Analysis of the Factors influencing the Involvement of Young girls as Female Sex Workers (FSWs) in Taraba State Nigeria: Implication for Agricultural Productivity

Abstract

The study analyzed the factors influencing young girls’ productivity in Taraba State Nigeria. A total of 130 Female Sex Workers (FSW) were selected through purposive sampling techniques and served with a structured interview schedule. Informed consent was received from the FSW and the data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Results of the analysis showed that 96.16% of the respondents were within the age range of ≤ 20 to 39 years, were young and in their economically active age. Respondents joined the business as early as 21 years and attended to up to 20 customers in a day and are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infection (STIs), HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Also, 61.60% attained one form of formal education or the other. Regression analysis showed that 82.88 % of the variations in respondents’ involvement as FSW were explained by the variables included in the model. The estimated coefficients for age, knowledge about HIV/AIDS and other STIs, had significant but inverse relationship with involvement as FSW while substance use and abuse was statistically significant at 1% probability level. It is however recommended that increasing awareness on the risk of the business will enhance their production efficiency in Agriculture and other business.

Keywords: Productivity, FSW, HIV/AIDS, multiple regression model, women, Taraba Nigeria, MARPs, PEP model