REASONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF PREMARITAL SEXUAL ESCAPADES AMONG FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA

Abstract

The study investigated reasons and implications of premarital sexual escapades among female undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Two research questions guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 23,621 comprising 12639 males and 10982 females. The sample comprised of 800 undergraduate students. The sample was composed using simple random sampling method. Data collected were analyzed using mean. The findings of the study showed that cohabitation of students, poor socio-economic status of parents, peer group influence, indecent dressing among students, watching pornographic movies and pictures, quest for materialism, inability to control sexual urge, addiction to drugs and alcohol, poor parental upbringing of children and students lifestyle were the reasons behind premarital sex among undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Also, it was discovered that unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion, infertility, untimely death, drug and alcoholic addiction, students joining bad company, loss of self control, transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and prostitution were the implications of premarital sex. Premarital sex with its attendant risk to unstrained fun and sexual activities may cause distraction for students. This may lead to academic underachievement. Based on the findings study, it was concluded that premarital sex persist among undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka sequel to diverse socioeconomic reasons which could hamper their academic pursuit and goals in life. University authorities should also include issue of premarital sex in students’ handbook; what constitutes premarital sex, its consequences on students and punitive measures to be meted out to students who indulge in it.