Pre-marital Sex

There was a study reported to the media yesterday about the sexual behavior of young adults in the Philippines by a foreign research group. It said that 24% of Filipino adolescents have pre-marital sex experience. The sample data came from the National Capital Region. Although the result is not representative of the entire Philippines it is somehow near the national figure generated by the Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS 3) Survey in 2002 by the University of the Philippines Population Institute. The YAFS study indicates that 26% of Filipinos 15-27 years old admitted to have pre-marital sex experience. Is there a reason to be alarmed with the result?

The latest result, if done this year, is somewhat surprising taking into consideration that the first study was conducted in 2002. Pre-marital sex dropped by 2% and it is only a NCR sample. Does it mean that regional prevalence is greater than the NCR? Maybe, but this is not the concern of this entry.

Pre-marital sex is not new to a modern society. There is really nothing to be alarmed. It should be expected that the incidence would steadily incline taking into consideration how accessible sex is nowadays. With the help of technology: SMS, online chat and social networking; and media, sex is just a stone-throw away. Controlling the behavior through moralization would not be effective, or maybe there is really no way of controlling it.

I guess it is time to accept the truth. Humans are born to have sex either it would be within marriage or not. It is a natural behavior and suppressing it might only have negative impact to the normal development of the young. Isn’t it puberty starts early in the teens? Why should it start early? There has to be a reason for that.

Humans have instincts just like the lower forms of animals. At the onset of puberty, hormones build up and sexual urges start. Animals would have sex outrightly but humans won’t because of cultural standards, norms and mores. They condemn deviations, unconventionality. However, humans have choices and in some point of their resistance would finally succumb to their sexual urges whether within marriage or not. Is it wrong behavior? Is it a problem?

Reality Check:

Sex or pre-marital sex is not the problem. The real problem is the outcome of irresponsible sexual behavior and the way society treats sexuality. Society has to change its view over sex and sexuality. Lots of careless behavior arises because of immature views on sex. You should only have sex to the person you love? How many unwanted and teenage pregnancies occurred just because of the wrong idea that sex is one expression of love? Sex and love are two different things. This is reality.

Education is the key to sexual maturity. This is the only solution to avoid sexually related problems. The parents should intervene early. Schools must reinforce it. The government must institutionalize it. Education must address the responsibility the youth has over sexual behavior.

Pre-marital sex is not a morality issue. It is a maturity issue, both of the individual and the society at large