Thesis (M. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research aims to establish if church-going young people adhere to the principle
of ‘no sex before marriage’, or if there are competing ‘voices’ and pressures that young
people succumb to. Are they practising risky sexual behaviour, with multiple partners,
using no protection or experiencing sexual violence?
We conducted a survey in order to understand the gravity of the challenge, and to
identify ways in which the Anglican Church might become more effective in dealing with
issues of sexuality among young people. The field research was undertaken between
October 2004 and January 2005 and involved a detailed questionnaire survey (with
1,306 responses analysed), and three different focus group discussions. Respondents
were between 12 and 19 years of age, both male and female, and demographically
representative of the Anglican Church of Cape Town Diocese. It is hoped that the
results of this survey will be informative for church leaders and those involved in
ministry with young people.
Our research reveals that church-going young people are not excluded from the risks
faced by others in society. Of the respondents 30.5% have had sex (40% Male and
21% Female; Black 44%, White 26% and Coloured 30%). This is irrespective of
geographical location (32% Rural and 30% Urban). Young people are practising
vaginal, oral and anal sex or any combination. During their first sexual experience, only
35% used contraceptives. Ninety percent of their first partners are friends or
schoolmates and when it came to venue, 75% had sex at home or at their partner’s
place. Casual sex was common and 33% of those who have had sex have been with
four or more sexual partners. Sexual violence also occurred as 6% of the respondents
were forced to have sex (Black 7.1%, White 6.5% and Coloured 5.4%). Of this coerced
group, 12% have themselves demanded sex from somebody else.
There is thus a gap between the Church’s traditional teaching of ‘no sex before
marriage’ and the realities of the way in which our young people live. Hence, we
should no longer hide our heads in the sand and pretend that our young people are not
at risk. This research has certainly identified several areas of concern. Nonetheless, it
has also revealed encouraging information, as young people are interested in changing
the situation. In order to increase its effectiveness in addressing the sexuality of young people, the
Anglican Church should be prepared to act decisively. The approach recommended
from this study should be multifaceted, given the increasingly complex landscape in
which young people live. There is an urgent need to support young people in building
healthy relationships. Parental workshops are an important intervention in order to
enable parents to communicate with their children about sexuality, using an ageappropriate
approach. Peer education should be adopted: that is training key opinion
leaders in each church so that they can provide positive peer pressure. In addition, the
church should take a stand against sexual messages seen in the media; silence implies
consent. The church must clearly communicate its opposition to these unhealthy
sexual messages to society at large. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: The doel van die navorsing is om jongmense war kerklik meelewend is se siening en
persepsies oor die standpunt van die Anglikaanse kerk, naamlik geen seks voor die
huwelik , te ondersoek en te toets aan die hand van sekere teologiese kriteria. Dit wil
vasstel of daar ander moontlike faktore of stemme is wat jongmense se standpunt oor
seks en seksualiteit bepaal. Van die belangrike vrae wat ondersoek is: beoefen
jongmense hoë risiko, seksuele gedrag met meervoudige bedmaats? Tree hulle
genoegsaam voorkomend op? Is hulle blootgestel aan seksueel-geweldadige gedrag?
‘n Empiriese ondersoek (Oktober 2004 en Januarie 2005) is geloots ten einde die
uitdagings waarvoor die Anglikaanse Kerk ten opsigte van seks-onderrig te staan kom,
vas te stel. Die projek beoog om die kerk se bediening op te skerp en meer relevant
gefokus te raak op die seksuele orientasie van jongmense. ‘n Vraelys is opgestel en
uitgestuur.Drie verskillende diskussiegroepe was betrokke.1306 response is ontleed.
Respondente was tussen 12 en 19 jaar, gender-gemeng en demografies
verteenwoordigend van die Anglikaanse Kerk se bedieningsopset binne die Cape Town
Diocese.
Die navorsing toon duidelik dat jongmense aan risikos blootgestel is met implikasies vir
die MIV pandemie. Van die respondente het 30.5% seks gehad (40% mans; 21%
vrouens; swart 44%; wit 26% en bruin 30%). Wat geografiese verspreiding aan betref
(stad 30%, platteland 32%) was daar nie beduidende verskille nie. Daar bestaan ‘n
kombinasie van seks-praktyke, vanaf vaginale, orale en anale seks. Gedurende die
eerste seks-ervaring het net 35% kontraseptiewe middels/metodes gebruik. 90% van
die eerste bedmaats was maats, vriende of skoolmaats. 75% van die kontakte het tuis
plaas gevind. Toevallige seks was algemeen en 33% van die respondente het seks
met vier of meer pesone gehad. Seksuele geweld kom voor. 6% van die repondent was
geforseer om seks te beoefen (swart 7.1%; wit 6.5%; bruin 5.4%). Vanuit hierdie groep
het 12% seks geeis van iemand anders.
Daar bestaan ‘n groot gaping tussen die leer van die kerk: geen seks voor die huwelik
en die lewensrealiteit van jongmense. Jongmense is belis ‘n hoë risikogroep. Die
navoring het verkeie areas geïdentifiseer wat dringend die kerk se aandag verg. Van belang is die feit dat jongmense duidelik ‘n behoefte toon aan konstruktiewe
begeleiding.
Ten einde the problematiek van seksuele gedrag onder jongmense in die kerk sinvol
aan te spreek, sal relevante programme ontwikkel moet word wat multi-faktoreel
gestruktureer en kontekstueel moet wees. ‘n Belangrike bedieningstrategie is die skep
van ouerbegeleidingsgroepe en werkswinkels ten einde ouers toe te rus hoe om sinvol
met jongmense oor seksuele gedrag en seksualiteit te kommunikeer. Daar moet
gefokus word op verskillende ouderdomsgroepe en hoe om jongmense by te staan om
gesonde verhoudinge te bou. Die seksopvoeding en voorligting moet jongmense
inskakel. Leiers onder jongmense wat kan help, moet geïdentifiseer word en ook
opgelei word. Destruktiewe groepsdruk moet aangespreek word. Die kerk sal ook
leiding moet gee oor die wyse waarop die media seksualiteit hanteer. Op hiedie wyse
moet die kerk betrokke raak by die publieke diskoers en negatiewe tendens aanspreek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17381 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Mash, Rachel |
| Contributors | Louw, J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 159 leaves : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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