In Kenya, a growing number of male fishermen on Lake Victoria are selling sex to survive after fish catches collapsed. A new study published in the journal Culture, Health & Sexuality found that 44 percent of the 422 fishermen surveyed had engaged in transactional sex in the past year. The men, who once made a living from the lake, now trade sex for money, food, or even fish itself.
When the Fish Disappeared, So Did the Income
The study focused on fishermen in Kisumu County, a region along the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change have drastically reduced fish populations in recent years. As catches shrank, so did the men's earnings. Many found themselves unable to support their families. The researchers, led by Eric Korir of Maseno University, found that the fishermen turned to sex work as a last resort. Some exchanged sex for cash. Others accepted fish or food as payment. The study noted that the men often targeted female fish traders, who themselves were struggling to find product to sell.
Stigma and Silence on the Shoreline
Local communities have long viewed fishing as a masculine profession. The idea of male fishermen selling sex carries deep shame. The study reported that many of the men hid their activities from wives, neighbors, and fellow fishermen. Those who were open about it faced ridicule and ostracism. The researchers also found that the men rarely used condoms, increasing the risk of HIV transmission. Kenya's HIV prevalence rate in Kisumu County is already among the highest in the country. The study called for health outreach programs that specifically target male sex workers, a group that is often overlooked by aid organizations.
The collapse of Lake Victoria's fisheries has reshaped life in ways that few anticipated. The men who once fed their families from the water now navigate a hidden economy of survival. Their story is not one of moral failure but of economic desperation in a place where the old certainties have simply vanished.
