Sex in Geneva, Sex in Lilongwe and Sex in Balaka

Linda A. Tawfik, Johns Hopkins University
Susan Watkins, University of Pennsylvania

In the midst of Malawi's AIDS epidemic, there are three contrasting interpretations of women's sexuality. One is disseminated by global actors such as the World Health Organization in Geneva; the second is the response offered by educated, urban Malawians situated in Lilongwe, the third is that formulated by the indigenous population in rural Balaka District. Our central conclusion is that in Geneva and Lilongwe women are perceived to exchange sex for money, whereas in Balaka women are perceived to have sexual desires. Results of a study of 145 ever-married women and men in rural Malawi provide insight into underlying sexual dynamics by incorporating a unique combination of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches. Findings indicate that a dichotomous epidemiological model, which emphasizes women as reservoirs of infection and men as vectors of transmission, is only a partial explanation. A methodological comparison suggests that extramarital partners are under-reported on household surveys.