Opinions
After a long day of the Kampala raucous I boarded a coaster to Mukono, as usual, the back spot near the window is my favorite.
The two young men near me, started their conversation.
“Bro check X, this girl’s posts are crazy”, one told the other. On checking the fellow retorted “Give me her number and how much, let me get ready for the weekend”.
Pretending to mind my business, I peeped through the man’s phone, a young lady posed in a bikini posted with a caption; ‘What’s for the weekend’?
In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged withinthe Ugandan social media spaces as an increasing number of young people are turning to ‘meat selling’ as a means of financial survival and band wagon!
To the many who are not familiar, the term ‘meat selling’ is a Gen-Z jargon meaning prostitution, commonly driven by the penetration of the internet and mass embrace of social media.
The Data Reportal website records that as of January2024, Uganda had 13.30 million internet users as our internet penetration stood at 27.0 %, a home to 2.6 million social media users and a percentage of 5.3 %,with Shs3.34 million cellular mobile connections with a percentage of 67.7% of the total population.
Despite Prostitution reckoned as the oldest profession in the world, the stigma that surrounded it, made it an abomination in our societies and those that engaged in it. Gen Z’s adoption of new terminologies like ‘escorts’ and embraced technology, meat selling has become a new normal!
As they take advantage of their enormous social media following, many are leaking their own nude videos and pictures, sending them to prospective clients, using dating apps like Tinder, Tan Tan, Badoo, creating Onlyfans, and strip chat accounts, along other websites that would connect them to potential customers.
Meat selling was commonly a female practise not later realising men joined the run as well, a case that wont only raise a parents’ diabetic condition but also other chronic illnesses if they to learnt of this.
The Uganda Aids Commission estimates, that Uganda’s national HIV prevalence rate is 5.1%, and new infections at 38,000 with AIDS-related deaths at 19,000as of 2024; with such figures many are still not shaken!
But why meat selling of all?
Economic hardship is a primary driver as many depend on it as a means of survival when faced with limited economic prospects. The lack of viable job opportunities and financial support leaves them with no choice but meat selling to meet their basic needs.
The belief for a simple life or substantial income and band wagon normalizes meat selling. Many leave a deceptive life virtually with silent competitionespecially among girls (the iPhone, clothing, hangout and apartment race) has seen many sell their souls to Pilate to appease their online following.
To address meat selling effectively, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. First, government and all actor’sprioritisation of poverty alleviation efforts by focusing on education and job creation. This will provide young adults with viable alternatives to meat selling, empowering them economically and creating safe entrepreneurial environments all-over the country.
Comprehensive sex education programs should be implemented in schools and communities to educate young adults about the risks and consequences of engaging in sex work. It is crucial to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes that have normalised sex work among young people.
If the government can cater for amnesty groups, can’t it establish Para counselling centres that would rehabilitate not only young but all sex workers and skilling them, given the kind of trauma and environments many go through that later get them hooked to drug addiction and suicidal thoughts.
Legislation and legal frameworks must be revised and effectively enforced; stronger laws against human trafficking, exploitation, and the operation of brothels are crucial to preventing the perpetuation of meat selling.
Only through collective action and understanding can we hope to address this pressing issue and empower our youth to pursue their dreams without compromising their dignity; the lads later dropped off in Seeta and left me in a pool of thought on the kind of sexual network they were in!
The writer is a Communication Specialist
