Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the value that body theology can add to an inclusive understanding of sexuality in adolescence. Sexuality was understood differently throughout different periods in time, but even today there is still no real clarity on what is meant by the term sexuality. Sexuality is a difficult term to define and its meaning plays an important role in the way people treat each other. Throughout the different periods the church has largely been either silent about sexuality or considered it a sin. As a result the church would not necessarily be seen as a good resource for advice on sexual matters. Adolescents go through a dramatic period of developing on a physical, cognitive and moral level, which all occur simultaneously, but sexual development is the most prominent. Sexual development prepares adolescents on a physical level to reproduce and to enter into sexual relationships, but cognitive and moral development also takes place; these two processes are supportive for the adolescent to understand and process the sexual development. These developing processes, together with the context in which an adolescent is growing up, has an impact on the type of moral value system compiled by adolescents, which determines how they behave. As already mentioned, the church is not necessarily involved in these discussions, and therefore this study challenges the churches to become involved again by making use of body theology. The research question can be formulated as follows: What contribution can body theology make to promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality during adolescence? To answer the research question, the first objective is discussed in chapter 2, namely to give a historical overview to obtain an understanding of sexuality and see how the understanding of sexuality changed over the different periods, but also to see that there were certain times when the understanding of sexuality was the same. The second objective is discussed in chapter 3, where the focus is on a historical overview of the understanding of the body. This historical overview is discussed to understand that the body often stood in an ambiguous position and dualisms formed part of the understanding of the body, but it also affects a deeper understanding of life. In chapter 4, the third objective is discussed by examining the centrality of sexual development during adolescence to understand the important role that sexual development plays in the adolescent's life, but also to realise that it affects other aspects of life. The fourth objective is discussed in chapter 5, which contains the discussion of body theology to indicate how it can promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality. This chapter also discusses how body theology developed and the importance of the body in body theology. Chapter 6 includes conclusions and recommendations, such as that youth workers and church leaders need to recognise their own understanding of sexuality and the body, but that body theology can promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality if youth workers and church leaders are able to make a theological shift and use body theology as a theological lens. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die waarde wat liggaamsteologie tot ʼn inklusiewe verstaan van seksualiteit tydens adolessensie kan byvoeg. Seksualiteit is deur verskillende tydperke verskillend verstaan, maar daar is selfs vandag nog nie werklik uitsluitsel van wat met die term seksualiteit bedoel word nie. Seksualiteit is ʼn moeilike term om te definieer en die verstaan daarvan speel ʼn belangrike rol in die wyse waarop mense mekaar hanteer. Die kerk was grootliks deur die verskillende tydperke óf stil oor seksualiteit óf het dit as ʼn sonde beskou, met die gevolg dat die kerk nie noodwendig as ʼn goeie hulpbron vir raad rakende seksuele sake beskou word nie. Adolessente gaan deur ʼn dramatiese tydperk waar alle ontwikkelingsprosesse, waarvan die seksuele ontwikkeling die prominentste is, gelyktydig plaasvind. Die seksuele ontwikkeling berei adolessente liggaamlik voor om voort te plant en in seksuele verhoudings te tree, maar kognitiewe en morele ontwikkeling vind ook plaas; hierdie twee prosesse is ondersteunend vir die adolessent om die seksuele ontwikkeling te kan verstaan en verwerk. Hierdie ontwikkelingsprosesse, tesame met die konteks waarin ʼn adolessent groot word, het ʼn invloed op die tipe morele waardestelsel wat adolessente saamstel, en wat bepaal hoe hulle optree. Soos reeds genoem, is die kerk nie noodwendig betrokke by hierdie gesprekke nie, en daarom stel hierdie studie voor dat kerke weer betrokke moet raak deur gebruik te maak van liggaamsteologie. Die navorsingsvraag kan soos volg geformuleer word: Watter bydrae kan liggaamsteologie maak tot die bevordering van ʼn inklusiewe verstaan van seksualiteit tydens adolessensie? Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord word die eerste doelstelling, om ʼn historiese oorsig oor die verstaan van seksualiteit te kry, om te sien hoe die verstaan van seksualiteit oor verskillende tydperke verander het, maar ook op sekere tye dieselfde verstaan van seksualiteit gehandaaf is, in hoofstuk 2 bespreek. Die tweede doelstelling word in hoofstuk 3 bespreek, waar die fokus op ʼn historiese oorsig van die verstaan van die liggaam val. Die historiese oorsig oor die verstaan van die liggaam word bespreek om ook te verstaan dat die liggaam baie keer in ʼn dubbelsinnige posisie gestaan het en dat dualismes deel gevorm het van die verstaan daarvan, maar dat dit ook verdere verstaan van die lewe beïnvloed het. In hoofstuk 4 word die derde doelstelling bespreek deur die sentrale rol van seksuele ontwikkeling tydens adolessensie te ondersoek om te verstaan watter belangrike rol seksuele ontwikkeling in die adolessent se lewe speel, maar ook dat dit ander aspekte van die lewe beïnvloed. Die vierde doelstelling word bespreek in hoofstuk 5, wat die bespreking van liggaamsteologie bevat om aan te dui hoe dit ʼn inklusiewe verstaan van seksualiteit kan bevorder. In hierdie hoofstuk word daar ook bespreek hoe liggaamsteologie ontstaan het en wat die belangrikheid van die liggaam in liggaamsteologie is. Hoofstuk 6 sluit die studie af met gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings soos dat jeugwerkers en gemeenteleiers bewus moet word van hulle eie verstaan van seksualiteit en die liggaam, maar ook dat liggaamsteologie ʼn inklusiewe verstaan van seksualiteit kan bevorder, indien jeugwerkers en gemeenteleiers ʼn teologiese skuif maak en liggaamteologie as ʼn teologiese lens gebruik.

This study investigated the factors contributing to sexual behaviours and the extent of rural adolescent’s involvement in risky sexual behaviour. A quantitative research design was used based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour which informed the questionnaire to be used. Participants comprised of 60 adolescents, 16-19 years old, who were recruited from a rural school in eThekwini Metro, KwaZulu–Natal province, in South Africa. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire developed and adapted by the researcher. This questionnaire comprised of questions regarding socio-demographic issues, adolescent knowledge of HIV and AIDS, communication (with partner, friends and parents), self-efficacy in relationships, consequences of unprotected sex, perceptions regarding future risks of HIV/AIDS, STIs, and pregnancy, as well as various questions pertaining to sexual activity including use of condoms. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS 13) was used for the data analysis. Frequencies were calculated for each item. Chi-square analysis was conducted to determine the association between demographic variables of gender and age and the items related to HIV transmission that showed some variation on the response categories. Independent samples T-tests were conducted in order to explore whether significant differences occurred in the mean scores for the two groups male and female including younger and older age groups and various continuous variables. The study revealed that the majority of adolescents have a high level of knowledge regarding HIV. The adolescents also seemed to have high level of self-efficacy regarding the use of condoms, which is a good foundation for the prevention of teenage pregnancies and HIV infection. The findings also indicate that family disorganization, lack of communication between adolescent and their parents, and poor access to health information are some of the factors influencing adolescent sexual behaviour. Even though adolescent knowledge about HIV, and skills involving communication with friends and partners and condom use were found to be good, peer influence, gender-role expectations, norms and values still influences the engagement by adolescents in unsafe sexual activities. The study also revealed that issues like lack of access to health information still remain a challenge to most adolescents, which needs urgent attention from health authorities. The results of this study indicate a need for the department of health to revisit some of their programmes and strategies to deal with issues identified by this study as weaknesses, as most of the current health programmes are aimed at increasing knowledge and self-efficacy. It is also recommended that health programmes aimed at peers norms, values and cultures be implemented in order to positively influence adolescents’ sexual behaviours. The majority of adolescents (75%) indicated that they are using condoms when having sexual intercourse with their partners, while others showed positive attitude towards condom use and indicated intention to continue engaging in safer sex. These findings can be attributed to multi-sectoral interventions, especially interventions by the National Department of Health and Education as well as other Agencies. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This thesis investigates young people's understandings and experiences of 'good sex' and sexual pleasure, documenting the resources young people use to make sense of these meanings in the context of their everyday lives and relationships. The study uses a situated approach to explore the methodological possibilities for researching sexual pleasure with a diverse group of young people in one urban location and to examine the ways in which pleasure is embedded, mediated and gendered in young people's sexual cultures. The research is used to contribute to debates about the inclusion of pleasure in sexual health services for young people and make suggestions for future research/practice. Drawing on data from survey, focus group and interview methods the thesis documents the diversity of young people's understandings of 'good sex' and sexual pleasure, suggesting that young people have access to a range of competing discursive and affective frameworks for making distinctions between what counts as 'good' and 'bad' sex. Analyses suggest that sexual meanings and values are contested and contingent on young people's shifting sex and relationship experiences and social locations. Timeliness and reciprocity emerged as key contested areas, shaped by enduring gender arrangements and participants' evolving sexual biographies. The thesis provides a reflexive account of the practice of researching sexual pleasure with young people, reporting on each method to argue that the findings are situated, shaped by interactive and material context. The research documents the benefits of using critical feminist reflexivity to interrogate how researcher/practitioners can create safe spaces for engaging young people in work around sexual pleasure and concludes that possibilities for realising the 'pleasure project' in practice will depend on local, institutional and political context.

Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) has been predominantly used for diagnostic purposes and it has been suggested VCT could help reduce the spread of the disease by preventing those who test HIV-negative from contracting the disease and also preventing those who are HIV positive from further spreading it by practising safer sex. While there is research focusing on understanding the implications of VCT for HIV positive individuals, little is to be found on the influence of the experience of VCT on the sexual behaviour of individuals who undergo VCT and obtain HIV negative results. Even less is known about the influence of VCT on university students in South Africa. The aim of the study is to explore the perceived influence of VCT on the sexual risk behaviour of HIV negative female University of KwaZulu-Natal students. This qualitative study made use of in-depth interviews conducted with 6 female university students recruited from the HIVAN Support Centre at the University of KwaZulu- Natal, Howard Collage Campus. The findings of this study suggest that VCT is generally perceived as effective in helping to reduce risktaking among HIV negative participants. At the same time participants felt motivated to do what it takes to obtain a negative result on their next test. However, one participants' felt that her negative results could make her vulnerable to pressures from her partner to practice unsafe sex. For VCT to have a positive impact on the sexual behaviour of individuals who test negative, programmes should provide up to date information, as part of pre and post test counselling, in a clear manner to avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding on the part of participants. Further, more support needs to be provided to individuals who are HIV negative in the form of support groups or open forums that encourage young people to discuss what situations put them at risk as well as assist other members of the group to deal with such situations. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / The motivation of this study is to assess the high risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS among the youth. The most influential high risk behaviours that contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS are unprotected sexual intercourse and having more than one sexual partner.The population for this study includes all full time first year students who registered for the first time in 2006 that attended the orientation week. A stratified, sequential random sample was drawn from the students attending the orientation. / South Africa

Using South African and Zimbabwean Demographic and Health Surveys of 1998 and 1999 respectively, findings show that about 35% and 42% women between the ages 15-24 years had given birth at least once in South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively. Of these births, 26% and 32.2% occurred to South African and Zimbabwean women before they reached their 20th birthday respectively. In addition, these births among women between ages 15-24 account for 17% and 27% of the total births in South Africa and Zimbabwe. These are indeed high levels of early childbearing. It is because of these high levels of early childbearing that this dissertation aims to examine determinants contributing to early childbearing. To achieve this, two comparable data sources are analyzed, namely South African Demographic and Health Surveys (SADHS) of 1998 and Zimbabwean Demographic and Health Surveys (ZDHS) of 1999. The results from this dissertation show that major significant determinants contributing to early childbearing are the age of sexual debut; childhood place of residence; highest level of education attained; socio-economic status; and ethnicity and sex of household head. The results of this dissertation make an important contribution to the growing knowledge base of Sub-Saharan African early childbearing research. Its recommendations are based on the findings of the determinants contributing to high levels of childbearing, which can be used for planning and policy development towards adolescent fertility prevention. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.

University of the Witwatersrand A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Arts by Coursework in the Department of Social Anthropology July 5, 2016 / There is a culture arising among young people in Swaziland that believes that to be young and Swazi is an ephemeral, temporary, and directionless existence, and having sex and ‘partying like a Swazi’ is desired, celebrated and the fashion. I illustrate that this construction is a reaction to the banal, routine and regulation of their social spaces. Furthermore, in addition to the spaces being limited in number, imbued within each are structures and routines that reproduce discourses that privilege performances surrounding their normative behaviour and development (including the development of their sexualities). As a result, Swazi society has excluded young people from being active agents in the very discourses that govern and inform their lives, status, agency and citizenship. Drawing from a phenomenological analysis of WhatsApp conversations combined with fieldwork in Swaziland, this dissertation explores the locality of digital space via WhatsApp in the landscape of the lives of Swazi young. The data illustrated that digital space is residual and resistive, as a reaction to the regulated and restricted spaces in their lives, in digital space young people enact performances of masculinity, secrecy and morality. As well as determined values systems and currencies around sex (and sexual status), vis a vis the exchange of social capital (nude and semi nude photos)- all of which are inherently self destructive. Lastly, in their resistance, Swazi young people are the local agents of their self-destruction / MT2017

This study investigated communicative parameters in parent-adolescent and peer discussions about sex. While most sexual health interventions rely on communication and the dissemination of information, little research has sought to elucidate how talk about sex is mediated by the social and cultural context in which it occurs. This study was undertaken with the purpose of obtaining a better understanding of the way in which contextual factors mediate talk. In order to do this, oral histories of participants' first knowledge of sex and first sex experiences were accessed. Participants of different ages were interviewed with a view to exploring how social and cultural factors mediating talk changed over time. / Thesis(M.A.)-Universityof KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

<p>the motivation of this study is to assess the high risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS among the youth. The most influential high risk behaviours that contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS are unprotected sexual intercourse and having more than one sexual partner.The population for this study includes all full time first year students who registered for the first time in 2006 that attended the orientation week. A stratified, sequential random sample was drawn from the students attending the orientation.</p>

Introduction Youth is a group of people which has been greatly affected by HIV epidemic in Malawi. They are vulnerable to HIV infection because they are at a stage where they are beginning sexual exploration. Youth therefore, need a lot of information and support on HIV preventions, and voluntary counseling and testing. They should be encouraged and assisted to disclose their HIV status whether positive or negative for them to access necessary support system. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore youth's experiences in disclosing their HIV positive status Methodology: This is an exploratory study that adopted a qualitative approach utilizing the phenomenological design to explore the experiences of HIV positive participants in disclosing their HIV positive status. The study was conducted in Likuni urban and Nambuma areas in Lilongwe district, Malawi. Ten HIV positive participants five males and five females between the ages 19-25 years were purposively sampled half from each area. A qualitative approach to data collection was done through face to face individual in-depth interviews. All the interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The following are the four major themes that emerged from the findings of the study: factors leading to and hindering HIV positive status disclosure, disclosure of HIV status, experiences of disclosing HIV positive status, consequences of HIV positive status disclosure. These themes are in line with the objectives and the conceptual framework of the study. The findings of the study have shown that disclosure of HIV positive status among HIV positive youth is difficult and still remains a challenge. The study established that the majority of participants disclosed their HIV positive status due to their deteriorating health status. Stigma and discrimination was found to be the major barrier to HIV positive status while the positive consequences which include: psychosocial care, accessing medical services, safer sex practices and positive living with HIV seemed to be more rewarding because it brought some relief in their lives. Conclusion: Stigma and other hindering factors were found to be the major barriers to disclosure. This therefore, necessitates the need for dealing with barriers to disclosure because the benefits of disclosing HIV positive status are rewarding and outweighs the negative consequences. This study has made some recommendations to promote disclosure of HIV positive status among youth through Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, National Youth Council, National AIDS Commissions, the Community and further research. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.