Transactional sex as a form of child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rwanda: Implications for child security and protection

Objective: To illuminate the different manifestations of transactional sexual exploitation and abuse among Rwanda's children in order to inform effective responses by policies, programs, and communities.

Method: Qualitative data was collected during April and May 2010. One-hundred and thirty-nine adults (56% female) and 52 children (60% female) participated in focus groups across three geographic locations in Rwanda. Eleven interviews were held with child protection stakeholders.

Results: Interview and focus group participants reported how children, primarily girls, engaged in transactional sex as a survival strategy in response to situations of adversity including economic deprivation, difficulty accessing school, and social pressure.

Conclusions: Policy and programs should work to address the underlying social and economic determinants of transactional sexual exploitation through structural interventions that reduce gender inequalities to accessing school and securing basic needs. Further quantitative and qualitative research to better understand the complexities of this issue is warranted.