Abdourahamane MAMANE DAN TANGAM et Abdou LABO BOUCHE

Reflection on the Causes and Consequences of Female Involvement in Prostitution in Africa: A case of study of Fatou in Adamou Idé’s the Straw Camisole (la Camisole de Paille)

Résumé

Cet article explore la question de l’implication des femmes dans la prostitution en Afrique à travers la camisole de paille d Adamou Idé. Ce problème trouve son origine dans les malentendus familiaux, les mariages forcées, les influences culturelles, les mauvaises fréquentations et qui se termine par de mauvaises conséquences, notamment une grossesse non désirée, une dépression sociale et des problèmes psychologiques. Le travail contribue à la littérature dans le point où il traite l’un des aspects qui entravent la société. Le but de cet article est d’analyser les causes et les conséquences de l’implication des femmes dans la prostitution : cas de Fatou dans la camisole de Paille d’Adamou Idé. L’analyse de ce livre révèle que les causes de l’implication de Fatou dans la prostitution sont multiples, telles que la pauvreté, le mariage forcé, la culture ou les traditions, les mauvaises fréquentations et le manque de supervision. L'étude a également identifié les nombreuses conséquences négatives de la prostitution, telles que les grossesses non désirées, les problèmes psychologiques, la dépression, la perte de dignité, la maladie, etc. La sensibilisation, une bonne éducation familiale, la liberté de choix pour les filles et la compréhension familiale sont des éléments clés pour surmonter ce fléau. Cette étude recommande d'éviter le mariage forcé, de créer une bonne relation familiale et d'impliquer toutes les couches sociales afin d'arrêter ou de réduire ce phénomène au sein de la société.

Abstract

This article explores the issue of female involvement in prostitution in Africa through Adamou Ide’s the Straw Camisole. This issue rooted from family misunderstanding, forced marriage, cultural influences, bad company and ended with bad consequences including non-desired pregnancy, social depression and psychological problem. The aim of this article is to analyse the causes and consequences of female Involvement in Prostitution: Case of Fatou in Adamou Ide’s the Straw Camisole. The work contributes to literature in the point where its traits on one of the aspects which hindrances the society. The analysis of this book shows that the causes of Fatou’s involvement in prostitution are many: poverty, forced marriage, culture or tradition, bad friends and lack of supervision. The study has identified also that there are many negative consequences of prostitution in this book such as non-desired pregnancy, psychological problem, depression, loss of dignity, disease and so on. Sensitization, familial good education, giving the freedom of choice for the girl, familial comprehension are some elements of overcoming this flail. This study recommends to avoid forced marriage, creating a familial good relationship, and the implication of all the social layer in order to stop or to reduce this phenomenon within the society.

Table des matières

pp. 61-76

01/06/2025

Introduction

1From antiquity up to nowadays world, prostitution continues to earn the field. Prostitution has a long history. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as "the world's oldest profession (Qayyum et al., 2013, p.398). In many countries across the world, prostitution is not considered as a wrong business while in others it is considered as bad and prohibit. Prostitution is sex trading in exchange with any useful materials. Prostitution is the business or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. Prostitution is commonly defined as a custom of having sexual relations in exchange for economic gain (Qayyum et al. ,2013, p.398). Prostitution is the act of having sex for money (Fayemi 2009, p.202). According to many studies, prostitution has numerous causes and consequences. Most of the studies show that poverty is one of the principal causes of prostitution. They reveal that the children whose families are poor are exposed more in prostitution careers than those who are not. In many countries around African continent, female integrate in prostitution because of many things and the consequences of these activities are so clear and obvious. This article is going to highlight the causes and consequences of female involvement in prostitution in Africa: A case of Fatou in Adamou’s Idé’s Straw Camisole.

2The work uses Reader -Response as its theoretical framework. This approach helps the reader to interpret a literary text according to his experiences. The aim of the application of the Reader-Response Theory is to elicit learners’ personal response to literary texts, as well their reactions when dealing with literary texts (Elena Spirovskab ,2019, p.24).

3Notwithstanding, the methodology uses in this study is the qualitative one and it is used in two ways of having data. The first is the primary source which is the Straw Camisole. And the second one is the critical documents like books, journals, unpublished works, internet, and thesis. This work is limited to female involvement in prostitution mentioned in his book. The work is restricted to the causes and the consequences which have motivated the female to involve in prostitution.

Causes of prostitution in Straw Camisole

4Prostitution is a phenomenon which disturbs our nowadays world because of its proliferation and it is among the worst activities that human being is doing in the earth. Prostitution is an unnatural act and a violation of our truer instincts (Fayemi 2009, p.202). Indeed, due to its importance in literary domain, prostitution has been an object of debate from the scholars. Many studies (Qayyoum et al. 2013; Genemo and Tito 2015; Mia Amala 2018) have been carried on the causes and consequences of prostitution throughout the world. In this article, we can see the cause of women involvement in prostitution as follow:

Forced marriage

5Forced mariage is the fact of imposing a girl to marry someone that she does not love him. It is among the most awful practices of mariage in the word. In most of the country across the world, this practice exists as International Labour Organization (ILO) reported that Forced marriages occur in every region of the world and cut across ethnic, cultural, and religious lines. The many drivers of forced marriage are closely linked to longstanding patriarchal attitudes and practices and are highly context specific (ILO, 2022, p.5). Forced marriage can be seen as an abuse of human rights, a form of domestic abuse and a form of violence against the person, both male and female (Manugeren,2020, P.37).

6The previous two quotations show that the prostitution is a universal phenomenon and it is a practice against human rights. In fact, In the Straw Camisole, Adamou idé exposes a love story of Fatou and Karimou. Karimou loves Fatou and vice versa. From the beginning all is normal, but when Karimou is ready to marry Fatou, all is changed, because Fatou’s parents refuse categorically to accept Karimou’s demand of marrying Fatou. And by several times, they treat Karimou as poor man, as a shame to the family, and a degradation of the family…. Fatou’s parents in talking to Karimou argue that:

« A part sa bouche qu’a-t-il de plus pour prétendre faire un mariage?»

Apart from his mouth what more does he have to pretend to make a marriage (Straw Camisole (SC), 2016, p.20).

Moreover, in order to discourage Karimou on loving Fatou, her parents continue to warn her about that:

« En tout cas, tu ne nous traineras pas dans la honte, je te préviens !»

In any case, you will not drag us in shame, I warn you (SC,2016, p.18).

It is in this situation that Fatou’s mother tries always to convince her husband that the presence of Karimou in their house, is like a symbol of the degradation of the entire family. The narrator states :

« Depuis qu’elle avait appris l’intention de Karimou, elle s’était employée à convaincre son mari avec force arguments que ce mariage, s’il avait lieu, ne signifiait ni plus ni moins qu’une dégradation de la famille » (p.22).

learning of Karimou's intention, she had tried to convince her husband with strong arguments to this marriage, if it took place, meant nothing more and nothing less than a degradation of the family (SC,2016, p.22).

7The above quotation shows that according to Fatou’s parents that Karimou is like a degradation of the family, that means Karimou if Karimou marries Fatou is like he will destroy their family at all. This frustration of refusing him to approach Fatou, is what pushed Karimou to leave his village and go abroad for exodus.

8In fact, in the occasion of a feast, Kommandav saw Fatou when she was dancing. Koumandaw is an official representator of the authority. After Kommandav saw Fatou, he ordered his disciple Ali to investigate on her. He is a native of the village. He is Koumandaw’s disciple and he is someone who knows the secrets of the village and he knows Fatou and her parents very well. Kommandav told Ali that he would like to marry Fatou. And Ali went to Fatou’s house in order to send Kommandav requests. As known to everybody in the village and the surrounding, Kommandav is someone who is respected and he is someone who love women very much. In describing the new Koumandaw, the narrator argues :

Ce que ne disait pas point sa biographie officielle, c’est que pour lui, les femmes représentaient l’œuvre la plus merveilleuse de Dieu le créateur. Qu’une femme lui plaise et tous les moyens étaient utilisés pour qu’il parvienne à ses fins (p.46).

What his official biography did not say was that, for him women represented the most wonderful creature of God the Creator. That why when he loves a woman, so all means were used to make him achieve his goal (SC,2016, p.46).

9The above quotation shows that Koumandaw is someone who is very loved by women, and if he loves a woman, he will not miss the occasion to marry her by all means.

10Moreover, when Fatou’s parents were informed about Kommandav request, they were happy. Kommandav uses his power and money in order to corrupt Fatou’s parents. He promises to her father a seat for going to Mecca if he accepts him to marry Fatou. This is how the narrator describes the scene in the following lines:

Quelques jours plus tard, par l’entremise du fidèle Ali, Illiassou Bontasso (kommandav) lia amitié avec vieux Màzou (Fatou’s father). Celui-ci bénéficia même de la purge des notables locaux entreprise par le nouveau responsable car il devient membre du pré -carré réduit des conseillers spéciaux. Et, sans qu’il eût même le temps de se demander comment tout cela pouvait arriver à la fois, Vieux Màzou se vit offrir, par l’administration, un billet aller-retour pour la Mecque y compris le paiement de toutes les charges afférentes au pèlerinage (p.48).

A few days later, through the intermediary of the faithful Ali, Illiassou Bontasso (kommandav) bound a friendship with old Màzou (Fatou's father). The latter even benefited from the purge of local notables undertaken by the new leader because he became a member of the reduced pre-square of special advisers. And before he even had time to think about how all this could happen at once, Old Mazu was offered a return ticket to Mecca by the administration, including the payment of all the expenses related to the pilgrimage (SC,2016, p.48).

This quotation shows that Koumandaw uses divers’ strategies to convince morally Vieux Màzou to accept the hand of his daughter Fatou. As Ali explains to Koumandaw Vieux Màzou is very weak in front of luxury, he is someone who wants to be like a rich man. The narrator says :

« Il aurait voulu se vetir se vetir de beaux boubous brodés, porter de belles sandales, de beaux bonnets bleus comme ils les auraient aimés ; il aurait voulu manger à sa faim- comme tout homme digne de ce nom- tous les mets qu’il désirait : les recoins de ses poches ne cachaient pas un sou ! Et puis, par-dessus tout, il caressait un rêve suprême. Rien que d’y penser était pour lui un délice : aller en pèlerinage à la Mecque !» (p.14).

He (Vieux Màzou) would have liked to dress in beautiful embroidered boubous (shirt), to wear beautiful sandals, beautiful blue caps as they would have liked them; he would have liked to eat his fill - like any man worthy of the name - all the dishes he wanted: the nooks and crannies of his pockets did not hide a penny! And then, above all, he cherished a supreme dream. Just thinking about it was a delight for him: going on a pilgrimage to Mecca (SC,2016, p.14).

11According to the above passage, one can deduce that Vieux Màzou wants to marry his daughter by force because of money. He is ready to accept to lose the dignity and the value of Fatou, if Koumandaw can give him money or a seat to Mecca.

12As Ali knows well that Vieux Màzou is a materialist, he does not hesitate to meet him in order to inform him about Koumandaw’s intention of marrying his daughter:

Vieux Màzou, je dois te l’avouer : Koumandaw aime ta fille. Et il veut l’épouser. Est-il de coutume qu’un beau-père rende visite à son gendre ? Koumandaw n’a fait que son devoir… il m’aussi chargé de demander officiellement la main de votre fille (p.50).

Vieux Màzou, I must confess to you: Koumandaw loves your daughter. And he wants to marry her. Is it customary for a father-in-law to visit his son-in-law? Koumandaw has only done his duty... he also instructed me to officially ask for your daughter's hand (SC,2016, p.50).

13Now, officially Koumandaw is recognized by the parents to marry Fatou. After the marriage has happened, and after some days, Fatou leaves their village and go to the city. In the city she does not know anybody. She finds herself in the hands of prostitutes namely Oumou. Oumou as she explains to Fatou, she and her comrades have the same problem with Fatou. They have been forced to marry some men whom they do not love, and then they prefer to become prostitutes rather than be with them. In this view Oumou explains her situations to Fatou as the narrator argues:

Vois-tu, Fatou, enchaina-t-elle, presque toutes les filles que tu vois ici-mes copines Indo, Binta, Aissa et j’en passe-ont vécu le même calvaire que toi. Et moi également. Nos parents auraient pu nous épargner cette souffrance inutile s’ils nous avaient laissé parler, s’ils nous avaient laissé choisir l’homme de notre vie. Mais ils ne veulent en faire qu’à leur tête, selon leurs propres conceptions du monde et des choses de la vie (p.89).

You see, Fatou," she continued, "almost all the girls you see here - my friends Indo, Binta, Aissa and so on - have gone through the same ordeal like you. And so, do I. Our parents could have spared us this unnecessary suffering if they had let us speak, if they had let us choose the man of our life. But they do as they please, according to their own conceptions of the world and the things of life (SC,2016, p.89).

14This shows clearly that the parents who refuse the choice of their daughters are the origine of their daughters’ bad situations. It shows the reasons why these girls find themselves in the situation of prostitution, it is because their parents refuse them to make their own choice, their parents prevent them to enjoy the choice of their partner of life, and then they prefer to flee this jail of unchosen. From Oumou’s testimony, one girl confirmed what Oumou said as she argues: Oumou is right, agreed another. The mistake of our parents is to believe that they cannot be wrong, that they hold an immutable truth, so the immutability of everything is against nature? (SC,2016, p.89). This little quotation shows the inner sorrow of these girls about their parents who oblige them to marry the men that they do not love.

Bad company

15In the Straw Camisole, Adamou Ide relates us that when Fatou comes to the town, she meets with Oumou, a famous prostitutes. He welcomes her very well. She brings Fatou in the way they are living. Some days later, Fatou remarks what these girls are doing. So, since Fatou is always with the prostitutes, she becomes a famous prostitute too. Her bad company contributes more in her integration into the prostitution.

Culture or traditions conservation

16In the novel, when Fatou confirms to her mother that she does not love any person apart Karimou and he is her choice, the mother tells her when it comes to a girl to perform her own choice to the one who can marry her. So, according to the mother and according to their or traditions, a girl does not have the liberty to choose her own husband. The conservation of culture in preventing Fatou to choose her own husband is another cause of Fatou’s involvement in prostitution.

Poverty

17Poverty is the state of being poor. Many researches (Saich et al 2016; World Bank Group 2016; Odeke and Onuoha 2021; Akello Barke,2023) confirmed that poverty is very dangerous in the society. If you are poor, you can do something which can go beyond the law. In Africa, poverty is real and it has many sources. Poverty in Africa is not merely an economic ailment; it is a complex, multifaceted issue rooted in historical legacies, exacerbated by political challenges, and intertwined with social disparities (Akello Barke,2023, p.682). Indeed, in the Straw Camisole poverty is another cause of women involvement in prostitution. Fatou’s parents are very poor, they refuse to marry their daughter to Karimou who according to them is poor too. And from that Kommandav takes advantages to buy Fatou’s family. The extreme poverty that Fatou’s family live, and looking for a better life for them and for their daughter are what pushed them to marry her to Koumandaw. This extreme poverty is what pushes them to force their daughter to marry Koumandaw

18I can argue that, in this novel not only Fatou but also all the other girls were forced to marry the men that they do not love. So, they prefer to become prostitutes. So, in this book, forced marriage, cultural influence, bad company and poverty are the causes of Fatou’s involvement in prostitution.

Consequence of prostitution in the Straw Camisole

19Many studies (Qayyum et al. 2013; Genemo and Tito 2015; Mia Amala 2018) show that the phenomenon of prostitution has numerous consequences within the society. Among these consequences there are diseases, deception, social isolation, victimization etc… In the light of these researchers on the consequences of prostitution, the consequence of prostitution in this study is as follow

Unwanted pregnant

20In the Straw Camisole, when the character Fatou came in the town, she is always with Oumou and her collaborators. And Fatou is observing what is happening. One day she requested Oumou to look for her a job and Oumou accepted her and she found her a job in a saloon which is called Koko-Bar. Some months passed, in Koko-Bar, everybody struggles to talk to Fatou, and progressively she becomes the porter of pleasures. The narrator states :

Deux mois passèrent encore, Fatou était devenu maintenant la coqueluche du monde des plaisirs nocturnes. Le renom de la fille accrut l’affluence au Koko-Bar où les jeunes et les moins jeunes, les sages et les fous de la ville, rivalisaient de gentillesse pour conquérir Fatou. Fatiguée de résister, elle se laissait quelquefois entraîner et ne rentrait qu’à l’aube naissante (p.102).

Two months passed, Fatou had now become the darling of the world of nocturnal pleasures. The girl's fame increased the crowds at the Koko-Bar where the young and the not-so-young, the wise and the crazy of the city, competed in kindness to conquer Fatou. Tired of resisting, she sometimes let herself be carried away, and did not return until dawn (SC,2016, p.102).

21We can discover from the above quotation that Fatou has changed, she discovers the secret of pleasure and she falls into the trips of this pleasure because one guy receives to fall her down, and she becomes pregnant. The narrator confirms this assertion in the following quotation: The following month, when Fatou confided in her that she suffered from frequent stomach pains and that she was nauseous, Oumou understood that it was too late (SC,2016, p.102).

22The above passage shows that Fatou has a little bit problem, and the problem is always understood by Oumou. It is in this embarrassment that Fatou is confirmed that she is in pregnant as the narrator states: Fatou, you fell into the trap too. You're expecting a child, aren't you? (SC,2016, p. 103). This quotation shows that almost all the girls were the victims of unwanted pregnancy because they argue that Fatou, you fell into the trap too. It shows also that really Fatou is in pregnant, what will come is the total regret and remorse. Now Fatou is in pregnant, she regrets deeply what she did unfortunately; and she regrets her disobedience against her parents: I am unhappy, Oumou. I am unhappy. I disobeyed the parents and their hearts bled... it's probably their punishment, Oumou. What am I going to say now? What am I going to do? (SC,2016, p.104).
This previous quotation shows how Fatou has a terrible remorse about her act of becoming prostitutes, but unfortunately it is already late.

Social malediction and depression

23In this book, when Fatou sent an invitation letter to her best friend Oumou, after she returned back to her village, she explained to Oumou all what happened in her village. In the letter she explains to Oumou her parent’s deception about her pregnant, her delivrance with twins (one is not in life), her release (divorce) from Koumandaw hands, her decision to be not married with Karimou and her condemnation by the society as a malediction in the village. The villagers consider her as a kind of girls who cause the lack of raining fall in the village, the following quotation clarifies the fact. Fatou says to Oumou in the letter :

C’est ainsi que j’ai pu profiter pour. Les gens disent que c’est à cause des filles comme moi que la pluie ne tombe pas, ils disent encore que si j’ai perdu mon fils, c’est parce que j’ai enfreint les lois divines, et que c’est une punition qui doit servir d’exemple (p.131).

That's how I was able to take advantage of. People say that it is because of girls like me that the rain does not fall, they still say that if I lost my son, it is because I have broken the divine laws, and that this is a punishment that should serve as an example (SC,2016, p.131).

This shows clearly that it is the consequences of her prostitution that the villagers qualified her as a malediction in the village.

The social depression

24In the Straw Camisole we saw how Oumou was bad treated in Fatou’s village. The people call her a prostitute openly. In this situation, one woman tells to Fatou that Oumou must leave the village because she is a prostitute. The narrator says :

Ma fille, tu sais, les femmes du village disent que ton amie est une « femme libre », une prostituée. Et elles ne veulent pas d’elle ici. N’eut été à cause de toi, on l’aurait même chassée et rouée de coups (p.134).

My daughter, you know, the women of the village say that your friend is a "free woman", a prostitute. And they don't want her here. Had it not been for your sake, she would even have been chased away and beaten (SC,2016, p.134).

This shows that in Fatou’s village, being a prostitute is very strange, and shameful. If a woman is a prostitute, she can bear all the bad treatment including beating, or from the village.

Psychological problems and suffering

25In this book, there are many girls who are suffering in this activity of prostitution. They have many psychological problems due to their familial frustrations. In the current of their conversation, Oumou explains her suffering and the suffering of other girls. Oumou argues :

Ah! si tu savais toutes les souffrances que j’ai endurées dans ma chair et dans ma dignité. Plusieurs fois j’ai vomi avant d’accepter ma condition (…) Tu ne vois pas comment elles sont les autres filles ? Rabougries, toujours mal habillées et se posant toujours des questions sur le déjeuner ou diner ? moi, j’ai horreur de ça. Et nos freres en paient qu’avec leur sexe (p. 91).

Ah! If you only knew all the sufferings I have endured in my flesh and in my dignity. Several times I threw up before accepting my condition (…) Don’t you see what the other girls are like? Stunted, always poorly dressed and always wondering about lunch or dinner? I hate it. And our brothers only pay with their sex” ((SC,2016, p.91).

26This quotation shows how these ladies are suffering in the prostitution activities, they are out of their family, they are kissing an odd market in which the result is the total regret.

27As I explain, in this book the consequences of Fatou’s involvement in prostitution are the unwanted pregnants, social depression, suffering…I this analyse, I highlighted the causes and consequences of female involvement in prostitution in Africa. Case of Niger in the Straw Camisole by Adamou Idé. In the analyse I discover that there are two causes of female involvement in prostitution in this book which are forced mariage and poverty. As far as consequences are concerned, I discover that the unwanted pregnant, the social losing of refutation and suffering and social malediction are the tops of consequences on female involvement in prostitution in this book.

28Through this study, we discover the reasons and consequences of Fatou’s involvement in the prostitution. It comes to the society to develop the different strategies to stop this phenomenon.

Conclusion

29Prostitution is an act for a woman to give her body to a man for sexual intercourse in the purpose of having money, food, or any useful materials. It is a social problem and social disease. This article dealt with the causes and consequences of female involvement in prostitution in Africa. A case of study the Straw Camisole This work reveals that the causes of Fatou’s involvement in prostitution are forced marriage, culture, bad company and poverty. The consequences are many likes unwanted pregnant, social frustration…. For the recommendation, the society in general must take into consideration the social problems and try to solve them in a good way. The government, and NGO must protect, sustain and look for their needs which prevent them to fall again in these bad situations. Many jobs should be created for the young girls in order to occupy them. The parents in their side must let a choice for their children in order to avoid forced marriage. Many campaigns of sensitization must be held about the problems principally to privilege the young girls as victims.

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