Union Formation and Onset of Sex among Young Girls in Kachia Local Government Area of State

Dr. John Gambo LAAH Department of Geography DOI: 10.36108/NJSA/0102/80(0130) Ahmadu Bello University, Vol. 8 Issue 1, 2010

Abstract Analysis of marriage intentions and sexual experiences of young women are necessary in drawing up state-level and countrywide policies that address young women’s sexual health needs. This paper draws on results of a study utilizing structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to examine marriage and sexual debut among young girls in Kachia Local Government Area of . A total of 862 questionnaires were administered among young women within the age of 11 and 25 years. The information from the questionnaire was analysed using the Chi-square (X2) test to assess bivariate association between ever had sex and age at first sex and some socio-demographic characteristics of young girls. The study hypothesised that ever had sex, age at first sexual encounter and age at marriage do not differ by some socio- demographic characteristics of women. The results of the analysis revealed that the majority (70%) of the respondents have ever had sex and that 9.6% have ever married. The X2 test revealed that there are significant relationships between ever had sex and age of respondents (X2, df=4, p=0.001)), marital status (X2, df=4, p=0.001) and level of education (X2, df=6, p=0.001). There was, however, no statistical differences between ever had sex and religion and residence. The paper recommended a multifaceted programme to address the needs of young girls in Kachia LGA.

Keywords: marital union, ever had sex, age at first sex, age at first marriage, Kachia

Introduction Early marriage and sexual debut have been subjects of a growing number of studies by demographers, sociologists, population geographers and researchers in developing countries, and in Africa in particular (UNICEF, 2010; Women in International Network, 2011). Marriage is generally considered as a crucial step towards adulthood and although it is universal, the conditions and consequences vary between and within communities (Nugent, 2006). There is no common denominator when it comes to the age at marriage, however, socio-economic, cultural and religious factors play important roles in deciding the age at marriage and sexual debut in different societies of the world. In Africa, the kinship group used to play a significant role in the marriage process. Today, we are seeing the gradual erosion of the authority of the kinship in the marriage process and increasing sexual intercourse and child bearing outside marriage (Gage-Brandon & Meekers, 1993a). In many countries of the world, including , the legal female age for marriage is 18 years; however, this is hardly enforced by governments. Despite the fact that the median age at first marriage has been rising and a significant

Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 85

proportion of the women remain unmarried, the majority of the women who have reached menopause in Hong Kong have ever married (Wong, 2003). In many countries of Africa a higher proportion of the girls marry before the age of 18 years. The percentage of girls married before age 18 in Niger is 75%, in Chad and Mali it is 72% and 71% respectively, while in Guinea, Malawi and Nigeria it is 63%, 50% and 39% in that order (Population Reference Bureau [PRB], 2011). Child marriage, which is marriage before the age 18, is caused by poverty and cultural norms (Nugent, 2006). Globally, about 36% of women aged 20-24 were married or in union before the age of 18 in 2005 (UNICEF, 2005a). Marriage of adolescent girls is most common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (UNICEF, 2005b; UNFPA, 2005). According to UNICEF (2006), the prevalence of marriage before the age of 18 is an obstacle to the achievement of virtually all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), because pregnant adolescents face far more health-related challenges than older women. Some of the health challenges include illegal abortion, anaemia, malnutrition, high blood pressure, Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF), Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and eclampsia (Nour, 2006; Fatusi & Wang, 2009; Women International Network, 2011). Marriage in Africa has been commonly described as early and universal and this situation is considered responsible for high fertility in the region. We can identify four main types of unions: (i) custom/traditional marriage (ii) religious marriage (iii) civil marriage, and (iv) mutual consent union or cohabitation (Luluaki, 1997). In Nigeria like in many societies of Africa, the extended family is customarily involved in the formation of marriage unions (Luluaki, 1997). A growing body of research has reported significant association between poverty and early marriage (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009; Nour, 2006). In many societies in Africa and Asia a girl is considered an economic burden and is married out as a survival strategy for her family (UNFPA, 2005; PRB, 2005). Some consider such marriage as a strategy to avoid the girl becoming pregnant in her parent’s house (WHO, 2011). Since the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, there has been a growing recognition of the rights of young people to sex education and access to health services. Yet, the lack of supportive environment and information discourage young people from accessing health services. Although, so much has been written on early marriages, there is a general problem of assessing the prevalence of early marriage as many of the marriages are not registered and unofficial, hence very little data exist (UNICEF, 2001). Age at first sex (AFS) in Nigeria is estimated at 19.7 (NPC & ICR Macro, 2009), while in USA it is 18. Zaba et al (2004) and Blanc & Way (1998) observed a secular rise in age at first sex in Africa. McGrath et al (2009) in a study of a rural area of South Africa revealed the median AFS as 18.5 and 19.2 86 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

for women and men respectively. Other studies have observed age at first sex to be as low as 14 (Nebbitt et al, 2010). There are a number of studies that show that young girls have sex for economic reasons (Akinyemi et al, 1996; Swart-Kruger & Richter, 1997; Meekers & Calves, 1997; Ankomah, 1998; Temin et al, 1999; Nyanzi, Pool & Kinsman, 2001; Kaufman & Stavros, 2002; Gregson et al, 2002; Moore, 2007). Some people situate adolescents within a framework of deviant behaviour and adolescence as problem-laden (WHO, 2011). The 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reveals that the median age at first marriage varies from 15.2 years in the North West to 22.8 years in the South East (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009). Although the result of the NDHS provides evidence that the age at marriage has been increasing in Nigeria over the past generation, young women in the North West still marry at relatively very young ages. James & Isiugo-Abanihe (2010), in a study of North-Western Nigeria using a cross sectional data, noted that teenagers are motivated into early marriage because of socio-economic circumstances. Examining the sexual activities of young women at the level of a Local government Area (LGA) could assist in drawing up intervention strategies that purposeful and target-specific.

Location of the Study Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) is one of the largest and oldest LGAs in Kaduna State. It lies between Latitudes 9o33” and 10o11” North, and between Longitudes 7o10” and 8o08” East. The LGA shares boundaries to the North with LGA, to the North East with LGA, to the East with Zango Kataf LGA, to the South East with Jaba LGA, to the South with LGA and to the West with . Kachia LGA has a population of 244,274 people (NPC, 2009) and with a land area of 4632km2, it has a population density of 53 per km2 which is far below the national average of 150 per km2 (NPC, 2009). The geology of the area consists mainly of pre-cambrian rocks of the basement complex (Barbour et al, 1982). The area generally lies between 560- 700 metres above sea level and has two distinct climatic seasons; the wet and dry seasons. The wet season occurs between April and October (7 months) while the dry season is between the months of November and March (5 months). The major ethnic groups in Kachia LGA are Adara, Kuturmi, Jaba and Bajju. The people of the area are ruled by the paramount ruler of the Adara (Agom Adara). Kachia LGA is predominantly Christian; however, there are pockets of Moslems and traditional worshippers dotting the cultural landscape of the area. In spite of the heterogeneous religious composition of the area, the people of Kachia LGA have coexisted peaceful for decades. One of the factors that are responsible for the peaceful coexistence of the people is the prevalence of cross-cultural marriage (Archibong, 2009). Marriage between Kuturmi and Adara is commonplace. Marriage and child birth is celebrated in virtually all Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 87

communities in Kachia so that instead of the normal seven days that a child is named after birth, the Adara and Kuturmi conduct theirs after three days of the birth of a baby. Twins are also cherished by the indigenes of Kachia.

Data and Methods The data for this study were obtained from structured questionnaires administered among 862 randomly selected girls within the age bracket of 11 to 25 years. The questionnaire was administered within a period of one month, in November 2010, as part of a larger study to assess sexual behaviours and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young women in Kachia LGA. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic information, experience of sex, age at marriage, sexual partners and reasons for first sexual encounter. To measure age at first sex and age at first marriage, respondents were asked if they have ever had sex, the age they had their first sex, the age of the partner and the relationship to the partner. The Chi-square statistical technique was used to analyze the data and draw inferences, the result being considered statistical significant when p-value was ≤0.05. To supplement the information obtained from the questionnaires and in an attempt to gain deeper insights into individual and group perceptions of marriage and reproductive issues, two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) sessions were conducted with the young girls. Given the age bracket of the respondents, permission to carry out the study was sought from the district heads of the sampled areas. Where it was necessary to seek permission from parents of the girls, it was done. All girls that were selected as respondents were made to understand that answering the questionnaire was not compulsory.

Results Social and Demographic Characteristics of the Study Population Table 1 shows the distribution of respondents by some socio-demographic characteristics. For the purpose of this study and with prejudice to other concepts and definitions, ‘young girls’ are taken to mean girls within the age of 11 to 25 years. The Table shows that the majority of the respondents (55.5%) are in the age bracket of 14-16 years, followed by those in the age group of 17- 19 years with 17.5%. Respondents who are between 11-13 years, 20-22 years and 23 years and above constitute 9.4%, 11.5% and 6.1% respectively. The distribution by marital status shows that 83 (9.6%) of the 862 respondents have ever married (Table 1). This means that 1 in every 10 girls sampled had ever married. Out of the 9.6% that are married 7.2% are currently in marital union, 1.6% are divorced, while 0.1% and 0.7% are separated and widowed respectively. Marriage here refers both to formal and informal unions. A formal union here means a relationship that result from a ‘contract’ between a man and a woman who mutually promise to live together as husband 88 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

and wife for life. Informal union, on the other hand, refers to a situation where a man and a woman are living together in a long term relationship that resembles a marriage without any legal union, the legality of which could be established by a competent court of law (civil, customary or shariah), or by religious/traditional rites.

Table 1: Distribution by Age, Marital Status and by Level of Education

Age Group Number Percentage

11-13 81 9.4 14-16 478 55.5 17-19 151 17.5 20-22 99 11.5 23 and above 53 6.1 Total 862 100.0 Marital Status Never Married 779 90.4 Married 62 7.2 Divorced 14 1.6 Separated 1 0.1 Widowed 6 0.7 Total 862 100.0 Level of Education None 3 0.3 Koranic 1 0.1 Primary incomplete 23 2.7 Primary Completed 101 11.7 Secondary Incomplete 471 54.6 Secondary Completed 177 20.5 Tertiary 86 10.0 Total 862 100.0 Religion Christianity 762 88.4 Islam 100 11.6 Traditionalist/Pagan 0 0.0 Total 862 100.0

The distribution by religion as shown in Table 1 reveals that over three- quarters of the respondents are Christians with a proportion of 88.4% as against Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 89

11.6% for Muslims. Religion has been found to have significant net effect on adolescent reproductive outcomes (Brewster et al, 1998) and has been specifically found to have a strong delay effect on timing of first intercourse (Jones, Darroch & Singh, 2005; Rostosky, Wilcox, Wright & Randall, 2004). This distribution reflects the pattern of religious distribution in Kachia LGA (Kaduna State Ministry of Planning, 2006). Respondents were asked to state if their locality of residence was an urban or a rural area. The result shows that 65% of the respondents say they are living in rural areas, while 35% say they live in urban areas. Studies in Africa and elsewhere have suggested that sexual behaviour of youth varies by place of residence. Youths in African urban areas have exhibited riskier sexual behaviours compared to youths in rural areas (Wouhabe, 2007; Khasakhala & Mturi, 2008; Greif, Dodoo & Jayaraman, 2011). However, marriage at an early age is common in the rural areas and among the poor (UNFPA, 2005). Some studies have found no association between place of residence and sexual risk behaviours (Westercamp et al, 2010).

Sexual Experience and Age at First Sex Table 2 shows the distribution of respondents by ever had sexual intercourse and the age at first sexual intercourse. To determine the age at first sex, respondents were asked the questions, “Have you ever had sexual intercourse with the opposite sex?” “If yes, at what age did you have your first sexual intercourse?” In all, 603(70%) of the 862 respondents sampled have ever had sexual intercourse with the opposite sex. This finding is not unusual as earlier studies in Africa have reported higher proportion of sexual experience among unmarried teens (Gage-Brandon & Meekers, 1993b). The distribution by age at first sexual intercourse reveals that 73% of the girls had their first sexual intercourse at the age of 14-16 years. Also, 19.1% and 5.6% had their first sexual intercourse at the ages of 17-19 and 11-13 respectively. The distribution also reveals that 2.3% had their first sexual intercourse at age of 20-22 years, and no respondents had her first sexual intercourse at age 23 years and above. 90 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

Table 2: Distribution by Ever Had Sex and Age at First Sex Ever Had Sex Number Percentage Yes 603 70.0 No 259 30.0 Total 862 100.0 Age at First Sex 11-13 34 5.6 14-16 440 73.0 17-19 115 19.1 20-22 14 2.3 23 and above 0.0 0.0 Total 603* 100.0 * Figure refers to those who have ever had sex

The relatively early age at first sexual intercourse is particularly worrisome against the backdrop of the fact that adolescent girls experiencing sex at a relatively young age are not likely to use contraceptives (Blanc and Way, 1998). Also, age at sexual initiation is an important indicator of the exposure to the risk of pregnancy and to STIs. Although, the proportion of young women reporting sexual activity generally increases with age (Blanc & Way, 1998), age at first sex is usually early for most of Africa. Pre-union sexual experience is not very uncommon in Africa and Asia as many studies have observed (Ford & Kittisuksathin, 1996; NPC and ICF Micro, 2009). Age at first intercourse is strongly associated with the average number of lifetime sexual partners. A chi-square (X2) test to establish the bivariate association between some selected socio-demographic characteristics and sexual experience is shown in Table 3. Age, marital status and level of education were statistical significant (p<0.01) when associated with ever had sex. However, when ever had sex was associated with religion and residence the result was not statistical significant (p>0.01). Also, the X2 test shows that age, marital status and level of education were significant (p<0.01) when associated with age at first sex. When religion and residence was associated with age at first sex the result was not statistically significant (p>0.01). Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 91

Table 3: Chi-square (X2) Test of Association for Ever had Sex, Age at First Sexual Intercourse and Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents Variable Chi-square Degree of p-value Remarks value freedom (df)

Ever had Sex by:

Age at birth 134.531 4 .001 Significant Marital Status 22.945 4 .001 Significant

Level of Education 91.540 6 .001 Significant Religion 0.00 1 .991 Not significant

Residence 0.111 1 .739 Not significant Age at First Sex by:

Age at birth 493.968 16 .001 Significant Marital Status 108.450 16 .001 Significant

Level of Education 310.511 24 .001 Significant

Religion 5.478 4 .242 Not significant

Residence 3.600 4 .463 Not significant * Level of significant is set at 0.05% (p≤0.05) confidence interval

Sexual Partners and Relationships To understand respondents’ types, number and age of sexual partners, respondents were asked a series of questions. Questions such as; “What is your relationship with your last sexual partner?” “How many sexual partners have you had in the last six months?” and “What is the age of your last sexual partner?” where asked. Table 4 shows the number and types of sexual partners. Most of the girls (51.4%) have had sex with only one sexual partner, 36.1% have had it with between two and four sexual partners and 12.5% have had sexual intercourse with five or more men. Although the proportion of women that had sex with five or more sexual partners seem to be low, studies across the globe indicate that the number of women having sex with several sex partners has increased in the last two decades (Nour, 2006). There is a close association between number of sexual partners and the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STI). Multiple sexual partners put young women at the risk of contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (Anderson et al, 1992; Santelli et al, 1998; Laah, 2003; Rector et al, 2003; Hurt et al, 2010). Several studies have suggested that over half of sexually active women have had sexual partner within two years of their age (Darroch, Landry & Oslak, 1999). The perception of sexual partners varies from one culture to another. However, while most societies still value the idea of a girl 92 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

remaining a virgin until marriage, having multiple partners is not considered a crime.

Table 4: Distribution by Number, Type and Age of Sexual Partner

Number of Sexual Partners Number Percentage 1 Partner 310 51.4 2-4 partners 218 36.1 5 partners and above 75 12.5 Total 603 100.0

Type of Sexual Partner Husband 15 2.5 Boyfriend/Fiancé 352 58.4 Casual Partner 107 17.7 Sugar/Daddy 74 12.3 Others 55 9.1 Total 603 100.0

Age of Sexual Partner Same Age 54 9.0 Younger than me 5 0.8 1-3 years older 280 46.4 4-6 years older 169 28.0 7-9 years older 65 10.8 10 years and above 30 5.0 Total 640 100.0

The distribution by the relationship to sexual partner shows that 17.7% had their first sex with casual partner, 58.4% had first sex with their boyfriends/fiancés and 12.3% had sex with sugar daddies (Table 4). The Table also reveals that 2.5% had their first sex with their husbands and a further 9.1% stated that they had their first sex with other partners. These ‘other’ partners could include uncles, relations and even biological fathers as suggested by one of the discussants at the one of the FGDs: ...in this our place it is very common to hear girls talking of how their uncles and fathers’ friends are luring them to bed. Hm...I know one of my school mates who use to sell fuel at one of the filling stations at Gumel whose uncle forced her to bed. This uncle was so nice to her until that incident...it was the Christmas before last, he asked her to accompany him to Kafanchan, there he forced her....you see this scar (revealing a scar on her left thigh) an uncle of mind was trying to force me into his room, in the process I felt on a flower pot and got a deep cut. Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 93

Table 4 also shows the age of sexual partner. In all of the 603 that have ever had sex 280(46.4%) had their first sexual intercourse with those who were older than them for between 1-3 years. Also 169(28%) and 65(10.8%) had their first sex with persons who were 4-6 years and 7-9 years older respectively. In all 54(9.0%) were same age with their sexual partners, 5(0.8%) said their partners were younger than them and 30(5%) were over 10 years older. Studies of adolescent reproductive behaviours in Africa have tended to suggest that adolescents and young women tend to have sex with older partners (Nugent, 2006; Nour, 2006).

Reasons for Engaging in Sexual Intercourse Respondents were asked to state the reasons they engaged in their first sexual encounter in attempt to understand what motivates teenagers to engage in sex. Some studies have indicated the role of peer pressure in sexual debut. In designing the questionnaire attempts were made to avoid putting ‘peer pressure’ as an option so as to avoid girls alluding to peer pressure for their sexual behaviours. Figure 1 shows that the majority (40%) of the girls engaged in their first sexual encounter for gifts and or monetary rewards. Also, 24.7% and 21.6% say they engaged in their first sexual encounter because of love and out of curiosity respectively. In all, 1.3% says they were raped while, 11.8% engaged in their first sexual intercourse because of other reasons and 0.7% did it because of marriage. The 11.8% that stated that they engaged in their first sexual encounter for “other” reasons could include those who engaged in sex for marks in examination, during cultural rite and initiations and under the influence of alcohol. Others for no specific reasons may have been coerced into sex by uncles and household members. 94 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

Fig. 1: Percentage Distribution by Reasons for Engaging in First Sex

Age at First Marriage Formation of union at young age is generally associated with early sexual intercourse and child bearing (Xenos, 2001). Respondents have different perception on what marriage is. Although many girls agree that the process of marriage generally starts with a period of courtship, where parents of the boy and girl exchange visits, they note that cohabitation is an acceptable form of marriage. Table 4 shows the distribution of respondents by age at first marriage. It shows that 47% of the respondents married at the age of between 17-19 years followed by those in the age 14-16 with 30.1%. Also, 9.3% and 3.6% were married by 20-22 and 23 years and above. The computed median age at first marriage is 20. This distribution agrees with the findings of the NDHS 2008 where the majority of the women (46%) aged 20-49 years were found to be married by age of 18 and 12% of those who were 15-19 were married (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009). It must be noted that there seems to be no consensus as to the appropriate age at marriage in Nigeria. Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 95

Table 4: Distribution by Age at First Marriage Age at Marriage Number Percentage 11-13 0 0.0 14-16 25 30.1 17-19 39 47.0 20-22 16 19.3 23 and above 3 3.6 Total 83 100.0 * Total refers to those who have ever married

Early marriage can be said to be the major contributing factor to the high incidence of marriage dissolution and separation in Northern Nigeria. It is also responsible for many women’s inability to give birth vaginally due to under- developed reproductive systems (UNICEF, 1996). Social scientists and those interested in fertility estimates have taken the issues of marriage and the process of union formation seriously because it is correlated with women’s exposure to the risk of pregnancy (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009). Usually, a society where the age at marriage is low tends to have high fertility because women give birth at an early age and end up having more children overall. Discussants were asked at the FGD sessions reasons why young girls marry. Discussants gave different reasons why young girls marry at relatively young age. It is evident however that poverty is one of the drivers of early marriage in Kachia LGA like in most communities in Nigeria. In a situation of helplessness most of the young girls do not have the choice but to marry. According to a discussant at one of the FGDs: I got married at the age of 17 years and 2 months shortly after I completed my SSCE. I had no intention of marrying early. I always wanted to enter the university and be a medical doctor like my cousin (sister), but somewhere along the line I lost my mum and dad in near mysterious circumstance and in quick succession. I had no body to pay my school fees. I could not write my WAEC or NECO because I could not afford the fees. My Aunty is working as a teacher in a primary school but she could not pay my exams fees (Lami, 18 years Secondary School Leaver).

Others have explained the phenomenon of early marriage to early start of sexual activities. A 22 years old student of a tertiary institution stated thus: There is no doubt that premarital sex is very common now. In the past our mothers were always advising us to practice abstinence, today, they can only advise us to be careful. We are more exposed to issues of sex now...I remember that my own mum did not talk to me about sex, 96 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

because I did not grow up with her. I grew up with a relation...Yes, the system of fostering children does not allow for one to interact well with one mother and that in itself could be one of the reasons that we have many problems.

Table 5 shows the X2 test of association between age at first marriage and some socio-demographic attributes of the respondents. The test reveals that there are significant differences between age at first marriage and age of respondents (p≤0.01), marital status (p≤0.01), level of education (p≤0.01) and place of residence (p≤0.01). The test shows no significant association between religion and age at first birth (p≥0.05). In other words, age at marriage would vary by age of respondents, marital status, level of education and residence but does not differ by religion.

Table 5: Statistical Test of Association for Age at First Marriage and Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

Chi-square Variable value Df p-value Remarks Age of birth 252.349 16 .001 Significant Marital Status 956.633 16 .001 Significant Level of Education 139.877 24 .001 Significant Religion 1.755 4 .781 Not significant Residence 15.164 4 .004 Significant

Figure 2 attempts a comparison of age at first sex and age at first marriage. While the curve of the age at first marriage rises gradually from age 16, indicating that marriage rate increases with increase in age of woman, the curve for age at first sexual intercourse shows an inverted v-shape. The curve for age at first sex rises steeply peaking at age 16. The implication of this distribution is that onset of sex is comparatively earlier than marriage. In other words, the age at first sex varies from the age at first marriage, in the sense that commencement of sex those not mean the commencement of union. Given the unstable nature of the African traditional process it must be noted that sexual intercourse before marriage is very common. Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 97

Fig 2: Percentage Distribution by Age at First Sex and Age at First Marriage

Discussion This study examines marriage and sexual experience of young girls in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The issue of adolescent sexual behaviours is now a topical issue among researchers and development workers. Like many other studies in Africa (Nugent, 2006), this study revealed that a significant proportion of the girls (70%) have ever had sex and that most respondents have had sex before the age of 16. This also raises the question on whether these sexual encounters are consensual or not, as young girls in Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) are vulnerable to sexual violence or and coercion. Poverty is the major reason young women engage in sex or early marriage. Although, there seems to be a small proportion of girls who reported being raped, it is also important to note that the social stigma attached to raped could have made many girls not to report the incidence of rape. Evidence from the FGDs attests to the fact that rape and sexual coercion is likely to be very common. A 16 year SS1 student noted in one of the discussions: ...we are not very sincere in this issue of rape. In one of the HIV/AIDS peer education sessions we were told by our PET (Peer Education Trainer) that we should always speak out when raped. Look, I know some girls that have reported rape cases and nothing happened ...in fact, the boys in question are still moving up and down. I agree that sometimes we girls our behaviours use to make the boys to have wrong signals, but even if you report a case of rape people don’t take you serious. Just last week a girl visited her boy friend and the useless boy 98 The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8

put something in her drink and slept with her. This girl was not herself for two days because of the medicine. When she informed her uncle he told her that she was the one that took her two legs to the boy’s place.

Given the higher prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Kachia LGA, the high sexual experience of young women is worrisome indeed. There are strong likelihood that sexual encounters at such an early age may put teenagers and women at higher risk of getting infected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV (Lindberg and Singh, 2008). Although the exposure to early marriage is on the decline in Kachia LGA and Kaduna State in general (NPC and ORC Macro, 2004; NPC and ICF Macro, 2009) it is still a major cause of concern. Data from the 2008 NDHS show that the north western part of Nigeria, to which the study area belongs, still experiences early age at marriage (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009). The findings of this survey indicates that 64 (77.1%) of the 83 respondents that have ever married, married between the age of 14 and 19 years. This is a clear indication that age at marriage is relatively early in Kachia LGA. Young people in Nigeria are pushed into early marriage because of parental pressure, economic survival and social norms (James, 2010). A look at the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents suggests that more than one-half have been to secondary school. This is commendable given that education has a tremendous impact on sexual behaviours of young women as enrolment in schools contributes to postponement of marriages. Girls’ education is likely to increase aspirations and opportunities and hence enhance autonomy in the timing of marriage and even in the choice of partner (Nugent, 2006).

Conclusion Young girls in Kachia LGA commence sexual activities at a relatively young age. Girls who are sexually active at such a tender age are not likely to use contraceptives. Government, non-governmental organizations and faith-based organizations will need to step up their intervention programmes, especially those programmes that emphasise among teenagers the need to use contraceptives consistently during sexual encounters. Promoting programmes that could discourage sex among adolescents will require the establishment of youth-friendly centres which will also address the recreational needs of young women. Most of the problems we have today in respect of the reproductive behaviours of the youth are related to the collapsed of the extended family system that provided a fostering system that checkmated some of the ills of the society. Faith-based organizations have a vital role to play in this regard in propagating appropriate values. Multifaceted programmes addressing the various needs of young girls will yield good dividend both now and in future. Union Formation and onset of sex among young girls in Kachia 99

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