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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Illegal yet developmentally normative: A descriptive analysis of young, urban adolescents' dating and sexual behaviour in Cape Town, South Africa
BMC International Health and Human Rights, Volume 13, No. 1, Article 31, Year 2013
Notification
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Description
Background: In South Africa, it is illegal for adolescents under age 16 years to engage in any sexual behaviour whether kissing, petting, or penetrative sex, regardless of consent. This cross-sectional study investigated the extent to which young adolescents engage in various sexual behaviours and the associations between dating status and sexual behaviours. Method. Grade 8 adolescents (N = 474, ages 12-15 years, mean = 14.14 years) recruited from Cape Town schools completed surveys providing information about their sociodemographic backgrounds, dating experience, sexual behaviour, and substance use. Results: Lower hierarchy sexual behaviours, such as kissing (71.4% of girls; 88.4% of boys), were more common than oral (3.9% of girls; 13.8% of boys), vaginal (9.3% of girls; 30.0% of boys), or anal (1.4% of girls; 10.5% of boys) sex. Currently dating girls and boys were more likely to engage in sexual behaviours including several risk behaviours in comparison to their currently non-dating counterparts. These risk behaviours included penetrative sex (21.1% of dating vs. 4.5% of non-dating girls; 49.4% of dating vs. 20.2% of non-dating boys), sex with co-occurring substance use (22.2% of dating vs. 0 non-dating girls; 32.1% of dating vs. 40% of non-dating boys), and no contraceptive use (26.1% of sexually experienced girls; 44.4% of sexually experienced boys). Among girls, there were significant associations between ever having penetrative sex and SES (OR = 2.592, p = 0.017) and never dating (OR = 0.330, p = 0.016). Among boys, there were significant associations between ever having penetrative sex and never dating (OR = 0.162, p = 0.008). Although the currently dating group of young adolescents appear to be a precocious group in terms of risk behaviour relative to the currently non-dating group, teenagers in both groups had experience in the full range of sexual behaviours. Conclusions: Many young adolescents are engaging in a variety of sexual behaviours ranging from kissing and touching to intercourse. Of particular concern are those engaging in risky sexual behaviour. These findings indicate that adolescents need to be prepared for sexual negotiation and decision-making from an early age through comprehensive and accessible education and health services; sections of current legislation may be a barrier to adopting such policies and practices. © 2013 Gevers et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Gevers, Aník
South Africa, Tygerberg
South African Medical Research Council
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Mathews, Catherine
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
South Africa, Tygerberg
South African Medical Research Council
Cupp, Pam
United States, Lexington
University of Kentucky
Russell, Marcia A.H.
United States, Beltsville
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Jewkes, R. K.
South Africa, Tygerberg
South African Medical Research Council
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Statistics
Citations: 38
Authors: 5
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/1472-698X-13-31
e-ISSN:
1472698X
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Substance Abuse
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
South Africa
Participants Gender
Male
Female