Sex for Fish

The reality of poverty means the possibility of getting stuck— in dangerous and undesirable situations. This is no secret to the women of Malawi.

Coming across this NPR article was enlightening— for many reasons it highlights some of the common complexities of poverty and gathering data for reporting.

“Sex for Fish” is a common phrase among lakefront communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world where men catch the fish and women sell the catch to local customers. This article focuses specifically on a community in Malawi, but no matter the location, it is an exchange of compensation: either the woman can not afford to pay with money or due to overfishing in many lakes, if there is a low availability, sex may be used as a bargaining tool.

Collecting data on those who need resources or simply gauging just how many engage in this practice is incredibly difficult. From a public health standpoint, it also makes it harder to measure the rate and trace the spread of HIV/AIDS— according to the NPR article, “In Malawi, approximately 1 in 10 adults ages 15 to 64 is HIV-positive, according to UNAIDS — one of the highest rates in the world.” It might be safe that this practice could be contributing to that rate.

The information that is revealed, is passed along by women who once engaged in the practice, but were able to access mobility after finding other resources. They speak on the dangers that can occur during this transaction— fishermen can be violent and controlling, refuse to practice safe sex, and are always on the move— endangering the health of anyone who crosses their path.

There are many questions that people ask who may be confused about the role of gender that plays into communities like this— many women may choose other jobs, but don’t make enough money that they could with fish— it’s a desperate option that puts more food on the table for their children, despite the risks.

There is a silver lining, although not completely perfect, better and safer than transacting sex. Women who have access to their own fishing resources do not have to depend on interacting with fishermen— although stigma still exists with women fishing, and not all women are successful, it is an option many women are eager to utilize.

Give a woman a boat. Let her fish.

“Give a woman a fish, and you feed her for a day. Teach a woman to fish and go global, and you feed her and her business for a lifetime.”

There are also many co-ops and collectives formed by women who are eager to take control over their own lives, including pooling their resources together to help each other by nets and vessels.

Follow the story on NPR here and check out the other resources below (including an NYT article that mentions an area I have visited in Rwanda!).

NYT Article: Rwandan Women Paddle Into the Male World of Fishing

A Development + Cooperation Article (focusing on Kenya)

Reuters: Sex for fish: Women's reluctant trade on Kenya's Lake Victoria shore]

The Global Fund: Sex for Fish: Toward Gender Equality and Fewer HIV Infections

The New Humanitarian: Helping women to end sex-for-fish culture

cover photo belongs to me