Narratives of Sex and Safe Sex on First Date Among Young People in Urban Ghana

Daniel Yaw Fiaveh , University of Cape Coast

In this paper, I investigate young peoples’ narratives of sex on a first date (the first time two people go on a date together) and highlight young women’s safe sexual practices in Ghana. Women stressed on commitment and to experience closeness in relationship before sex. Men wondered how long should they wait to prove their commitment to women. Gender and love/romance were important triggers that influenced young people to engage in sex on a first date. Although women’s sexual practices were located within the confines of hegemonic masculinity, the women had choices to have sex or not to have sex in dating relationships. Since some men do not want to be denied sex, they comply with women’s sexual agency. Some designed interventions include to rethink the repressed sexuality of women and highlight their agency to masculinity. There is however the need to engage young people about comprehensive sexuality education using the media and peer programmes in Ghana.

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 Presented in Session 2. Children & Youth