Sexual experiences and their correlates among college students in Mumbai City, India

International Family Planning Perspectives, Sep 1999 by Abraham, Leena, Kumar, K Anil

Male students' liberal attitudes toward premarital sex applied only to male behavior and were marked by contradictions and double standards. For example, many male participants believed that premarital sex is acceptable for men but not for women. Furthermore, the qualitative data showed that young men have multiple partners, including commercial sex workers, "aunties" (older women), girlfriends and casual acquaintances. And since they perceive HIV infection to be associated only with commercial sex workers, they use condoms mainly during those sexual encounters. Thus, even if young women abstain from premarital sex, young men's sexual behavior may put them at risk of contracting STDs.

This analysis also uncovered an inconsistent relationship between knowledge about sexual issues and sexual behavior. Even though most sexually experienced young men had at least a moderate amount of knowledge, such knowledge was not necessarily reflected in their behavior. This situation is important and requires explanation. It is difficult to hypothesize on the direction of the relationship between knowledge and sexual experience; further research will need to examine the nature, extent and quality of knowledge, as well as the effect of other factors, such as socioeconomic, cultural and familial variables.

In the absence of adequate knowledge about pregnancy, contraception and STDs, it is difficult to prevent unintended pregnancies and STD infection, but students' knowledge of specific topics differed considerably. Recent campaigns against HIV have focused on providing basic information to students, but this information may not be of any functional value if young people lack adequate information about condoms. Therefore, AIDS awareness campaigns may have to broaden their scope to include information on sex, pregnancy and contraception in nonmedical, nontechnical language.

Finally, male students who initiate sexual activity appear to do so at a young age. Moreover, those who are enrolled in the arts program (which has the least demanding academic schedule) or who are employed are more likely than others to be sexually active. Sexuality education programs should be designed to reach out to these students, as they are also the most likely to attend classes irregularly. Additionally, young men who are exposed to erotic materials, which may carry incorrect, incomplete or distorted messages, require reliable information on sex and related topics.

Many Indian parents strongly oppose sexuality education in schools. These parents need to be made aware that Indian family and educational institutions are losing their traditional level of control over students'-especially male students'sexual behavior.

References

1. Rakesh A, Premarital Sexual Attitudes and Behaviour Among Adolescent Girls, Jaipur, India: Printwell, 1992; Family Planning Association of India,Youth Sexuality: A Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices Among Urban Educated Indian Youth 199S94, Mumbai, India: Sex Education Counselling Research and Training/Therapy, n.d,; Savara M and Sridhar CR, Sexual behaviour pattems amongst men and women in Maharashtra: results of a survey, paper presented at the workshop on Sexual Aspects of AIDS/STD Prevention in India, Mumbai, India, Nov 1993; Goparaju L, Unplanned, unsafe: male students' sexual behaviour, paper presented at the workshop on Sexual Aspects of AIDS/STD Prevention in India, Mumbai, India, Nov.1993; and Rangaiyan G, Sexuality and sexual behaviour in the age of AIDS: a study among college youth in Mumbai, unpublished dissertation, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, India, 1996.