Factors influencing sexual risk behaviours among rural adolescent girls: the case of Lower Gwelo, Bafana ward 8

Abstract

Adolescent girls between the ages of 14 and 19 are at higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus, unintended pregnancies associated with early and unsafe sexual habits. This has resulted in the researcher attempting to identify factors leading to sexual risk behaviors in Bafana ward 8 which can assist in coming with new strategies that can reduce the in withprevalence of high risky sexual practices and reductions in the spread of HIV virus among youths in rural communities.

In the light of the problem under investigation the researcher started off with looking into various challenges faced by the girl child so as to help get an understanding of the circumstances under which the decisions of sexual risk taking are made by adolescent girls in Bafana ward 8, the case study in which the research is to be undertaken. The challenges involved issues such as girls `access to resources such as education, employment opportunities, the poverty situation and cultural dynamics and its effects on girl child development. The study also looked into how the government of Zimbabwe, nongovernmental organisations and the community at large (the church inclusive) have made efforts to empower the girl child in the area of focus.

Factors influencing sexual risk behaviors among rural adolescent girls were identified as poor parent youth communication, peer influence, need for temporary economic gains, early sexual debut, early marriages, low self esteem, culture and inability to initiate safe sex. Community response mechanisms to the problem under investigation were also brought into picture.