New twist to small houses

Brenda Phiri Lifestyle Writer

Selling sexual favours is technically prostitution, and is not illegal in Zimbabwe, but as with so much there are different kinds, which is why a street walker will be known as a “common prostitute”, meaning she has multiple partners, while the one-man whore has always had a fancier title: concubine, mistress or, at worst, kept woman.

Kept women, otherwise known as small houses, have sprouted all over, although it is not a new phenomenon.
Historically, a man “kept” a mistress. As the term implies, he was responsible for her debts and provided for her in much the same way as he did with his wife, although not legally bound to do so.

In more recent times, it is more likely that the kept woman has a job of her own, and is less, if at all, financially dependent on the man.
Modern day kept women are maintained in a comfortable or lavish lifestyle by a wealthy man so that she will be available for his sexual pleasure.

Although there is a distinction with street level prostitution where ladies of the night sell their bodies for money the fact remains that the common denominator is that sexual favours are given in return for the “good life”.

The not so new trend is common among urban women in the country from all backgrounds and creeds.
This relation involves a woman and a well-to- do man with financial muscle but is either married or attached to another woman.

Parties involved usually have an arrangement where the woman is well looked after. She is spoiled rotten through shopping sprees in foreign countries, expensive gifts holidaying in various hideouts.

It may also involve escorting the lovers to business trips overseas and spending quality time away from prying eyes.
In return, the lady does not destroy the lover’s marriage or the other woman. Not only this, but she returns the favour by being available for her man whenever she is wanted.

The kept woman relationship is generally stable although the couple goes to great lengths in concealing it.
Sad as it may be, more and more Zimbabwean women are stooping to such low levels in spite of the HIV and Aids pandemic that is sweeping the country’s population.

In some cases, the kept women are customarily married in secret although they do not live together openly. Children may even be born out of the union, a development that may or may not be known by the man’s official spouse.

The secret family is either visited under the cover of darkness or when the man has supposedly gone for business meetings.
According to research by Saturday Herald Lifestyle, there is a flip side to the situation.

Apparently, kept women have a tendency of seeking solace in the arms of other men since their men are not around most of the time.
When a third party is involved, she clearly states her intentions and those demands involve the things she does not get from her keeper.

This can be other material needs, attention or affection from the “toy boy”.
He is also used in making public appearances to save face or make an impression in the eyes of people.

The male equivalent to the kept women, on the other hand, usually involves younger men who feed off well-to-do women.
For male version, the term lover or gigolo can be used, but does not carry the same implications.

Just like their female counterparts, they are after being uplifted through the “exchange”.
They usually also have their girlfriends by day although they turn to their jelly mommies by night.

A college student, Gift (23) says he is in an arrangement with a 45-year-old Harare businesswoman, who takes care of his financial needs in exchange of “few moments of happiness”.

“I am cool with the idea. I only need to spend three afternoons in a week with her and in return she makes sure that I have got enough pocket money every time. I am even saving some of it to buy a small car,” he said

The question still remains, could this kind of arrangement be classified under prostitution?
After all, money is being exchanged for sexual favours.