Transactional sex refers to
sexual relationship
An intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves Physical intimacy, physical or emotional intimacy. Although an intimate relationship is commonly a sexual relationship, it may also be a non-sexual relationship involving ...
s where the giving and/or receiving of gifts, money or other services is an important factor. The participants do not necessarily frame themselves in terms of
prostitutes
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
/clients, but often as girlfriends/boyfriends, or
sugar babies/sugar daddies. Those offering sex may or may not feel affection for their partners.
Transactional sex is a
superset
In mathematics, set ''A'' is a subset of a set ''B'' if all elements of ''A'' are also elements of ''B''; ''B'' is then a superset of ''A''. It is possible for ''A'' and ''B'' to be equal; if they are unequal, then ''A'' is a proper subset of ...
of
sex work
Sex work is "the exchange of sexual services, performances, or products for material compensation. It includes activities of direct physical contact between buyers and sellers as well as indirect sexual stimulation". Sex work only refers to volunt ...
, in that the exchange of monetary reward for sex includes a broader set of (usually non-marital) obligations that do not necessarily involve a predetermined payment or gift, but where there is a definite motivation to benefit materially from the sexual exchange.
See also
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Casting couch
The casting couch is a euphemism for the practice of soliciting sexual favors from a job applicant in exchange for employment in the entertainment industry, primarily acting roles. The practice is illegal in the United States. Predominantly male ...
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Enjo kōsai
is a type of transactional relationship similar to the western equivalent being a call girl of Sugaring. It is the Japanese language term for the practice of older men giving money and/or luxury gifts to attractive young women for sexual favors ...
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Hypergamy
Hypergamy (colloquially referred to as "marrying up") is a term used in social science for the act or practice of a person marrying a spouse of higher caste or social status than themselves.
The antonym "hypogamy" refers to the inverse: marryin ...
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Kept woman
A mistress is a woman who is in a relatively long-term sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a different woman.
Description
A mistress is in a long-term relationship with her attached mister, and is often referred to ...
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Prostitution among animals
Prostitution among animals is the phenomena where different species of non-human animals practice the exchange of sex for different benefits. A few studies suggest that prostitution exists among different species of animals such as Adélie pengu ...
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Sex for fish
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Sugar baby
Sugar dating, also called sugaring, is a relationship of an older wealthy person and a younger person who is in need of financial assistance. This sometimes achieves mutual benefits, but is often abused to take advantage of and coerce poor peop ...
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Treating (dating)
In the social context of dating, treating is the practice of providing companionship and intimate activity in exchange for entertainment outings, gifts, and other items of monetary value, such as tickets and clothes. The activity was prevalent in ...
References
Further reading
* Chatterji, Minki; Murray, Nancy; London, David and Anglewicz. Philip
The Factors Influencing Transactional Sex Among Young Men and Women in 12 Sub-Saharan African Countries', POLICY Project, October 2004. ''(pdf)''
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Epstein, Helen"The Fidelity Fix" first published in the ''New York Times'', June 13, 2004
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* {{cite journal, first=Suzanne, last=Leclerc-Madlala, title=Transactional Sex and the Pursuit of Modernity, journal=Social Dynamics: A Journal of African Studies, volume=29, issue=2, pages=213–233, year=2003, doi=10.1080/02533950308628681, hdl=11427/19269, s2cid=143986646, hdl-access=free
* Luke, N.; Kurz, K.
Cross-generational and transactional sexual relations in Sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence of behavior and implications for negotiating safer sexual practices'. International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), USA, 2002. ''(pdf)''