Intergenerational sexual relationships in urban Botswana

Abstract

This study reports the results of a survey of 600 senior secondary schools girls (age between 18 and 22 years) in urban Botswana regarding their involvement in intergenerational relationships. The results indicate that even though not many girls (no. 54) agreed to be involved in these relationships themselves, the majority of them reported they knew girls of their age who were.  Further more than one third (38.7%) reported to have had sexual advances from older men.  48 (88.9%) of those who had sex with older men also had sex with boys of their own age. The study also indicates that 27 (50%) of those who had sex with older men did not use condoms indicating that many of these relationships involve unsafe sexual practices. Many of the girls (59%) indicated that the sex was unplanned. Material gain was found to be the main motivating factor why girls involved in intergenerational sexual relationships as 85% of the girls involved in the study indicated so.  Lastly it was found that  the girls involved in intergenerational sexual relationships had positive perceptions regarding these relationships. It is recommended that a favourable socio-cultural environment needs to be created in order for young women to be assertive and make decisions which affect their well being