Use of drugs and criminal behaviour among female adolescent prostitutes in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper demonstrates that a sizeable number of adolescent girls are often involved in the use of drugs in their various sex industries. There is much controversy as to whether criminal activities among the sex workers are influenced by drugs use. Cross-sectional survey and in-depth interviews were adopted to generate data from respondents. Findings show that sex workers are frequently engaged in drug use and criminality but their engagement in criminal activities is not significantly influenced by the use of drugs. The study recommends an urgent need to design and implement effective research studies, policies, prevention and intervention programmes to deal with the intricacies associated with drug use and criminality among adolescent girls in Nigeria.

Keywords:

• drug
• criminality
• behaviour
• prostitution

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Sogo Angel Olofinbiyi is a lecturer and PhD candidate in the Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. He is an active member of Canadian Criminal Justice association, with research interests focused on terrorism, counter-terrorism, radicalization, peace and conflict studies, forensic investigation (Crime and Intelligence Analysis), victim studies, political crimes and related offenses.

Babatunde Ajayi Olofinbiyi is a senior lecturer/consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist and minimal access surgeon at Ekiti State University College of Medicine, Nigeria. He is a life member of World Laparoscopic Surgeons. His main field of study is materno-fetal medicine with special interest in adolescent reproductive health and risk factors. He has a strong passion for collaborative research work.

John Lekan Oyefara, PhD, teaches demography, social statistics and social research methods at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. He is an erudite scholar and a recipient of various research grants and fellowships within and outside Nigeria. He has authored over 50 articles in local and international learned journals and books. Rooted and grounded in ontological, epistemological and other philosophical ideologies that guide pedagogical discourses and debates in the behavioural sciences globally, he is one of the leading social scientists in the African continent.