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A new study by University of British
Columbia (UBC) researchers highlights the problem of the low but steady rate of
teens who trade sex for drugs and alcohol.
The UBC team analyzed survey data
from a biennial questionnaire involving 2,360 seventh- to 12th-graders from 28
schools in the province’s southeast region conducted by the East Kootenay
Addiction Services Society. The researchers found that just over 2 percent of
teens who had ever tried alcohol, marijuana or other drugs also had exchanged
sex for those substances. Girls and boys were almost equally likely to have
done so. Of those reporting transactional sex, 83 percent of boys and 98
percent of girls were living at home with their family.
“We do know that the kids who felt
like they weren’t supported or cared about by their families were much more
likely to be trading sex for alcohol or drugs,” said UBC professor and study
co-author Elizabeth Saewyc. “Family makes a big difference. When parents talk
with kids about their values and goals and when they model healthy romantic
relationships, this does influence their own kids’ sexual decision-making.”
The study showed that highly
impulsive teens were more likely to engage in trading sex for substances. The
repercussions of this behavior include STD risks and emotional distress such as
suicidal thoughts or acts of self-harm like skin-cutting.
Saewyc said further studies are
needed to understand how pervasive the practice is and to help track whether
sex education and other prevention strategies are effective.
The study, “A Profile of High School
Students in Rural Canada Who Exchange Sex for Substances,” was published in the
Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality (2012;21(1):29-40).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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