PREMARITAL SEX; A MENACE TO TODAY'S YOUTH

 

Premarital sex is sexual activity practiced by people before they are married. It is generally used in reference to individuals who are presumed not yet of marriage or  between adults who may likely marry each other eventually,  but who are engaging in sexual activity before marriage.

In the light of this, premarital sex is an illegal act against the norms of the society. It is only pertinent to note that the continual high rate of premarital sex in Nigeria is traceable to post Nigeria civil war due to low socioeconomic status of the people. In the traditional Nigerian society, sex outside marriage is forbidden, and people did not express their opinions and views on love, sex and marriage openly. 

There are strict norms that determine codes of conduct, established norms in order to guide individual members towards socially acceptable behaviours. Hence, the bride and the groom may not have slept with each other until after the marriage rites. Such was the practice of most Nigerian communities.

Also in the olden days, social punishments like songs of contempt and degradation were meted out at marriage to brides that lost their virginity before the marriage night. This made most girls to abstain from premarital sex. They strove to maintain the good name of their families.

Further more, the advent of christianity also strengthened the restrictive attitude towards premarital sex expressions. Schools were built and managed by missionaries and very stringent codes of conduct were imposed on heterosexual activities. They aimed at preventing children from any type of sexual activity which was regarded as an act of immorality and  sin against God. He wants us to save sex for marriage not because it’s “bad” or “dirty”— but because it’s unique, exclusive, and wonderful. Sex isn’t just casual fun. And it’s not just a feel-good way of expressing mutual love. It’s about two people becoming one flesh.

Historically, premarital sex was considered a moral issue which was taboo in many cultures and considered a sin by a number of religions, but since 1960s decade, it has become more widely accepted, especially in Western countries. In modern Western cultures, social value of sexual abstinence before marriage has declined. A significant portion of people had engaged in premarital sex, although the number willing to admit to this was not always high.  

In " predominantly Muslim nations" such as Indonesia, Pakistan and Egypt,  It was discovered that premarital sex was considered particularly unacceptable. While other people within Western European nations were the most accepting such as Spain, Germany and France. However, premarital sex has been morally acceptable in almost every human society that regards marriages as the legitimate requirement for sexual behaviour. 

In a recent report released by Centre for the study of Adolescents in Kenya(2007), the age of sexual debut is now at all time low of between 8 and 12years. Young people had sex before they reach the age of 20. This increases the chances of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases. Also, the consequences of premarital sex led to sexually transmitted diseases as well as HIV are higher for females. If a young girl becomes pregnant, she places herself and her unborn child at risk because a young girls' body would not have developed to the point of being able to handle child birth safely. Even if a young mother escaped severe health consequences,  she will still face serious responsibilities of parenthood.

Many people use sex as a way to create or get what they need by engaging in such activity, some last used sex as the only source of getting money, most men and women engage in sex just to satisfy their sexual urge. The need for love, touch and attachment may lead some people to give in to sex in other to save a relationship. Those who mistake sex for love and base their relationship on physical pleasure will find their relationship unfulfilling, eventually it makes it worse and dissolve.

Starting in the 1920s, and especially after World War II, premarital sex became more common, particularly among women. By the end of the 20th century, between 75 and 80 percent of Americans had experienced vaginal intercourse before the age of 19. This has been attributed to numerous causes, including the increasing median age at marriage and the widespread availability of efficient contraceptives.

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.

Sexual behaviors of adolescents and youth are categorized as one of the main health priorities of a society because of high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unwanted pregnancies.

 Today, due to the advances in technology and its impact on the quality of life, addressing the health and its influencing factors has become important. Also, providing health for the society is considered as one of the main issues in any country. Sexual behaviors of adolescents and youth are categorized as one of the main health priorities of a society because of the high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unwanted pregnancies.

Based on different research studies, it is estimated that about 50% of the 35.3 million population of those who are infected with HIV have got infected before the age of 25 years. 

Each day, some 500,000 young people, mostly young women, are infected with an STI (excluding HIV); among these infections, hepatitis B, genital herpes, and genital warts are not curable. Research studies show that the rate of STIs, such as genital warts, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea, among teens and young adults is greater.Besides that, unwanted pregnancies which are caused due to premature and unprotected sexual contacts in teenagers and youth would bring unsafe abortions and their heavy and long-term consequences which are either physical or mental and sometimes, it would even bring death to such mothers.

Name: Sunday Promise Gift

State Code: OS/20B/0612

Discipline: Marketing