Assessment Of The Causes Of Premarital Sex Among Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACT

Significant numbers of adolescents are involved in sexual activities at an early age which exposes them to the risk of unintended pregnancy, abortion and STIs. Even though, the reproductive health problem of young people is critical among both sexes, adolescent’s girls are more affected because of their biological, economic and social vulnerability. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students in delta state college of health technology ofuoma.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
• AIM OF THE STUDY
• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• DEFINITION OF TERMS.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

• INTRODUCTION
• CONCEPT OF PREMARITAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
• TYPES OF SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
• SEXUAL EDUCATION: A REGIONAL/ETHNIC COMPARISON
• ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES ON PREMARITAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE YOUTHS
• COMMON INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PREMARITAL SEX
• COMMON INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PREMARITAL SEX
• THE EFFECTS OF PREMARITAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

• INTRODUCTION
• RESEARCH DESIGN
• POPULATION OF THE STUDY
• INSTRUMENT
• SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE
• INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION
• VALIDITY OF THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
• RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT
• DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE
• PROCEDURE FOR DATA ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT ANALYSIS

4.1.     SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

4.2      PRE-MARITAL SEXUAL HISTORY OF YOUNG PEOPLE

4.3      RISKY BEHAVIORS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

4.4      FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PRE-MARITAL SEXUAL PRACTICES

4.4      IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW RESPONDENTS’ RECOMMENDATIONS

CHPATER FIVE

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES

• DISCUSSION
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organization defines “adolescents” as people age 10-19; “youth” as those age 15-24; and “young people” as those age 10-24 [1]. Young people undergo a period of development when biological, physical, cognitive, and social traits mature from childhood to adulthood. During this stage, the challenges that youth face and the decisions they make can have a tremendous impact on the quality and length of their lives. Many important life events and health-damaging behaviors that are contributing for pre-marital sexual activities start during these years [2].Unprotected sexual activity carries with it risks to reproductive health at any age but most particularly during adolescence, because the risks of infection are greater when full physical maturation is incomplete, and the risks of pregnancy are greater at the youngest maternal ages and when the pregnancy is unwanted, which is often the case when a pregnancy occurs prior to marriage [3].Pre-marital sexual activities among adolescents have been reported to be increasing worldwide. A rising prevalence of early sexual activity among youth has been witnessed in delta state of Nigeria and around the world for the past decade. Studies done in delta state college of health technology Ofuoma, have identified that the factors associated with early onset of sexual activity among youth undergraduate students, socio demographic factors, such as age, gender, educational status, and race/ethnicity, interpersonal factors related to knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, expectations, family structure and parental involvement [4,5].

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). 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. 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 (Lucas, 2000, Ramesh, 2008 and Barbra et al, 2001).

Public opinion polls have consistently shown that premarital sex is wrong and dangerous to health resulting in abortions, teenage mothers and sexually transmitted infections (Aaron, 2006; Finer, 2007). Premarital sex is sex before marriage and it is generally found among the youth. It involves fornication, rape, defilement and incest. The causes behind it have been established including curiosity among the youth, proof of manhood, lust, pornography and it adverse effects, insanity and sex promiscuity as well as moral decadence among the youths (Choe et al, 2004).

Premarital sex is perceived and seen as a taboo in many cultures and considered a sin against man 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, 2005). A 2014 pew 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.

According to a 2001 UNICEF 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 15years old an 50% of 17year olds have had sex. This goes a long way to prove that even before the students gains admission into the University a hand fill of then are already familiar with the experience of sexual intercourse an so the trends to continue even at the University level.

Worldwide, rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among the youth are soaring; one-third of the 340million new STDs each year occur in people under 25 years of age (Fernandez et al, 2010). There are many behavioral problems among the adolescents that Nigerian society today has to contend with. Such problems include truancy, disobedience, drug offences, assault, insult, stealing, violent demonstrations, Vandalism, examination malpractice, robbery and secret cult activities (Nnanchi, 2003). Apart from these widely publicized behavioral problems, heterosexual activities are listed among types of behavioral problem prevalent in Nigerian secondary schools. These are variously named in the literature as sex abuse, sex offences, sexual misconduct, sexual immorality, sexual promiscuity, and sexual maladjustment (Odoemelamelam, 1996, Adedipe, 2000, Ndu, 2000; Nnachi, 2003). When this individuals graduates from their secondary school they do not only graduate with learned behavior and new ideology which they bring in to the University to explore their new gained freedom.
Sexual intercourse from observation and from the reports and witness of 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. People engage in premarital sex, in this case University undergraduates for several reasons whether out of curiosity, for pleasure sake or a feeling of achievement etc. The case of premarital sex among undergraduate student of the University of Benin one can say has been on the increase and is gradually becoming a part of the norm in our society and the University communities. In one occasion in my Faculty just outside the entrance I witness a girl and a boy obviously not married kissing and smooching for a long period of time in the dark. Here and there within an outside the University Campus, cases of students caught engaging in sexual intercourse has been reported among undergraduate students in some locations of peculiar features. A roommate of mine attest to an incident where him and his friends caught some students in the act around the dark corners in his faculty, one thing lead to the other and the case got to the security department University of Benin.

According to Abdullahi and Umar (2008), “Sexual behavior among the students in our University is speculatively very rampant and worrisome. In this contest it is important to understand why youth engage in risky sexual behavior and to understand the influencing factors for the behavior. 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. 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 life (Their Activities). In the night of Monday, 28 January, 2002 the students went on demonstration during which the Dean of student affair was beaten and sand thrown on him.

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 an 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 pack” just to sell underwear’s. Access to the internet (which is actually a great thing) have heightened this issue of sexual feeling and arousal most especially among undergraduates who at the click of every link is beckoned to subscribe to a porn site or watch a pornographic video, or hookup. Newspaper, Magazines and other book materials are not left out in this jingle of sex and sexual activities. All of which strengthens and empowers the individual to engage in premarital sex, where everything around an individual preaches the pleasure of sex and a desire to gratify ones id.

A look at all the facts and speculation that has been built around premarital sex among individuals in the society at large and among undergraduate students of delta state college of health technology ofuoma in particular, one can conclude that it is a matter that needs to be addressed and causes carefully assessed to get better understanding or insight into these causes and possibly provide alternative activities or suggestions that can help address this issue for the benefit of the individual, the school community and the nation at large.

1.2                                                     AIM OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this work is to assess the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students in Delta State College of Health Technology Ofuoma.

1.3                                              OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

At the end of this work, students involved will be able:

1. To analyze the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students in delta state college of health technology ofuoma.
2. To understand the effect and consequences of premarital sex.

• To know how to control or avoid premarital sex.

1.4                                          STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research work is designed to assess the cause of premarital sex among undergraduate students in delta state college of health technology ofuoma. From my own personal observation, a walk and a careful survey of the environs of the university community one would find packs of already used condoms littering the ground, even though it is not that rampant. It could be possible that these packs was used as instructional materials or for the primary purpose for which it was made.

Students lives in community, where they meet people from different background and as such they are exposed to peer influence and a desire to meet up with certain standard. All of this and more can lead to premarital sex which culminates in various problem such as unwanted pregnancy, exposure to sexually transmitted infections, poor academic performance, school dropout and a host of others.
All of these problems associated with premarital sex are preventable or at least the effect on a large majority of students can be reduced to the barest minimum. Accessing the causes can help us better understand ways to prevent and checkmate the occurrence of premarital sex among undergraduate students of in delta state college of health technology ofuoma.

Premarital sex, pose a great threat to the future of the numerous naive students admitted yearly into the university and also to the name of the school, because if this act increase various consequences will inevitably follow and it can grow into becoming a part of the culture among the students, taking a cue from “arrowing” which means to throw abusive words on passerby from the flyover just to have fun and make them feel embarrassed. From this one can see that there is need to carefully assess the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students of delta state college of health technology ofuoma.

1.5                                                  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In a view to reaching a meaningful and an objective result/conclusion the following questions were drawn to guide the research work.

1. Does peer group influence contribute to the occurrence of premarital sex?
2. Do financial gains influence premarital sex?
3. Does curiosity have any effect on premarital sex?
4. Do the media influence the occurrence of premarital sex?

1.6                                                PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research work is the assessment of the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students in Delta State College of Health Technology Ofuoma. The effect of premarital sex and possible suggestions for preventing or curbing this menace. This research work will help school authorities to Identify measures to be put in place that will help to curb the incidence of premarital sex among undergraduate students. If this study is properly utilized, it can help the school authority and the public in general on better approach to teaching sex and sex education.

1.7                                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The conclusion reached and the result gotten from this research will provide additional knowledge to past research findings already done on premarital sex, provide Delta State College of Health Technology Ofuoma with an arsenal of knowledge about the causes of premarital sex in her institute and also would be very beneficial to the numerous student admitted yearly to be better equipped against the pressure and occurrence of premarital sex among undergraduates.

This study will help to identify how peer influence contributes to premarital sex, the influence of financial gains on premarital sex, how curiosity or desire to experiment affects student’s decisions to engage in sexual intercourse before marriage.

Finally the results of this study can be used to strategize for better alternatives on educating the students on sex, and how to go about the unavoidable pressure associated with sex in the university community.

1.8                                                   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research study is focused on the Delta State College of Health Technology Ofuoma, Nigeria. The research shall be carried out using a descriptive survey research design. This study is focus on the causes of premarital sex among undergraduate students with the students of Delta State College of Health Technology Ofuoma as the main respondents.

1.9                                           DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is delimited to the undergraduate students in delta state college of health technology ofuoma. The decisions are specifically limited to the area of study even though there are other areas in the delta state that may have similar cons.

1.10                                               DEFINITION OF TERMS

Absenteeism:  Is regular absence from work or school without a good reason.

Consequence: Is the relation between a result and its cause or something that follows as a result.

Effects:  This could be the result of something probably after testing and evaluating them, then the result yielded or -outcome.

Existence: The state of being real, actual or current rather than imagined, invented or obsolete.

Environment: All the, people etc that influence the way in which people lives or works.

Immoral: Contrary to accepted moral principles.

Marriage: A state of union between a man and a woman, which has brought them together to live as husband and wife for procreation.

Motive:  Is the reason that makes someone to do something especially when this reason is kept within .Or it is an impulse, a desire or a need that leads to an action.

Pandemic: it is a disease that spread nationwide or worldwide at a particular.

Performance: This is a notable action or achievement, which has to do with the strength or ability of something.

Prostitution: The ability to have sexual intercourse for money.

Pre-marital Sex: This is an act of indulging in sex between unmarried persons.

Rape: is an unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, with or without her

consent, or if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats, intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm or by means of false and fraudulent misrepresentation as to the nature of the act or in the case of a married woman, by impersonating her husband.

Sex: it is a sexual intercourse.

CHAPTER TWO

2.0                                      REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

2.1                                                        INTRODUCTION

Literature shows those studies conducted on premarital sexual relationship among the youths; however, this literature review considered issues pertinent to the  present study are hereby presented under the following headings: meaning of  premarital sexual relationship, types of sexual relationship, causes of premarital sexual relationship, the religious and cultural perspectives on premarital sexual relationship