THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 13 TO 19 YEARS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFAHA OFFOT COMMUNITY IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
The Prevalence of Premarital Sex Among Secondary School Children between the Age of 13 to 19 YEARS and its Consequences in Afaha Offot Community in Uyo LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
ABSTRACT
This descriptive study aimed to investigate the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school children between the age of 13-19 years and its consequences in Afaha Offot Community, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. To guide the study, three research objectives were developed thus: To examine the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school students; to identify factors that influence secondary school students’ premarital sex practices; and to determine the consequences of secondary school students’ indulgence in premarital sex practices.
Research questions and related literatures were reviewed based on the set objectives. The study was also guided by Lckek Ajzen Theory of Planned Behaviour. The sample size of 200 respondents was selected using purposive sampling technique. The main instrument for data collection was questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using simple percentages and were presented in frequency tables. Findings revealed that the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school children in Afaha Offot Community was increasingly high.
Findings revealed the factors that influence secondary school children indulgence in premarital sex. Findings also revealed the grave consequences of premarital sex among secondary school children. Based on these findings, conclusion was drawn and recommendations were made among others that Federal Ministry of Education should develop a syllabus on sex education for secondary schools to enable students understand the dangers associated with early sex and prepare them on how to manage sexual urges.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Over the years and all through history it has been observed that opposite sex attracts, that is, man to woman, young boys to young girls, male child to female parent (Oedipus complex) and female child to male parent (Electra complex) (Lucas, 2011). This attraction could be for sexual gratification, sense of identity or a feeling of belonging. Literatures have shown that these two parties (male and female) have always had a strong connection that is beyond the ordinary (Barbra, 2001).
It is understandable that something, someone or an idea has drawn them together. Premarital sex is generally used in reference to individuals who are presumed not yet of marriageable age, or between adults who will presumably marry eventually, but who are engaged in sexual activity prior to marriage (Ramesh, 2012).
It is simply put as engagement in sexuality before marriage. Public opinion polls have consistently shown that premarital sex is wrong and dangerous to health, thereby resulting in abortions, teenage mothers and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) (Finer, 2014).
Premarital sex is sex before marriage and it is generally found among the youths. It involves fornication, rape, defilement and incest. The causes behind these have been established including curiosity among the youths, proof of manhood, lust, pornography and it adverse effects, insanity and sex promiscuity as well as moral decadent among the youths (Choe, 2014).
THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 13 TO 19 YEARS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFAHA OFFOT COMMUNITY IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
Premarital sex is perceived and seen as a taboo in many cultures and considered a sin against humanity and God in most religion. It has become more commonly accepted by large portions of populaces in developed countries within the last few decades. The rise in premarital sex in Africa has resulted from a sexual revolution that came with western culture (Scott, 2015).
A 2014 few study on global morality found that premarital sex was considered particularly unacceptable in predominantly Muslim nations such as Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan and Egypt, each having over 90% disapproval whilst many people within Western European Nations were the most accepting with Spain, Germany and France having less than 10% disapproval (Rafael, 2015). This is a demonstration of the fact that sex before marriage is a common term that most people are aware of, either they have heard the word or they have participated in premarital sex.
According to 2001 UNICEF Statistical survey, in 10 out of 12 developed nations with available data, more than two thirds of young people have had sexual intercourse while still in their teens. In Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, The United Kingdom and The United States, approximately 25% of 15 years old, 50% of 17 year olds have had sex.
This goes a long way to prove that even before the students gain admission into the University, majority of them are already familiar with the experience of sexual intercourse, so the trend continue even at the University level. Worldwide, rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among the youths are soaring; one-third of the 340 million new sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) each year occur in people under 25 years of age (Fernandez, 2010).
Nnanchi (2013) argued that sexual intercourse from observation, reports, and witness of young people who engage in them attest to the fact that it is highly pleasurable, both during and after the act, and as such an average person would be attracted to activities that induce pleasure. In recent time, it is no more new thing to hear that young people engage in premarital sex.
This is equally the case study among secondary school students in Afaha Offot community in Uyo LGA Akwa Ibom State for reasons such as curiosity, for pleasure sake, feeling of achievement, etc. In another observation, Adedipe (2012) lamented that the case of premarital sex among undergraduate students of the University communities has been on the increase, and is gradually becoming a part of the norm in our society.
For instance, Aaron (2016) posited “in one occasion in my Faculty just outside the entrance, I witnessed a girl and a boy who is obviously not married kissing and smooching for a long period of time in the dark”. He buttressed that within and outside the University Campus, cases of students caught engaging in sexual intercourse have been reported among undergraduate students in some locations of peculiar features.
The above issue of premarital sex is lamentable, yet it is becoming a norm among young people even at the secondary school level. According to Abdullahi and Umar (2015), “sexual behavior among the students in our University is speculatively very rampant and worrisome.
In this context, it is important to understand why youths engage in risky sexual behaviour and to understand the influencing factors for their behaviour. Rafael (2015), noted that when the Dean, students’ affairs of the University of Maiduguri whose responsibility is to regulate the conduct of students, issued a circular to checkmate sex activities amongst students, the students felt that neither the deanery nor the university authority had jurisdiction over their sex life.
Accordingly, the students who live in congested rooms and study in a difficult academic environment were angry, not for the lack of facilities in the halls of residence or in the teaching areas, but with the interference of the university management with their personal sex-related life. Thus, at the night of Monday, 28 January, 2002 the students went on demonstration during which the Dean of Students Affairs was beaten and sand thrown on him (Rafael, 2015).
THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 13 TO 19 YEARS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFAHA OFFOT COMMUNITY IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
From the above, one can see that matters pertaining to sex and sex activities are held dearly by students, even when other aspects of their health and even their future is threatened. They would rather fight for their personal life. Taking out time to meditate on why in this present time the issue of sex has become an issue of grave concern, one would observe that the media has somehow succeeded in creating in our subconscious, pictures of sex, sexual feeling and sexual arousal.
Careful observation would reveal the fact that on almost all television station you turn to, there is either a beautiful damsel who is half naked intentionally showing off her cleavage, the size of her breast or her hip just to get your attention to a particular product or service. This is also the case for the opposite sex who would flaunt his muscle and ‘six packs just to sell underwear.
Rafael (2015) lamented that access to the internet has heightened this issue of sexual feeling and arousal most especially among young people who at the click of every link is beckoned to subscribe to a porn site or watch a pornographic video or hookup. He further decried that Newspaper outfits, Magazines and other readable materials are not left out in this jingle of sex and sexual activities.
This is because such mass media outlets tend to publicize celebrities who often time dress immorally. All of these tend to strengthen and empower the individual to engage in creating ‘mental porn-related galleries,’ of how it feels like to have similar sexual experience.
Hence, such mental porn-related galleries tend to motivate young people to engage in premarital sex for pleasure, gratification and not to be made mockery off by peers. Looking at all the facts and speculations that have been built around premarital sex among youths in the society at large and among secondary school students in Afaha Offot Community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in particular, one can conclude that it is a matter that needs to be addressed.
This is because it needs careful re-examination for better understanding or insight into the moral implications of pre-marital sexuality among secondary schools students in Afaha Offot Community in Uyo L.G.A. Akwa Ibom State.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Throughout the human history and in almost every society and culture across the globe, there exists the mutual sexual attraction between sexes, which takes its peak during adolescence. From my observation during the teaching practice programme, secondary school students were caught in romantic mood behind the school toilet. This is considered as immoral and total deviation from the values and norms of the school.
It is lamentable that these students caught in the act have done so under peers pressure and influence. The desire to meet up with lifestyle enjoyed by their peers, tend to lure young people into committing immoral act of premarital sex. Indulgence of young ones in premarital sex culminates in various consequences such as unwanted pregnancy, exposure to sexually transmitted infections, poor academic performance, school dropout and a host of others.
Adolescents also maintain sexual relationships, even though cultural values in communities like Afaha Offot do not permit it. It is also worrisome that most young people who indulge in premarital sex do not really feel perturbed about it. This is particularly because they perceive it as being common among their peers, and should be allowed to enjoy such experience.
However, there is worldwide concern on pre-marital sexuality as it constitute global crisis which requires appropriate strategies to curb it even at the local level. Therefore, this research work is designed to examine the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school students between the ages of 13-19 years in Afaha Offot Community, Uyo L.G.A., Akwa Ibom State.
THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 13 TO 19 YEARS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFAHA OFFOT COMMUNITY IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The study is set out to examine the prevalence premarital sex and its consequences among secondary school students between the age of 13-19 years in Afaha Offot community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Specifically, the study will help to determine:
- The prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school students’ with regards to premarital sex practices in Afaha Offot Community.
- The factors that influence secondary school students’ premarital sex practices in Afaha Offot Community.
- The consequences of secondary school students’ indulgence in premarital sex practices in Afaha Offot Community;
1.4 Research Questions
This study ‘the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school students in Afaha Offot Community, Uyo L.G.A., Akwa Ibom state was guided by the following research questions:
- What is the prevalence of premarital sex among secondary school students in Afaha Offot Community, Uyo L.G.A.?
- What are the factors that influence secondary school students’ premarital sex practices in Afaha Offot Community?
- What are the consequences of secondary school students’ indulgence in premarital sex practices in Afaha Offot Community?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The findings of this study are going to be relevant in the following ways:
- The conclusion reached and the results gotten from this research will provide additional knowledge to past findings on researches already done on premarital sex. It will provide the required data and resources for future researchers in the area of premarital sexuality among students and other young people.
- It will provide veritable tool in the form of knowledge to schools on factors that bring about premarital sex among students in the institution. This will enable the schools to fine-tune relevant policies for lasting arrest of the immoral act among students.
- It will be beneficial to the numerous students both ‘old and new’ on the consequences of indulging in sex before marriage. This will enable them to work towards averting such negative impact on the careers and personality. It will equally afford the students with relevant information on the causes of premarital sex; this will help them to strategize on how to avoid the causes.
- It will be an ‘eye opener’ to parents and guardians on the how students perceive premarital sexuality. This will enable them to find ways to re-orientate their children or wards on the core values of the society.
- The findings of this study will be useful to school counselors who have correct anomaly of the students. This is because the study tends to explore the factors, perception and consequences of premarital sexuality; and these are important issues to the counselors.
- It will also be of importance to the religion community, media houses, and other relevant value and orientation outfits as it will tend to question their responsibilities on imparting core values of the society on the young ones.
- Finally the results of this study can be used to strategize by education planners and policy makers for better alternatives on educating the students on sex. It will usher them with information on how to go about the unavoidable pressure associated with sex in secondary schools.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This research study is focused on examining the prevalence of premarital sex and it consequences. It was carried among secondary school students between the age of 13-19 years in Afaha Offot Community in Uyo LGA Akwa Ibom State.
It is confined to the following: factors that influence premarital sex practices; consequences of indulgence in premarital sex practices; attitude of students with regards to premarital sex practices as well as the consequences of students’ indulgence in premarital sex practices. The reason for the choice of the Afaha Offot Community is based on observed immoral behaviours of young people in the area of premarital sex among secondary school students.
THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF 13 TO 19 YEARS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFAHA OFFOT COMMUNITY IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
