By Francine Black, Staff ReporterA RECENTLY-conducted study of 'Taxi men predator or prey'?, a study of the behaviors of drivers in Jamaica, has found that school girls have been offering sex to taxi drivers in exchange for free rides.
The study conducted by 'Youth Now', a joint effort of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Health, found that almost 23 per cent of the drivers have been offered sex in exchange for free rides from women and school girls.
Cate Lane, Programme Manager of 'Youth Now' said that the girls appeared to be getting into these relationships without knowing about the implications.
"Girls are initiating these relationships but they don't know what they are getting into," Ms. Lane said.
DISCUSSED FREELY
According to the study, while drivers did not report their personal encounters with school girls, they freely discussed it among themselves. The drivers, the study noted, also understood and feared the penalties for having sex with school girls.
The study was conducted in five parishes across the island including Hanover, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon and St. Catherine. The study found that young drivers between 20-29 were the ones who engaged in sex more often with the school girls.
The researchers found that girls exchanged sex for cash, lunch purchases and designer and name brand clothes. The girls also engaged in the practice for free-taxi and vehicle-ride mainly to and from school and front seat profiling status.
The study also found that sexual activities generally occurred before or after school and that the girls appeared to be physically matured. Some peers have been incarcerated for underage sex.
The men surveyed noted, however, that parents and money were the two main factors driving the trend.
"95.3 per cent agreed that parents need to discipline their children more. 1 per cent agreed that women and girls only care about money. 79.2 per cent agreed that money causes most problems today," the study said.
Concerns have been raised about students sexual actvity and has prompted a number of interventions. In 2001 the Spanish Town police had started a programme to educate school girls about exchanging sex for rides, while in recent times the Transport Authority has moved to clamp down on sexual activity on buses.
