Transformations in Sexual Behaviour of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Study of Deception and its Implication in the Persistent Spread of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, Southern Africa

Osiki J.O. (National University of Lesotho) [BIO]

Email: jonathanosiki@yahoo.co.uk

 

ABSTRACT:

An Ancient and remote times matured unmarried men and women had their marriages arranged and conducted with every member of the family and community directly participating in the selection, screening and counselling of marriage partners. During this period, sexual behaviour such as hugging, kissing, having intercourse outside of marriage was not common. One apparent reason for this was that marriage was perceived as sacred and a means for companionship and preservation of the human race where individual commitments, sincerity, honesty and unfeigned love were exclusively the preserve.

In today’s experience however, individuals get involved either in casual and, or very intimate relationships with endless dating neither maintained with parental involvement/consent nor counselling. Dating among partners can involve exchange of gifts and pleasantries and swift admirable remarks of the other to concretize relationship. Either of these ways, the relationship may lead to active commitment in sexual behaviours. Involvement in sexual behaviour is a determinant of several factors. Some of these are attraction and sweet persuasive talks. Using very sweet persuasive appeal talks for instance, can be a ploy for the other emotional attachment. Deep emotional attachment often times among dating partners may be a function of the other deceptability and shrewdness that exploit the victim’s vulnerability as real and apparent intentions are hidden while giving the other false impressions.

Adopting the use of trickery to get the other attention, and which often cumulate in indiscriminate sexual relationship (i.e intercourse) may potentially put dating partners at risk of HIV/AIDS. This is because one dating relationship may usually have high potential for multiple relationships. Having multiple relationship may also mean that individuals in multiple dating can be victims of HIV/AIDS as long as a carrier is in the relationship. Rather than curtailing the spread of the pandemic therefore, its prolong persistence can be predictable.

Research Methodology

The descriptive survey research design following the causal comparative format would be adopted in the study while the descriptive statistics and ANOVA at 0.05 alpha would constitute the statistical methods. The Sample would be drawn from the National University, Lesotho student population.