention, protection, empowerment and support for children ( male, female and intersex.).

• ‘Sex for money or reward has gone beyond the cliché of women in a brothel’
• ‘there is one fundamental truth that should guide any action or inaction, and this is the fact that both men and women in transactional sex are simply human beings with social rights and ties’