This paper focuses on boys and young men's attitudes, knowledge and practices with regard to pregnancy and HIV infection. The objective of the study is to ascertain how boys and young men perceive the risks of pregnancy and HIV infection. The study further investigates the strategies which the sexually active respondents considered as appropriate, practical and effective in coping with these risks. The study was based on the secondary data which was extracted from the transitions to adulthood survey conducted in KwaZulu Natal during 2001. The analysis was restricted to young men aged 14 to 24 years. The major findings from the study revealed that young men did not perceive themselves at risk of HIV infection. Overall, respondents were fairly knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and knew where to access condoms, how HIV is contracted or transmitted etc. Findings also indicated that many respondents regarded pregnancy as a matter of great concern. Many respondents perceived pregnancy as highly problematic and were concerned to protect themselves against this risk. The major finding for this study revealed that the majority of sexually active young men used condoms for preventing both pregnancy and HIV/AIDS; while some also used various contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy. A major factor promoting consistent condom use was the perception of pregnancy as highly problematic. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This exploratory qualitative study investigates possible barriers to HIV preventive behavior amongst Zulu-speaking, black adolescent males, aged 15-23, in township secondary schools in Durban, South Africa. Perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and practices concerning HIV prevention and transmission are elicited using semi-structured focus groups and mixed open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires. Thematic analysis of the data is used to identify possible barriers to protection. Issues specifically investigated are condom use and multiple sexual partners. Belief in the ability to choose uninfected girlfriends, a distrust of and misperceptions about condoms, the importance of trust to a sexual relationship, false optimism engendered by fast-spreading myths about cures, and skewed risk perception engendered by conspiracy theory narratives and overestimation of the severity of the epidemic were found to be possible barriers to protection amongst males and controlling the spread of HIV. A discussion of these barriers ensues the results. / Thesis (M.Dev.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

In this paper I address the problem of risky sexual behaviours among boys between 16 and 17 in an Umlazi high school, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The main question, which I address, is what boys in an Umlazi high school consider as risky sexual behaviour. My central thesis in addressing this question is exploring the boys’ risky sexual behaviours in an Umlazi high school in order to understand their risky sexual behaviours which can lead to HIV and AIDS infection. My aims and purpose in this essay are thus to understand the boys meaning of risky sexual behaviour, why do these boys in the study engage themselves in risky sexual behaviors and how does the social constructions impact on risky sexual behaviours of boys in an Umlazi high school. The research context of this study is in the domain of masculinity and sexuality. I start from premise that masculinity and sexuality are dynamic and fluid assuming that their risky sexual behaviours are the result of social construction of masculinities and sexualities. I used the qualitative methods in order to understand their world and their meaning of risky sexual behaviours. My results showed that the society shaped the boys meaning of masculinity and sexuality, their identity of being boys and attitudes towards sex and being a boy. In addition to that these boys were urging to be the boys that their society know and expect, they did not want to be different or act differently to what the society consider normal of which there is a price of being alienated or subordinated and ostracized if a boy perform alternative masculinity and sexuality and these constructions affects the girls and young women as they are expected to be permissive. Furthermore the boys aspirations in this study were geared by powerful males such as the President of South Africa in his openly polygamous relationships and they revealed that they promote polygamy which is the culture of the Zulus, so they are already practicing it by having multiple partners which they take as their prerogative as boys. In short, this paper addresses the problem of risky sexual behaviours among boys in a selected Umlazi high school by the group interview held in the research site in order to understand the boys meaning of risky sexual behaviours in an Umlazi high school. Furthermore the study explores what boys consider risky sexual behaviours, their reasons to engage themselves in risky sexual behaviours and the impact of the social construction of masculinity and sexuality. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

From the first to the fourth century AD, male perceptions of female sexuality underwent a radical change with the advent of Christianity. This thesis is an investigation into classical male and Christian male perceptions of female sexuality, to determine the manner and extent to which this change in perceptions took place. The investigation will be two-fold, studying both the laws that established these perceptions, as well as representations of female sexuality within specific, subjective male-authored texts. A study of the marriage legislation of Augustus and a male writer of the early Empire, Apuleius, shows an underlying pattern of thought, or paradigm, of female sexuality among classical males. Female sexuality was perceived as existing for the sole purpose of procreation, and males in positions of authority thought that it needed to be under male control in order to ensure acceptable sexual behaviour. They believed this would be best achieved by situating it under the authority of the family. With the advent of Christianity, however, a new competing paradigm on female sexuality emerged, which challenged the perceptions of men of the classical era. The church fathers spurned the classical view of female sexuality by instead advocating lifelong celibacy. They too, believed female sexuality had to be controlled, but they placed it under the authority of the church, and outside the family. Since the basis of the classical and Christian patterns of thought differed so markedly, especially when the Christian paradigm was first being formulated in the second century, it was inevitable that they would come into " conflict. Advocates of the classical paradigm tried to suppress Christianity by persecuting its supporters. Some Christian women became victims of this conflict. This thesis will also include an example of this conflict - the martyrdom of the female Christian Perpetua, who left a record of her persecution in the form of a diary. The conversion of the Emperor Constantine to Christianity in the fourth century brought about the end of the conflict ana a victory for the Christian paradigm. The church fathers suggest that the shift from classical to Christian was total and complete. However, closer examination of Constantine's legislation and the work of the influential church father Jerome shows that while this shift was complete in theory, it did not extend very far into social and legal practice. Although the Christian ideals of the church fathers were a major component of thenew paradigm, it also came to be composed of classical notions - now motivated by Christian thought - that were held by Constantine and the upper classes. It was these classical notions that shaped the social reality of life in the fourth century AD. The nature and extent of the paradigm shift was therefore radical and far-reaching in theory, but not in practice. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The term ‘sexual harassment’ has been treated as key to victim resistance against normalising constructions of unwanted sexual/gendered attention as ‘just sex’ and as a ‘trivial’ part of everyday life. The act of labelling unwanted conduct as sexual harassment has been constituted as an important political step in reframing normalised problematic conduct as gendered violence as well as legitimising recipient access to formalised routes of amelioration. However concerns have been raised that recipients, particularly women, are ‘reluctant’ to use the term ‘sexual harassment’ to describe their experiences and resist unwanted attention using laws and policies designed to deal with this issue. Drawing on resources from discursive, postmodern and feminist approaches, this thesis explores how constructions of the term ‘sexual harassment’ and strategies to deal with it shape, enable and constrain resistances against gendered/sexualised power relations inscribed in manifestations of unwanted attention. It unpacks how discourses of sexual harassment polarise labelling and non-labelling behaviour to produce the former as an act of resistance and the latter as non-resistance. This project moves away from this polarisation to consider boundary construction around the issue of sexual harassment. Through discursive analysis of narratives identified through Q methodological analysis and constructions produced in interview data, this thesis examines how both inclusion and exclusion of relevant issues in multiple understandings of sexual harassment and policy considerations impact challenges that can be made to unwanted conduct. Central to this examination is critical consideration of the operation of gendered power relations within sexual harassment discourses. I pay particular attention to how various constructions of resistance within sexual harassment discourses become embedded in and re(produce) gendered binaries of dominance-subordination. This thesis considers how gendered binaries might be transgressed and destabilised by articulating alternative spaces for the performance of resistance

Post-stroke sexual difficulties are common but sexuality is an area frequently neglected within stroke rehabilitation. This study aimed to explore the process by which healthcare professionals approach and work with the topic of sexuality within stroke rehabilitation. This was hoped to improve understanding of why current guidelines around addressing post-stroke sexual issues are not followed, and what would support professionals to meet patients’ needs. Ten healthcare professionals working within stroke rehabilitation were interviewed, covering a range of disciplines and settings. The data was analysed using grounded theory methodology. Fourteen major categories were co-constructed from participants’ data and a theoretical model was developed. Although the majority of participants rarely engaged with sexual issues, they adopted both direct and indirect strategies for engaging with the sexual concerns of their patients. Concerns were usually addressed through the provision of information and supportive conversation with a professional. Professionals’ own personal level of comfort with the topic of sexuality interacted with a series of barriers to limit opportunities for engaging with sexual concerns. These barriers included environmental factors relating to the context of stroke rehabilitation, professionals’ perception of lacking abilities and unhelpful attitudes towards patients and sexuality. Positive and inclusive attitudes towards sexuality and professional roles and building a strong therapeutic relationship facilitated professionals taking action. The findings are considered in relation to existing guidelines and research, and the clinical implications for rehabilitation and staff training are discussed.

The subjective experience of dementia for lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals is largely absent from the extant literature. This study aimed to explore what it means to experience dementia in this context given the documented psychosocial influences facing this population. A second aim was to develop understanding of these experiences within dyadic relationships. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals with dementia and people with whom they had a significant relationship. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of transcripts identified three superordinate themes reflecting characteristics of participants’ experience: Duality in managing dementia; Giving yourself away vs. holding onto yourself; and Relationships as sheltered harbours. Ten subthemes indicate processes these individuals adopt to adjust and make sense of their experience of dementia. This included decisions around concealment, ensuring safety and the promotion of personhood and couplehood. In line with findings for heterosexual couples, partners had an important role in maintaining the identity of the person with dementia. Results suggest additional and distinct challenges, including experienced and perceived discrimination and heterosexism. In response to these conditions, interviewees worked to resist a ‘double stigma’ of dementia and sexuality. Findings indicated areas of improvement for dementia services, including training in inclusive practice.

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The university environment provides many opportunities to be sexually active. University students are reported as tending to engage in high-risk behaviours related to sex, alcohol and drugs. First-year university students are reported to be most vulnerable, as they lack experience to make good and risk-aware decisions when it comes to sexual liaisons. Available initiatives aimed at improving sexual behaviours of students are reported as being implemented simply because they work well somewhere else, without prior assessment of the needs/characteristics of the target population. This can negatively affect their effectiveness. The following question motivated the study: What factors influence sexual behaviours of first-year students on a university campus? This study sought to describe the perceptions of first-year students about engaging in sexual behaviours at a university campus. To answer the research question, theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was applied as the framework of the study. The study was descriptive in nature. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire from a conveniently selected sample of 240 first-year university students from one campus in the Eastern Cape. The measuring instruments were constructed from the constructs of the TBP, namely attitudes (ATT), perceived social norms (PSN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), and behavioural intentions (BI). The SPSS was used to analyse data for frequencies of responses and multiple regression. Most participants reported being sexually active (85.3%) and the lack of provision of information on sexual issues from adults (parents (23.3%) and church authorities (10.8%) was apparent. Perceived social norms were the most prominent factor that showed to be predictive of sexual behaviours with three significant predictor variables, namely partner age difference (beta = .059, ρ< .040), number of sexual partners in 3 months (beta = .238, ρ< .008) and condom use (beta = .095, ρ< .014). Behavioural intentions also showed some prediction, to a lesser extent, with one predictor variable, namely age at first willing intercourse (beta = .86, ρ< .001). The results from this study suggested that targeting social norms in intervention efforts aimed at improving sexual behaviours of first-year university students in the target population could be beneficial. More studies to explore available social norms in this target group and intervention to change negative norms are recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die universiteitsomgewing bied studente meer geleenthede om seksueel aktief te wees. Daarbenewens is universiteitstudente na bewering geneig om hoërisikogedrag met betrekking tot seks, alkohol en dwelmmiddels te openbaar. Eerstejaarstudente word as die kwesbaarste beskou, aangesien hulle die ervaring kortkom om goeie, risikobewuste besluite oor seksuele verhoudings te neem. Tog word die beskikbare inisiatiewe vir die verbetering van seksuele gedrag onder studente blykbaar slegs in werking gestel omdat dit elders goed werk, sonder om eers die behoeftes/kenmerke van die teikenpopulasie te bepaal. Dít kan die doeltreffendheid van dié inisiatiewe benadeel. Die vraag wat as beweegrede vir hierdie studie gedien het, was: Watter faktore beïnvloed die seksuele gedrag van eerstejaars op ’n universiteitskampus? Die navorsing wou dus ondersoek instel na eerstejaars se opvattings oor seksuele gedrag en seksuele verhoudings op ’n universiteitskampus. Om hierdie navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is ’n teorie van beplande gedrag (TPB) as studieraamwerk gebruik. Die studie was beskrywend van aard. Data is met behulp van ’n vraelys van ’n gerieflik gekose steekproef van 240 eerstejaar-universiteitstudente op ’n enkele kampus in die Oos- Kaap ingesamel. Die deelnemers het self die vraelys ingevul. Die meetinstrumente is saamgestel uit die verskillende konstrukte van die TPB, naamlik houdings (ATT), waargenome sosiale norme (PSN), waargenome gedragsbeheer (PBC) en gedragvoornemens (BI). SPSS-sagteware is gebruik om die data vir die frekwensie van response en meervoudige regressie te ontleed. Die meeste deelnemers het aangedui dat hulle seksueel aktief is (85,3%), en die gebrek aan inligting oor seksuele kwessies vanaf volwassenes (ouers 23,3%) en die kerk (10,8%) blyk duidelik. Waargenome sosiale norme het as die sterkste voorspeller van seksuele gedrag na vore getree, met drie beduidende voorspellerveranderlikes, naamlik ouderdomsverskil met bedmaats (Beta = .059, p< .040), aantal bedmaats in drie maande (Beta = .238, p< .008) en kondoomgebruik (Beta = .095, p< .014). Gedragvoornemens het ook ’n mindere mate van voorspellingsvermoë getoon, met een voorspellerveranderlike, naamlik ouderdom met eerste gewillige seksuele omgang (Beta = .86, p< .001). Die resultate van hierdie studie dui daarop dat intervensiepogings om seksuele gedrag onder eerstejaar-universiteitstudente te verbeter, by ’n klem op sosiale norme kan baat vind. Verdere studies oor die bestaande sosiale norme van hierdie teikengroep, sowel as intervensie om negatiewe norme te verander, word aanbeveel.

Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / It is a common phenomenon that women’s sexual desire diminishes in relationships, yet, to date, limited research has been done locally on this topic. International studies indicate that low sexual desire affects more than half of women, and that an even greater proportion of women indicate that they have sexual intercourse with their husbands without they themselves having a desire to do so. In spite of this, there is an expectation in society that couples should continue to have an active sex life. Low sexual desire may lead to distress in the individual or discord in the couple, and in this aspect the practitioner can render a service. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the life-world of women with low sexual desire towards their life-partners, and the extent to which this causes her distress or impedes on her relationship. The objectives of the study thus included providing an overview of models of sexual response, an evaluation of the diagnostic criteria for sexual dysfunctions, and an exploration of factors affecting the experience of sexual desire, including the role of social scripts on sexual behaviour. The context for the study is provided by a review of relevant literature, and a qualitative study with a phenomenological interpretative approach was executed. Data gathering focused on a nonprobable purposive sample of ten participants, and used an interview schedule with open-ended questions. Seven themes emerged from the analysis of the data, namely (1) perceptions of sexual desire, (2) experience of sexual desire, (3) experience of sex life without desire, (4) the perceived impact of low desire on the individual or the relationship, (5) personal reasons for decline in desire, (6) relationship factors affecting sexual desire, and (7) the experience of low desire in the socio-cultural context. It was found that ‘desire’ is difficult to conceptualise, that women put a higher premises on the emotional component of desire, and that there is a difference between innate sexual desires and desire that is evoked by stimuli. Reasons for low sexual desire include an array of personal medial, psychological, and life context factors, and in many cases the lack of desire is specific to the present life-partner. Women are especially sensitive to a wide variety of aspects in the relationship and with regards to their partners, and it emerged that even in happy and intimate relationships low sexual desire is experienced. Women experience a loss of emotional intimacy as a result of low sexual desire but do not necessarily feel that their low desire is abnormal. The impact on the relationship is limited mostly because women concede to sex for many reasons, including a need for emotional intimacy. Many strategies, including faking orgasms, are implemented to cope with sexual relationships in the absence of desire. It also appears that social scripts have a big influence on the inception of negative perceptions on sexuality, and generate unreasonable and idealistic expectations of sexual experiences in long-term relationships. Several recommendations flowed from the findings and conclusions. The most important recommendation is that professional people should gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of the phenomenon of low desire in women, in order to render a more effective therapeutic intervention.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in 2011 reported a low rate of contraceptive use among Nigerian youths at 29%, despite reported high rates of sexual activity and increased awareness of the existence of contraceptive methods. This exposes the youths to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and the effects associated with unwanted pregnancy. From a social constructionist standpoint, I used a mixed method research design to explore contraceptive knowledge and practices among students (18 to 25 years of age) at the Federal Polytechnic Kaduna. I see students’ attitudes towards contraception as being historically and culturally located and dependent on the prevailing cultural arrangement at that period. I thus distance myself from the position of the Health Belief Model (HBM) by recognising that individuals’ attitudes towards contraception is not only informed by the perceived benefits of contraceptive use but also by certain external social factors which could serve as barriers to the individual’s decision to use contraceptives. I collected data from 187 students out of a sample of 200 who had been systematically selected from the Departments of Mass Communication and Architecture at the polytechnic between August and September 2013. In addition, I conducted fifteen follow-up semi-structured interviews with students and three key informant interviews; two staff at the polytechnic clinic and one private pharmacist close to the polytechnic. Similar to other Nigerian studies among tertiary students, there is a relatively high level of sexual activity as well as high level awareness of contraceptive methods among students; however, they lack sufficient knowledge of how contraceptives function. Contraceptive use among sexually active students was also low either due to negative attitudes towards contraceptives resulting from inadequate or incomplete contraceptive information from friends or due to lack of easy access to contraceptive methods by students, partners’ influence or influences from cultural, including religious, beliefs and practices, thereby making students vulnerable to the risk associated with unprotected sex. There is therefore the need for interventions by relevant stakeholders that will seek to provide adequate information to students and develop in them positive attitudes towards contraceptive use. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In 2011 het Nigerië se Bevolkingsverwysingsburo (PRB) ’n lae gebruikskoers van kontrasepsiemiddels (29%) onder Nigeriese jeugdiges gerapporteer, afgesien van die hoë koers van seksuele aktiwiteit en verhoogde bewustheid oor die bestaan van kontrasepsiemetodes. Dit stel jongmense bloot aan die risiko om seksueel-oordraagbare infeksies op te doen, sowel as aan die negatiewe gevolge wat met ongewensde swangerskap gepaard gaan. Vanuit ’n sosiaal-konstruksionistiese standpunt het ek ’n gemengdemetodenavorsingsontwerp gebruik om kennis oor voorbehoedmiddels en gebruike onder studente (18 tot 25 jaar oud) aan die Federal Polytechnic Kaduna (’n politegniese tersiêre instelling) in noordelike Nigerië te ondersoek. Ek beskou studente se ingesteldheid jeens kontrasepsie as histories- en kultuurgefundeerd en onderworpe aan die heersende kulturele reëlings van die tydperk. Ek distansieer my dus van die posisie van die gesondheidoortuigingsmodel (HBM) deur erkenning te gee aan die feit dat individue se ingesteldheid jeens kontrasepsie nie net deur die waargenome voordele van kontrasepsiegebruik ingelig word nie, maar ook deur bepaalde eksterne maatskaplike faktore wat struikelblokke kan skep by ’n individu se besluit om kontrasepsiemiddels te gebruik. Tussen Augustus en September 2013 het ek data van 187 studente uit ’n steekproef van 200, wat stelselmatig in die Departement Massakommunikasie en Argitektuur aan die Politegniese skool gedoen is, versamel. Verder het ek vyftien semigestruktureerde opvolgonderhoude met studente gevoer, asook drie sleutelinformantonderhoude, waaronder twee met personeellede by die Politegniese kliniek en een met ʼn privaat apteker in die omgewing van die Politegniese skool. Soortgelyk aan ander Nigeriese studies onder tersiêre studente het ek gevind dat ofskoon daar ’n relatief hoë seksueleaktiwiteitsvlak, asook ’n hoë bewustheidsvlak van kontrasepsiemetodes onder studente bestaan, die meeste studente onvoldoende ingelig was oor hoe kontrasepsiemiddels regtig werk. Daar is ook gevind dat kontrasepsiegebruik onder seksueel-aktiewe studente weens verskeie faktore redelik laag was, ingesluit negatiewe ingesteldhede oor kontrasepsiemetodes as gevolg van onvoldoende of onvolledige kontrasepsie-inligting (wat hoofsaaklik van vriende bekom is); ’n gebrek aan maklike toegang tot kontrasepsiemetodes; beïnvloeding deur seksmaats; asook invloede vanweë kulturele oortuigings en gebruike, met inbegrip van geloof. Die gevolg is dat studente kwesbaar is vir die risiko’s wat met onbeskermde seks gepaard gaan. Daar bestaan dus ’n behoefte aan intervensies deur die betrokke belanghebbendes wat studente van voldoende inligting sal voorsien en positiewe ingesteldhede oor die gebruik van kontrasepsiemiddels by studente sal kweek.