Victims of the "victimless crimes": the narratives of residents of red-light districts in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Criminologists have long been interested in sex work, particularly prostitution.
However, the research in this area has been very uneven and has largely ignored the
victimisation suffered by residents of the neighbourhoods where sex work is practiced.
This study moves beyond the position of feminists that holds that sex workers
themselves are the victims of sex trade and some other criminologists that opines that
sex work is ‘victimless’ to explore the experience of residents of neighbourhoods where
sex work activities thrives. Drawing from social disorganisation and social learning
theories, an analytical cross-sectional survey of 57 residents of neighbourhoods that
harbour sex workers and sex work within the city of Ibadan was done.The study found
that the business of sex work comes with huge moral panic to the neighbourhood where
it thrives. There is high risk perception, vulnerability to violence, and adverse effects on
family life on residents.In particular, parental responsibilities in bringing up children
in such neighbourhoods are made cumbersome. The study concludes that inhabitants of
red light areas are exposed to a lot of adverse incidences that bothers on their physical
health, psychological wellbeing, sexual health, religious and family lives. Suggestions
were made thatappropriate authorities should be more sensitive to the plight of the
young population that grows within the red light districts in the country and regulate
the activities of the sex workers in such a way that it will not negatively impact on
positive development of the youths-the voiceless victims.

Keywords: Commercial sex work, Ibadan, Prostitution, Red light districts, Victimless
Crimes