Formative Qualitative Audience Research Report: Youth and Sexuality in Lesotho

This 64-page report shares findings from a formative qualitative audience research study that was conducted to better understand youth sexuality in order to inform the development and production of multi-media materials for youth ages 15 to 24 - part of a sexual health initiative being planned by Phela Health and Development Communications in Lesotho.

Qualitative data was collected from 4 youth leaders, 2 focus groups with parents, and 14 focus groups with youth from various social groups, in order to better understand various perspectives on youth sexuality. The research findings in the report are segmented into different groups whereby parents, youth leaders, and youths' views are represented respectively. There are also some crosscutting issues.

Parents views
Parents express some concerns about youth and sexuality, for example, consequences of early sexual debut and their effect on both youth and themselves. They also indicate that while there is some communication between parents and their children about sexual issues, this is only to a certain level. Parents said that they inform their children about the risks of early sexual debut and provide information about condoms, and that this communication tends to start when they suspect their children have started dating and having sex. Furthermore, they noted that they felt comfortable to talk to children about sex when they received information on the importance of protected sex and have materials that ease communication on the subject. Parents also mentioned that television can have negative influence on youth, saying that youth watch sexual movies which are played during the evening on television and practice what they have seen. However, respondents also mentioned that some parents do not feel free to talk to their children about sex, so free books available to young people could help provide them with knowledge.

Youth leaders
Youth leaders viewed sexual relationships among youth as relationships that give youth an idea of how it feels to be in relationships. They believed that sexual relationships are inevitable and prepare individuals for marriage. However, respondents added that these relationships are often influenced by peer pressure, which can have negative effects. Socialisation of Basotho youth was identified as a barrier for free communication between parents and children, which results in youth discussing sexual issues with their peers. Youth leaders indicated ages 18 to 21 as an appropriate age for youth to engage in sex since they are at a stage where they can make informed decisions. Peer pressure and experimentation are mentioned to be some reasons that make youth engage in sex at an early age. Youth leaders believed that media plays a major role in influencing the way youth conduct themselves especially when it comes to sexual issues. They explained that children often observe sexual activities through adverts meant to sell products, hear about it in lyrics, and see and hear about it on TV, magazines, and radio. Respondents encouraged parental sex education which they said would reflect values of the family compared to the "indecent perspective" the media and friends often convey to youth. Youth leaders added that some recreational avenues, such as sports, impact positively on changing youth’s behaviour. They mentioned that these activities promote messages that raise awareness about HIV which they think can prevent youth from taking part in behaviour that would put their lives in danger.

Male Youth
The study found that different groups of male youth understand sexual relationships differently according to their specific social groups. The findings also suggest that male youth engage in sex for various reasons - strengthening their sexual relationships, avoiding boredom, influence of alcohol, and peer pressure. Male participants say they usually talk to their age mates about sexual issues and avoid talking to older people because its taboo, though some indicated that they talk to their mothers since they are friendly and easy to relate to. They also say that peer pressure is something that cannot be avoided, and mentioned how they would laugh at those who haven’t had sex and refer to those who talk about proposing to girls and having sex as real man. They also mentioned that if their friends talk about having sex it makes them anxious and they wonder how it really feels, and that they also have to work hard to have sex with their girlfriends since they (girlfriends) will say
they were boring when they break up.

Female Youth
The informants understood sexual relationships as an experience that allows them to be free and open in their relationships. However, they looked at sexual relationships as unnecessary if it does not lead them into marriage. Some female respondents talk to their parents and some to their friends, while others pretend that their sexual challenges belong to others in order to get advice from their parents. Females also mentioned that some female youth get involved and have sex with older men to meet their material needs.

According to respondents, media can be used as a tool for communication to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS and sex. Female respondents also explained that since people are sometimes slow to absorb information when they are addressed with direct spoken messages, they advise that messages about HIV/AIDS and sex could be made available to people through songs, in dramas, and on T-shirts. The respondents indicated that big companies should assist in information dissemination on HIV and sex through such things as placards and leaflets. Both male and female respondents' views coincided on the issue that there should be opportunities for young people to gather and be taught about HIV and all other issues that challenge youth. They further stated that people who have experienced the effects of engaging in sex before marriage and sexual abuse can help them understand the dangers of engaging in sex by sharing those experiences with them.

The overall conclusion from this research study is that segmented groups seem to have different perceptions about sexual relationships among youth. Observed perceptions are that both parents and females seem to believe that sexual relationships should lead to marriage while male youth understood them as a way of satisfying their sexual needs. This observation can also be attributed to the manner in which perception of risk prevails in the study from the analysed data. The issue of multiple partners in relationships seems to be one other factor which exacerbates the spread of HIV in sexual relationships among youth since the relationships are characterised by non-consistent use of condoms and non-consensual sex. Issues pertaining to exposure to media and sexual issues received the same views across all the groups. There is empirical evidence from the study that strongly indicates that current media is far more likely to have a negative impact on youth sexual behaviour than a positive impact since youth are more likely to copy bad behaviour from the media.

Findings in this research report have also reinforced the hypothesis that there is a lack of communication about sex and HIV and AIDS between parents and children. This can be attributed to the fact that parents only address these issues when they suspect that their children are dating. It is also on the basis of these research findings that female parents have been identified as possible key people to target as youth feel more comfortable to openly communicate about sexual issues with female caregivers.