The Extent to which student “Gold Rush” contributes to sexual risky Behaviour amongst students in the spread of HIV/AIDS in higher institutions of learning: A case of Kwame Nkrumah University in Kabwe, Zambia

Abstract

Transactional sex is very common in institutions of higher learning and has continued to influence high sexual risky behaviours amongst students in Zambian. The terminology that is commonly associated with transactional sex is “gold rush,” a situation where returning students in an institutional of higher learning negotiate for relationships with new students often times with the female first year’s students. The transaction takes place as the senior students negotiate for sexual favours in return for help in terms of money, answering assignments, protection from bullying and other forms of assistance. During transactional sex, there is high sexual risk behaviour as most of the time there is unsafe sex being practiced thereby leading to a high possibility of spreading HIV/AIDS pandemic and other sexually transmitted infections. The study aimed at exploring the vulnerability of students during gold rush. In its approach, the study used a mixed research methodological design. The findings of the study showed that there was high risky sexual behaviours between returning students and the first year’s students on campus leading to high risk exposure to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other related complications. It was recommended that enough sensitizations and well-coordinated awareness programs be engaged in order to mitigate the levels of vulnerability especially amongst female new students who reported on campus.