Young South Africans’ views on, and perceptions of, abstinence and faithfulness
Authors: Setswe Keitshepile G. , Zuma Khangelani 
Published: September 2010

The goals of the Abstinence and Be Faithful Among Youth (ABY) project were to enhance local responses among the youth in South Africa to prevent HIV infection through encouraging abstinence,faithfulness and avoidance of unhealthy sexual behaviour among youths over a five-year period. A quantitative baseline evaluation of the ABY project was conducted in five cities in South Africa. Data were collected from learners and youths just before the ABY intervention started at nine randomly selected sites in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha using a three-stage cluster sampling design. In total, nine sites were randomly selected from a possible eighteen. At each of the data-collection points, data were collected from 60 participants. In total there were 27 data-collection points and 1620 respondents. Young people have strong views on abstaining from sexual intercourse, as 83% said that it was possible not to have sex for as long as you can. There was also strong support for abstinence, as 78.5% said that not having sex was the best way of preventing infection with HIV. In total, 68.1% of the youths said that the media had a positive influence on encouraging abstinence and 72.1% said role models could help them not to have sex, while 84.3% said that leadership and life skills workshops were helpful in encouraging them to abstain from sex. In total, 68.7% of young people said that the media encouraged faithfulness in relationships and 84.6% said that life skills workshops were helpful in encouraging them to remain faithful to one partner. Young people have strong views on and support for abstinence. They also have strong views on and perceptions of remaining faithful to one partner. These findings are a valuable guide to the views and perceptions of young people with respect to abstinence and faithfulness before interventions are implemented. Opsomming Die doel van die Abstinence and Be Faithful for Youth (ABY) projek was om die plaaslike reaksie onder jong mense te versterk ten einde MIV-infeksies te voorkom deur onthouding, getrouheid en vermyding van ongesonde seksuele gedrag onder die jeug oor ’n vyfjaar-tydperk aan te moedig.’n Kwantitatiewe basislyn-evaluering van die ABY-projek is in vyf stede in Suid Afrika uitgevoer.Data is van leerders en jongmense by nege lukraak gekose plekke in Johannesburg, Kaapstad,Durban, Port Elizabeth en Mthatha met behulp van ’n klustermonsternemingsontwerp in drie fases ingesamel kort voor die ABY-intervensie begin het. In totaal is nege plekke lukraak gekies uit ’n moontlike agtien. By elke data-insamelingspunt is data van 60 deelnemers verkry. In totaal was daar 27 data-insamelingspunte en 1620 respondente. Jongmense het sterk menings oor seksuele onthouding, aangesien 83% gesê het dat dit moontlik is om seksuele omgang vir so lank moontlik te vermy. Daar was ook sterk ondersteuning vir onthouding, aangesien 78% gesê het dat onthouding die beste voorkomingsmaatreël vir MIV-infeksie is. Wat die media betref, het 68.1% van die jongmense aangedui dat dit ’n positiewe invloed het om onthouding aan te moedig en 71.1% het aangedui dat rolmodelle hulle kan help om nie seks te beoefen nie, terwyl 84.1% aangedui het dat leierskaps- en lewensvaardigheidswerkswinkels hulle gehelp het om hulle van seks te onthou. In totaal het 68.7% van die jongmense aangedui dat dit getrouheid in vaste verhoudings aanmoedig en 84.6% het aangedui dat lewensvaardigheidswerkswinkels hulle aangemoedig het om getrou aan een persoon te wees. Jongmense het sterk menings oor onthouding en ondersteun dit ten sterkste.Hulle het ook sterk menings oor en persepsies van getrouheid aan een metgesel. Hierdie bevindinge is ’n waardevolle riglyn oor jongmense se menings en persepsies rakende onthouding en getrouheid voordat intervensies geïmplementeer word.