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Jiménez Aceves J, Tarzia L. Understanding the Perspectives and Experiences of Male Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Against Women: A Scoping Review and Thematic Synthesis. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:3226-3240. [PMID: 38549440 DOI: 10.1177/15248380241241014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Worldwide, sexual violence is a significant public health issue. Although any person can be victimized, the vast majority of sexual violence is perpetrated by men against women. Research has increasingly explored the experiences of victims, however, the perspectives of male perpetrators of sexual violence have largely been sidelined. This limits the ability to design effective public health and policy responses to sexual violence. Our aim was to synthesize the available peer-reviewed qualitative research exploring the perspectives of adult male perpetrators of sexual violence against women. Five databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL and SocINDEX. We included qualitative, peer-reviewed English-language studies published in the past 40 years, focused on the perceptions and experiences of male perpetrators of sexual violence. Fourteen articles (describing 12 studies) were identified. Most (10) of the articles examined the perspectives of convicted male sex offenders serving a custodial sentence. Of the remaining four articles, two focused on anonymous users of the online forum, Reddit.com, and the remaining two focused on students on university campuses. These four articles were the most recent. We developed four major themes from our thematic analysis of the study findings that represent the experiences and perceptions of male perpetrators of sexual violence. These themes describe deflecting blame onto the victim, external circumstances as mitigating factors, or the perpetrator's uncontrollable biological urges. One theme involved some expression of remorse or acceptance of responsibility. Although our findings may have implications for prevention and rehabilitation programs, further research is urgently needed in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Tarzia
- The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
- The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Pazos LA, Cash DK, Russell TD. Yes, No, Maybe So: The Effects of Relationship Status on Perceptions of Inferred Consent. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024; 39:3110-3134. [PMID: 38193453 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231225515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Despite the notion that sexual consent is either granted or refused, its communication can sometimes be ambiguous. This uncertainty stems from the tendency to rely on implicit, nonverbal cues to indicate consent. Without clear, explicit communication, people might be encouraged to rely upon contextual information when assessing whether a sexual encounter was consensual. Perceived levels of intimacy and familiarity in a relationship might influence these perceptions, such that prior intimacy might lead to ambiguously communicated consent being interpreted as more consensual. Gender roles can dictate the behaviors expected in a sexual encounter, with female-initiated sexual violence against men potentially being perceived as more consensual than the inverse. The current study examined how relationship type (Experiments 1 and 2) and gender pairing (Experiment 2) influenced participants' perceptions of how consensual various sexual encounters were. Participants read a series of vignettes in which sexual consent was verbally granted, verbally rejected, or inferred using nonverbal cues. Additionally, the dyads' relationships were either described as dating, friends, or strangers. Following vignette presentation, participants provided judgments regarding how consensual the interactions were. Experiment 2 expanded upon this by manipulating the gender of the initiators and targets. When consent was not clearly indicated, more established relationships were associated with higher ratings of perceived consent. Male targets were attributed more responsibility for sexual interactions, and they were also believed to want nonconsensual sex more than female targets. These findings highlight the importance of contextual information in instances where sexual consent is unclear.
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Bergenfeld I, Anderson KM, Trang QT, Cheong YF, Minh TH, Hoover AT, Yount KM. Development of the Vietnamese Rape Myths Acceptance Scales: A Web-Based Survey of Young Adults. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:2629-2652. [PMID: 38886249 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-024-02893-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Rape myths-false but widely held beliefs that serve to deny and justify sexual aggression-present a major barrier to reporting and prevention of sexual violence in Vietnam and globally. Based on a parent study aimed at reducing sexual violence at two universities in Hanoi, we developed and assessed a contextualized measure of rape myths among young people in Vietnam. Items from previously validated rape myth acceptance (RMA) scales and data from qualitative research informed the development of 50 items, which were administered to Vietnamese 18-24-year-olds (n = 2,756 total, n = 1,798 cisgender women) via an anonymous link in February 2021. We used factor analysis to explore and test factor structure and multi-group factor analysis to assess measurement equivalence across gender. We calculated item-level discrimination and difficulty parameters and visualized information curves using item response theory analysis, informing the development of a short form. Four hypothesized subconstructs identified in the qualitative data emerged as factors: (1) "He didn't mean to"; (2) "She asked for it"; (3) "It wasn't really rape"; and (4) "Rape is a deviant event." A fifth factor, "She didn't protect herself," included four items from formative data. Confirming formative findings and prior literature, cisgender women had lower RMA than cisgender men, particularly on items related to victim-blaming. The Vietnamese Rape Myths Acceptance Scales were internally consistent and equivalent between cisgender men and women, capturing elements specific to the Vietnamese context and providing a tool for campus climate surveys and evaluations of sexual violence prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Bergenfeld
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Katherine M Anderson
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Quach Thu Trang
- Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Yuk Fai Cheong
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tran Hung Minh
- Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Kathryn M Yount
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Sociology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Zhao C, Ding H, Ren L, He J, Du M, Hu H, Shen X, Yu G, Zhang G. Testing the Associations Between Attachment Anxiety, Relational Aggression and Depressive Symptoms in Romantic Relationships: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediator Model. J Youth Adolesc 2024:10.1007/s10964-024-02030-6. [PMID: 38851651 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-024-02030-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Emerging adulthood is a pivotal period for romantic relationships, yet the specific mechanisms through which attachment anxiety influences relationship dynamics and psychological outcomes in this phase are poorly understood. Particularly, in the context of romantic dyads, understanding how partners' behaviors and emotional patterns reciprocally influence each other remains underexplored. This study utilizes the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediator Model to explore the relationship between attachment anxiety,relational aggression (both perpetration and victimization), and depressive symptoms among emerging adults. A sample of 138 mixed-sex emerging adulthood couples from China, was recruited (Mage = 21.40, SD = 2.54; 50% female, 62.6% reporting that this relationship was ongoing for more than a year). Attachment anxiety significantly predicted relational aggression in both partners, with male attachment anxiety also significantly predicted female relational aggression. Significant indirect effects of both partners' relational aggression perpetration and victimization on their own and each other's relationship between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings contribute to understanding the intricate dynamics of attachment anxiety and relational aggression in romantic relationships during emerging adulthood, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to mitigate these risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjia Zhao
- School of Education, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Huimin Ding
- School of Education, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Lvzhou Ren
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiankang He
- School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Mingxuan Du
- School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Hu
- School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xinhua Shen
- School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
- Department of Neurosis and Psychosomatic Diseases, Huzhou Third Municipal Hospital, Huzhou, China.
| | - Guoliang Yu
- School of Education, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
| | - Guohua Zhang
- School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
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Labhardt D, Brown S, Holdsworth E, McKillop N, Howat DJ, Jones C. UK and Australian University Students' Perceptions of the Nature of Sexual Assault and Intervening Behavior. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024; 39:1952-1975. [PMID: 37961902 PMCID: PMC10993633 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231212171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Sexual assault is a global problem, with the risk highest among university students. Bystander intervention preventing sexual assaults has primarily been researched using quantitative methods to understand what factors influence it. However, both sexual assault and bystander intervention are complex with many subtle and overlapping issues that, when analyzed qualitatively, can offer new insights. The current study aimed to explore and develop a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of students' perceptions of sexual assault and bystander intervention across two universities, one in the United Kingdom and one in Australia. Thirty-nine university students (19 in the United Kingdom; 20 in Australia) took part in one-to-one semistructured interviews. Using inductive thematic analysis, two overarching themes were identified: (a) navigating the complex dynamics of sexual assault; and (b) decisions to intervene or not to intervene. Findings suggest that the complexity and ambiguity around sexual assault can forestall bystander intervention. As such, increasing education, awareness, and discussions around sexual assault and bystander intervention is vital to increase awareness of the problem and mobilize action from bystanders to prevent sexual assault.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Brown
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Nadine McKillop
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Christian Jones
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
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Smith LA, Kolokotroni KZ, Turner-Moore R. Adults' Understandings and Experiences of the Capacity to Consent to Substance-Involved Sexual Activity. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2024; 61:495-514. [PMID: 37004160 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2023.2189686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Most research on capacity to consent to substance-involved sex has focused exclusively on the implications of alcohol with little attention given to other or additional psychoactive drugs. This study aimed to explore people's understanding and experiences of the capacity to consent to alcohol- and/or drug-involved sexual activity. UK adults (N = 354) completed an online mixed-methods survey on sexual consent during sober, alcohol- and/or drug-involved sex. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes for capacity to consent were: (1) "There is no normative understanding of substance-involved sexual consent," (2) "Moving beyond the binary of consciousness versus incapacitation" and (3) "Substance-involved sexual decisions are viewed as irresponsible." The findings illustrated that capacity to consent is nuanced and multidimensional, and that people's understandings and experiences of capacity to consent to substance-involved sex are not solely individual, but rather, they are also shaped by their environment. We call for a multidimensional view of capacity to consent, where a standard of "unimpaired," rather than sober, is used and modeled by academics, legislators, and educators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Smith
- Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University
| | | | - Rhys Turner-Moore
- Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University
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Oware PM, De Angeles KJC, Ntinyari W, Langat N, Mboya B, Ekström AM, Kågesten AE. "I Wouldn't Believe Her at First"-A Qualitative Study of Young People's Sexual Consent Perceptions and Negotiation in Nairobi Informal Settlements. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:11520-11544. [PMID: 37431753 PMCID: PMC10515443 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231185301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Forced or coerced sexual experiences have serious consequences for young people's health and well-being. Healthy sexual consent communication can foster positive intimate relationships and help prevent unwanted sexual experiences. We aimed to explore how young people in Nairobi's informal settlements construct, communicate, and negotiate sexual consent within heterosexual partnerships, given the limited insight into such experiences from resource-poor, global-south contexts. A qualitative study with young men and women aged 15 to 21 years was conducted among former participants of a school-based sexual violence prevention intervention in four informal settlements (slums) of Nairobi. Twenty-one individual in-depth interviews (n = 10 females, n = 11 males) and 10 focus group discussions (five with n = 6-11 males vs. females, respectively), that is, n = 89 in total were conducted. Data were analysed using thematic network analysis and interpreted using the Sexual script theory. Participants' endorsement of incongruent sexual scripts shaped their perceptions and negotiations of sexual consent. Young men were committed to respecting sexual consent, but promoted male (sexual) dominance, and perceived women's refusals as token resistance. Per traditional scripts of sexual chastity, young women were largely bound by their use of a "soft no" to give consent, so as to not display direct sexual interest. Actual non-assertive refusals thus risked being interpreted as consent. Young women's "actual" refusals had to be more assertive (saying a "hard no") and were described as having been influenced by skills learned during the school-based intervention. Findings highlight the need for sexual consent education to address internalized gendered norms about female token resistance, destigmatize female sexuality, reduce male dominance norms, and encourage young people's respect for both assertive and non-assertive sexual consent communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Anna Mia Ekström
- Department of Global Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, South Central Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Yount KM, Anderson KM, Trang QT, Bergenfeld I. Preventing sexual violence in Vietnam: qualitative findings from high school, university, and civil society key informants across regions. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1114. [PMID: 37301883 PMCID: PMC10256971 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15973-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual violence by young men against women is common, but efficacious primary prevention interventions tailored to men are limited in low- and middle-income settings like Vietnam. GlobalConsent, a web-based sexual violence prevention intervention tailored to university men in Hanoi, is efficacious. Implementation research is needed to understand facilitators and barriers to scaling GlobalConsent and prevention programs generally. We conducted qualitative research with key informants from three youth-focused organizational settings to understand the context of implementation in Vietnam. METHODS Interviews with university (n = 15), high-school (n = 15) and non-governmental (n = 15) key informants focused on perceptions about sexual violence among young people and prevention programming. Four focus group discussions with 22 interviewed informants, following the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, asked about facilitators and barriers to implementing GlobalConsent. Narratives were transcribed, translated, and coded inductively and deductively to identify salient themes. RESULTS Outer-setting influences included greater expectations for sex among young people alongside norms favoring men's sexual privilege, ostensibly ambiguous and lax laws on sexual violence, government ministries as bureaucratic but potential allies, external subject-matter experts, and the media. Inner-setting influences included variable cultures regarding openness to discuss sexual violence and equitable gender norms, variable departmental coordination, limited funding and 'red tape' especially in public institutions, inconsistent student access to technologies, and limited time and competing priorities among students and teachers. Several actors were considered influential, including institutional leaders, human-resource staff, the Youth Union, and student-facing staff. Important characteristics of individuals for implementation included subject-matter expertise, science or social science training, younger age, engagement in social justice related activities, and more open attitudes about sex. Regarding characteristics of sexual violence prevention programming, some participants preferred online formats for busy students while others suggested hybrid or in-person formats, peer education, and incentives. Participants generally accepted the content of GlobalConsent and suggested adding more content for women, ancillary support services, and adapted content for high-school students. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of sexual violence prevention programs in youth-focused organizations in Vietnam requires multilevel strategies that connect outer-setting subject-matter experts with supportive inner-setting leaders and student-facing staff to overcome normative and organizational constraints, and thereby, to deliver institution-wide programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Yount
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Sociology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Katherine M Anderson
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Quach Thu Trang
- Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Irina Bergenfeld
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Mavragani A, Bradley H, Bergenfeld I, Trang QT, Sales JM, Li Y, Minh TH. Impacts of GlobalConsent, a Web-Based Social Norms Edutainment Program, on Sexually Violent Behavior and Bystander Behavior Among University Men in Vietnam: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e35116. [PMID: 36705965 PMCID: PMC9919511 DOI: 10.2196/35116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual violence against women is prevalent worldwide. Prevention programs that treat men as allies and integrate a bystander framework are emerging in lower income settings, but evidence of their effectiveness is conflicting. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to test the impact of GlobalConsent on sexually violent behavior and prosocial bystander behavior among university men in Vietnam. METHODS We used a double-blind, parallel intervention versus control group design with 1:1 randomization at 2 universities. A total of 793 consenting heterosexual or bisexual men aged 18-24 years who matriculated in September 2019 were enrolled and assigned randomly to GlobalConsent or an attention-control adolescent health education (AHEAD) program. GlobalConsent is an adapted, theory-based, 6-module web-based intervention with diverse behavior change techniques and a locally produced serial drama. AHEAD is a customized, 6-module attention-control program on adolescent health. Both the programs were delivered to computers and smartphones over 12 weeks. Self-reported sexually violent behaviors toward women in the prior 6 months and prosocial bystander behaviors in the prior year were measured at 0, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS More than 92.7% (735/793) of men in both study arms completed at least 1 program module, and >90.2% (715/793) of men completed all 6 modules. At baseline, a notable percentage of men reported any sexually violent behavior (GlobalConsent: 123/396, 31.1%; AHEAD: 103/397, 25.9%) in the prior 6 months. Among men receiving GlobalConsent, the odds of reporting a high level (at least 2 acts) of sexually violent behavior at the endline were 1.3 times the odds at baseline. Among men receiving AHEAD, the corresponding odds ratio was higher at 2.7. The odds of reporting any bystander behavior at endline were 0.7 times the odds at baseline for GlobalConsent, and the corresponding odds ratio for AHEAD was lower at 0.5. CONCLUSIONS Compared with a health attention-control condition, GlobalConsent has sustained favorable impacts on sexually violent behavior and prosocial bystander behavior among matriculating university men in Vietnam, who would otherwise face increasing risks of sexually violent behavior. GlobalConsent shows promise for national scale-up and regional adaptations. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04147455; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04147455. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12889-020-09454-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Irina Bergenfeld
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Quach Thu Trang
- Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Jessica M Sales
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Yiman Li
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tran Hung Minh
- Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Agu IC, Mbachu CO, Ezenwaka U, Eze I, Ezumah N, Onwujekwe O. Gender norms and ideologies about adolescent sexuality: A mixed-method study of adolescents in communities, south-eastern, Nigeria. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:810411. [PMID: 36226127 PMCID: PMC9548641 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.810411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual and reproductive health choices and behaviors of adolescents are shaped by gender norms and ideologies which are grounded in cultural beliefs. This study examined the perspectives of adolescents about the influence of gender norms and ideologies on sexuality. METHODS A cross-sectional study was undertaken in three urban and three rural communities in south-eastern Nigeria using quantitative and qualitative research methods. A modified cluster sampling procedure was used to select respondents. Data were collected from 1,057 adolescents and twelve focus group discussions with unmarried adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. For the quantitative data, univariate, bivariate and probit regression analyses were performed using Stata while the thematic framework approach was used to analyze qualitative data. RESULTS The dominant beliefs among adolescents are that: it is wrong for unmarried adolescents to have sex (86.4%); unmarried adolescents should abstain from sex (89.3%); consent should be obtained before sexual intercourse (89.1%); it is a girl's responsibility to ensure she does not get pregnant (66.5%), and sex should be initiated by boys (69.6%). Gender (boy or girl) was a predictor of belief in premarital abstinence (t-value = -3.88), belief that premarital sexual intercourse is acceptable provided contraceptive is used (t-value = 3.49, CI 1.14-0.49), belief that premarital sexual intercourse is wrong (t-value = -2.24) and, belief that sex should be initiated by boys only (t-value = -4.37). Adolescent boys were less likely to believe in pre-marital abstinence and less likely to believe that pre-marital sex among adolescents is wrong compared to girls. They were also more likely to believe adolescents can have sex provided contraceptive is used compared to girls. Qualitative findings revealed adolescents' beliefs that girls feel shy initiating sex and that boys experience more urge for sex hence, boys were perceived to be responsible for initiating sex. Both boys and girls experience pressure to have sex however, boys were described to experience more pressure from peers to have sex. Peer-to-peer communication, quest for material possessions and low socioeconomic conditions contribute to peer pressure to engage in sex. CONCLUSION Adolescents' beliefs about sexuality underline the need to contextualize interventions to address these norms and ideologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifunanya Clara Agu
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Chinyere Ojiugo Mbachu
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Uchenna Ezenwaka
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Irene Eze
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Nkoli Ezumah
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Obinna Onwujekwe
- Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
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