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Perception Of Pre-Marital Sex, Courtship among Osun State University Undergraduates, Osogbo, Osun State

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11 October 2023

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17 October 2023

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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pre-marital sex is a sexual interest practiced by people who are yet to get married and has ended up being accepted specifically in western countries. Sex before marriage is sexual behavior engaged in by single people. In the past, having sex before getting married is seen as a moral dilemma that many cultures forbade and that many people regarded to be sin in many religions, although it has gained wider acceptance across the board. OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to determine the perception, practices, and factors associated with pre-marital sex, courtship, and its influences among Osun State University Undergraduates, Osogbo, Osun State. METHODOLOGY: The study was a descriptive study, and respondents were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. Students of Osun State University, Osogbo main campus form the population of the study and its sample size was calculated using Leslie Kish’s formula. A total of 387 responses were validated from the survey. The instrument for data collection was a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire consisting of four sections. The data obtained were collated, examined for completion, coded, imputed, and analyzed using SPSS v21. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was between 19.19±2.17, and the majority were between 18 – 24 years. About 52% of the respondents show a positive perception of premarital sex and courtship. Also, in the practice of courtship majority (88.3%) of the respondents think those that go around together are courting and from the responses obtained and analyzed from the factors leading to pre-marital sex, the findings revealed that peer pressure (90.4%), Internet (86.7%), pornography (83.9%) and drugs (82.9%) are the leading factors which contribute to pre-marital sex among undergraduates. CONCLUSION: The study hereby recommends that Parents should as a matter of responsibility monitor and pays regular visits to their children in the universities and provide them with materials that will make them stay comfortable for them not to fall victim to peer pressure.Pre-marital sex is a practice that should be avoided by undergraduate students, though most students consider courtship as a normal practice, it is still used as a normal factor that leads them to practice pre-marital sex.
Keywords: 
Subject: Public Health and Healthcare  -   Public Health and Health Services

Introduction

Pre-marital Commonly, this concept "sex before marriage" refers to people who are supposedly not yet of marriageable age or to adults who are having sexual relations before they eventually get married (Ramesh,et al, 2008). Merriam Webster claims that according to the dictionary, courtship is the amount of time when people engage in love activities that potentially result in marriage, or the time frame during which such activities take place. Sex before marriage is sexual behaviour engaged in by single people. In the past, having sex before getting married is seen as a moral dilemma that many cultures forbade and that many people regarded to be sin in many religions, although it has gained wider acceptance across the board since the 1960s, especially in Western nations. Several research have been conducted on how individual perceives courtship considering its impact on pre-marital sex (Bogle, 2008).
According to these research, young adults—both male and female—frequently participate in casual sex, often known as "campus courtship" or "hooking up," as opposed to the traditional courtship model, which forbids pre-marital sex. A sexual contact, including kissing and having intercourse, is widely referred to as "hooking up," especially amongst young men and women, without suggesting a legal commitment. Premarital sex, non-marital pregnancies, and a high rate of divorce each year have all significantly altered the traditional family structure. Due to western education, courtship, a practice that has been prevalent in Nigeria for decades, gained popularity. Undergraduate courtship has changed some of the traditional male and female interactions in African society. Men had to make calls to ladies in the pre-colonial era and be invited to visit the woman's home while being strictly supervised by the family. This kind of courtship followed traditional wooing guidelines that both men and women were required to follow. However, the perception of young men and women about romance and sex before marriage has indeed been completely reshaped by western education. The university setting gives young people the chance to go out and indulge in another type of campus romance known as "hooking up" away from the watchful eyes of their families and neighbors (Hettinger, 2007).
The mass media, social media, the internet, peers, shifting family customs, money, the university setting, and other elements have influenced how young people think and engage in courtship alongside contemporary social changes. Undergraduates' sexual conduct has been influenced by this awareness of courtship, especially in relation to courtship and its relationship to premarital sex.

Material and Method

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out at Osun State University. The study was carried out with the use of a semi-structured questionnaire. The information obtained from the finished instrument was calculated and analyzed using Statistical Product for Service Solutions version 21 software.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in this study as data analysis strategies. To examine the data and provide answers to the study objectives, descriptive statistics like frequency distribution and mean will be used. Compound frequency distributions were used to track respondents' replies to each of the instrument's questions.

RESULTS

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS

Table 1 shows the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. The mean age of the respondents is 19.19±2.17, with about 50% of them are between 18-24years. More than two-thirds of the respondents were female, practiced Christianity (69.8%) and are the Yoruba (78.3%) tribe. The majority (98.5%) of the respondents were single and are 100 level (54.5%) students.

RESPONDENTS' PERCEPTION ON PRE-MARITAL SEX, COURTSHIP AND ITS INFLUENCES

Table 2 shows the respondents' perception on pre-marital sex courtship and its influence. About 78% of the respondents agreed that women and men (68.6%) should be a virgin before marriage. More than two-thirds of the respondents agreed that neither man nor woman should not have pre-marital sex. Many (71.2%) of the respondents agreed that pre-marital sex should be prohibited. About 61% of the respondents disagreed that pre-marital sex is normal for biological needs. More than half of the respondents disagreed that pre-marital sex should be acceptable if a couple falls in love and plan to marry. The majority (92.3%) of the respondents agreed that courtship is a process where partners get to know more about each other. About 70% of the respondents agreed courtship sometimes leads to pre-marital and unprotected (61.2%) sex. Many (65.2%) of the respondents agreed that courtship has ruined the lives of some students.

RESPONDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS PRE-MARITAL SEX

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Figure 4.1. shows respondents’ perceptions towards premarital sex, courtship, and its influence. About 52% of the respondents show a positive perception towards premarital sex and courtship.
Figure 4.1. shows respondents’ perceptions towards premarital sex, courtship, and its influence. About 52% of the respondents show a positive perception towards premarital sex and courtship.
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RESPONDENTS' VIEW ON COURTSHIP PRACTICE

Table 3 shows the respondents' views on courtship practice among them. About 62.9% of the respondents think most of the people living together are courting. The majority (88.3%) of the respondents think those that go around together are courting. More than two-thirds of the respondents believed courting can take place without any form of personal contact with the help of modern technology. Most (84.7%) of the respondents believe singing romantic love songs, reciting poems and writing letters help the courtship building.

FACTOR LEADING TO PRE-MARITAL SEX AMONG UNDERGRADUATE

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Figure 4.2. shows respondents’ views on factors that lead to pre-marital sex among undergraduates. About 90% of the respondents think peer pressure has led to pre-marital sex among undergraduate students compared to the Internet (86.7%), Pornography (83.9%), Drugs (82.9%), living arrangement (71.5%), family background (68.8%) and Pocket money (66.5%).
Figure 4.2. shows respondents’ views on factors that lead to pre-marital sex among undergraduates. About 90% of the respondents think peer pressure has led to pre-marital sex among undergraduate students compared to the Internet (86.7%), Pornography (83.9%), Drugs (82.9%), living arrangement (71.5%), family background (68.8%) and Pocket money (66.5%).
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DISCUSSION

In this study, we examined the undergraduates’ perceptions on courtship and its influence on pre-marital sex, we also ascertained how courtship is being practiced among the undergraduates and lastly, we identified the factors leasing pre-marital sex among undergraduates. A large percentage of the respondents agreed that women and men should be virgins before marriage, neither a man or woman should have pre-marital sex, premarital sex should be prohibited and shouldn’t be normal because it is a biological need, pre-marital sex should not be acceptable if a couple fall in love and plan to marry, courtship sometimes lead to premarital sex and unprotected sex and that courtship has ruined the lives of some students. This means that a higher proportion have a positive perception on premarital sex that it should be avoided.
Meanwhile on the perception of undergraduates on courtship, a higher proportion agreed that courtship sometimes leads to premarital and unprotected sex and courtship leads to the ruin of some students lives, this indicates that although there is an overall positive perception towards pre- marital sex that it should be avoided the perception on courtship indicates that courtship has a big role to play in undergraduates participating in premarital sex. It is obvious from the study that the undergraduate students show a positive perception towards premarital sex and courtship which means that pre-marital sex is a behavior that should be avoided among undergraduates in Osun State University, which is in line with a study conducted by (Hansel Teo Sze Young et. al. 2020) on the perception of premarital sex among students in a faith-based university.
This study also showed that majority of students say that those that hang around together are courting, a particularly large amount of people also says that singing romantic love songs, reciting poems, and writing letters is a method of courtship, while a lesser amount say couples that live together are also practicing courtship.
Results from the factors that influence pre-marital sex showed that peer pressure is the major contributing factor that leads undergraduate into having pre-marital sex. Following that are other factors such as pornography, drugs, internet, living arrangement, movies/television etc. these influencing factors are not peculiar to this study alone, it was also stated in another study that was conducted by (Adegboyega et. al. 2019 & Omoge Adeyemi O. et al. 2022) on the influence of peer pressure on sexual behavior of undergraduates in kwara state.

CONCLUSION

Pre-marital sex is a practice that should be avoided by undergraduate students, though most students consider courtship as a normal practice, it is still used as a normal factor that leads them to practicing pre-marital sex.
Some students especially in their teens, are mainly influenced by their peers, others by the promise of marriage which makes them fall victim of pre-marital sex.
Our respondents have a positive perception on pre-marital sex, which tends to influence their courtship practices in a positive way.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Premarital sexual behavior is a public health issue that affects students in tertiary institutions today at an increasingly young age and compares to most of the psychological, physical, social health, and economic problems. As a result, suggestions for solutions should come from students who are knowledgeable and interested in the problem.
If knowledge is raised in every social institution, especially the tertiary institutions in the nation, premarital sexual activity can be avoided. The prevention of premarital sexual activity should be everyone's responsibility, including parents, the school administration, the government, and our peers. Therefore, we strongly urge that;
As a matter of obligation, parents should keep an eye on, visit their kids in college frequently, and provide them with supplies to help them feel at home, for them not to fall victim of peer pressure.
The internet is another major factor that leads undergraduates to have pre-marital sex so we strongly advice that they reduce social media influence in their everyday lives.
Petition to ban pornography online should be hammered on, to reduce access to it.
University campus leaders should provide and implement proper punishment for people caught using drugs.
Parents should strictly monitor the kind of movies that their children watch on television as some may contain content that will influence them to practice pre-marital sex.

LIMITATIONS

Some challenges were noted during the study, like trying to find students on campus, trying to convince students to engage in the study, and the travelling stress.

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Table 1. Frequency distribution of respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics.
Table 1. Frequency distribution of respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics.
Variable n = (387) Percentage (%)
Age(years)
<18 182 47
18-24 193 49.9
≥25 12 3.1
Mean±SD 19.19±2.17

Gender
Male 137 35.4
Female 250 64.6

Ethnicity
Yoruba 303 78.3
Igbo 53 13.7
Hausa 14 3.6
Others 17 4.4

Religion
Islam 115 29.7
Christianity 271 69.8
Traditional 1 0.3

Marital status
Single 379 98.5
Married 6 1.5

Level
100 211 54.5
200 87 22.5
300 64 16.5
400 18 4.7
500 7 1.8

Department
Anatomy 23 5.9
Pharmacology 26 6.7
Physiology 33 8.5
Public health 54 14
Computer science 10 2.6
Medical laboratory science 19 5
Biochemistry 8 2.1
Law 7 1.8
Mechanical engineering 8 2.1
Nutrition & Dietetics 19 5.1
Radiography & radiation science 26 6.7
Nursing 12 3.2
Others (Zoology, Statistics, Plant Biology, MCB) 142 36.3

Faculty
Basic and Applied science 39 10.1
Basic Medical science 63 16.1
Engineering 26 6.7
FABAMSA 29 9.4
Health sciences 43 11.1
FBSS 9 2.3
FBMS 14 3.7
Others (BMS,CHS,LAW, College of Health) 164 40.6
Table 2. Frequency distribution of respondents’ perception on pre-marital sex, courtship and its influence.
Table 2. Frequency distribution of respondents’ perception on pre-marital sex, courtship and its influence.
Variable Agree
(%)		 Neutral
(%)		 Disagree
(%)
Woman should be a virgin before marriage 296(77.9%) 15(3.9%) 69(18.2%)
Man should be a virgin before marriage 260(68.6%) 21(5.5%) 98(25.9%)
Neither a man or woman should have pre-marital sex 263(69.7%) 18(4.8%) 96(25.5%)
Pre-marital sex should be absolutely prohibited 270(71.2%) 87(23%) 22(5.8%)
Pre-marital sex normal because it is a kind of biological need 119(31.4%) 30(7.9%) 230(60.7%)
Pre-marital sex is acceptable if a couple fall in love 135(35.6%) 27(7.1%) 217(57.3%)
Pre-marital sex is acceptable if he/she has only one partner 125(33.2%) 30(8%) 222(58.9%)
Pre-marital sex is acceptable if the couple plan to marry in the future 138(36.3%) 28(7.4%) 214(56.3%)
Courtship is a process whereby you get to know your partner 350(92.3%) 4(1.1%) 25(6.6%)
Courtship sometimes leads to pre-marital sex 267(70.4%) 11(2.9%) 101(26.6%)
Table 3. Frequency Distribution of Respondents View on Courtship Practice.
Table 3. Frequency Distribution of Respondents View on Courtship Practice.
Variables n=381 Percentage (%)
By doing the live-in couple
Yes 246 62.9
No 143 37.1

Couples that go together for some activities
Yes 342 88.3
No 45 11.7

Courting can also take place without personal contact,
especially with modern technology
Yes 301 77.7
No 86 22.3

The practice of singing romantic love songs, reciting poems,
writing letters and gift-giving
Yes 328 84.7
No 59 15.3
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