Circular Migration and Female Condom use in Hetero-sexual Relationships

Mobilities and migration have lo11g remai11ed buzz words in the social sciences. Muclz has also been written about migration and trnnsnationalism, and 110 less within the context of Sub-Sa/wrnn Africa and Sou therr1 Africa. The use of male condoms, and to a relatively less extent, female condoms, has also been researched and documented fairly extensively, especially in and against the background and scourge of the HIV and AIDS pandemic on the African contillwt and the staggeri11g prevalence rates within certain provinces suclz as KwaZuluNntal in South Africa. Circular migration however, as a mobilities phenomenon, and the local women caught within the phenomenon of cirwit of circular migration, has arguably, received less attention within the Soutlz African context. This exploraton; essay works through social constructionism and structural violence theory and looks at a small group of women livi11g in Clermont, in KwaZulu-Natal, who are temporan; migrants who appear to move between t/wir permanent rurnllzomes and their (temporary) township dwelling. Givw the potential risky sex behaviours and gendered power imbalance between them and the men, the essay explores how this group of women perceive the use of female condoms within the short term relationship that they 111ay constmct while living in Clermont.