THE CAUSES OF PREMARITAL SEX AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

1.1 Introduction

Premarital sexual behavior is a sexual activities practiced by persons who are unmarried and it has been considered taboo in some cultures and sin in numerous religion (Stephen & Stephen, 2016). Sex being a universal term one would expect a great deal to be known about it. The family institution is where sexual activities or intercourse takes place between two adults if opposite sex is not confined to young people alone; a good number of people who are not married are also vulnerable to pre-marital sex. This is evidence by the large number of unintended pregnancies many of which get terminated in back street clinics (Alo, 2008), the high rate of sexual transmitted infected among the 15-24 years old and an increasing number of girls dropping out of school due to unwanted pregnancies.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of 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. 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 the University of Benin 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 university community and the nation at large.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Causes of Premarital Sex among Undergraduate Students.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that 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. Pre-marital sexual experiences many atimes, leads to the misconception that sex is to be enjoyed at whatever ways possible. Forced pre-marital sex may lead to mental depressions and dilemma.

Another danger is possible exchange of diseases as premarital partners may not be aware of diseases that spread through pre-marital sex. Emotional imbalances and guilt feeling could be the result of most pre-marital sex.

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 the University of Benin.

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 the University of Benin.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Causes of Premarital Sex among Undergraduate Students. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the reasons and causes of pre-marital sex among Undergraduate Students;
2. To determine how pre-marital sex affect the academic performance of Undergraduate Students;
3. To find out the risks encountered in pre-marital sex among Undergraduate Students; and
4. To determine the solution to the problem encountered with the adult student through pre-marital sex.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does peer group influence contribute to the occurrence of premarital sex?
• Do financial gains influence premarital sex?
• Does curiosity have any effect on premarital sex?
• Do the media influence the occurrence of premarital sex?
• Does pre-marital sex affect the academic performance of Undergraduate Students?
• What are the reasons and causes of pre-marital sex among Undergraduate Students?
• What are the risks encountered in pre-marital sex among Undergraduate Students?
• What is the solution to the problem encountered with the adult student through pre-marital sex?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Premarital sexual behaviour will not significantly influence Undergraduate Students’ academic performance in University of Benin.
• H1: Premarital sexual behaviour will significantly influence Undergraduate Students’ academic performance in University of Benin.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There are no significant effects of pre-marital sex on Undergraduate Students in University of Benin
• H1: There are significant effects of pre-marital sex on Undergraduate Students in University of Benin

1.7 Significance of Study

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.

The conclusion reached and the result gotten from this research will provide additional knowledge to past research findings already done on premarital sex, provide the University of Benin 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 Study

The study focuses on the investigation of the Causes of Premarital Sex among Undergraduate Students of University of Benin (UNIBEN). This research study is focused on the prestigious federal university of Benin located in Egor local government of Edo State, Nigeria. The research shall be carried out using a descriptive survey research design.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Operational Definition of Terms

Pre-marital sex: It is the sexual activity practiced by persons who are unmarried.

Sexuality: It is the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses.

Marital Affairs: It is the relationship between a man and woman who are legally married.