Sabinet | Perceptions and attitudes of secondary school students in Kwazulu-Natal towards virginity testing
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Siyabonga B. Dlamini,
Champaklal Jinabhai and
Gender equity, Rural secondary school students and Virginity testing
Abstract HTML Metrics Related Content Abstract This study describes the prevalence of virginity testing (VT) amongst rural secondary school students in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), compares the attitudes of students of both sexes to VT, the differences in attitudes between girls who would/would not undergo such testing, and explores the relationship between risky sexual behaviour and girls who underwent virginity testing. A cross sectional descriptive study was undertaken with stratified random sampling of 10 secondary schools in Ugu District, KZN. Of 846 isiZulu-speaking students whose mean age was 16.1 years (SD 2.4), 492 (58.2%) were girls, of whom 286 (58.1%) had undergone VT and, in total 347 (70.5%) girls supported VT. Girls whose mothers had less formal education were more likely to have participated in VT (P-0.03) with fewer older girls participating (P=0.0003). More girls than boys considered VT to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (P=0.02), and to be empowering (P<0.005), but VT received support from both sexes as a traditional cultural practice. Participation in VT failed to prevent sexual intercourse and sexually transmitted diseases or to improve rates of condom use amongst those who were sexually active. South Africa&apos;s Bill of Rights supports gender equity. At community level VT has support despite its conflicting relationship with human rights, and questionable impact on preventing HIV/AIDS.
Hierdie studie beskryf die voorkoms van maagdelikheidstoetsing (MT), by plattelandse sekondÃªre skoolleerders in KwaZulu-Natal en vergelyk die houdings van leerders van beide geslagte in verband met MT, die verskille in houdings tussen dogters wat sodanige toetsing sal/nie sal ondergaan nie, en verken die verhouding tussen dogters wat maagdelikheidstoetsing ondergaan het en riskante seksuele gedrag. &apos;n Kruisseksionele studie is onderneem met gestratifiseerde steekproefneming van 10 sekondÃªre skole in die Ugu distrik. Van 846 isiZulu-sprekende leerders was die gemiddelde ouderdom 16.1 jaar (SA 2.4), 492 (58.2%) was dogters, van wie 286 (58.1%) MT ondergaan het, en in totaal het 347 (70.5%) dogters MT ondersteun. Dogters wie se moeders minder formele opleiding ontvang het was meer geneig om aan MT deel te neem(P-0.03) met minder ouer dogters wat deelgeneem het (P=0.0003). Meer dogters as seuns het MT beskou as beskerming teen Seksueel-Oordraagbare Infeksies (SOIs) (P=0.02), en as bemagtiging (P<0.005), maar MT het ondersteuning van beide geslagte as &apos;n tradisionele, kulturele praktyk ontvang. Deelname aan MT kon egter nie seksuele gemeenskap verminder, &apos;n toename in die gebruik van kondome verhoog, &apos;n toename in die gebruik van kondome by diegene wat seksueel aktief was of seksueel-oordraagbare infeksies voorkom nie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Handves van Menseregte ondersteun geslagsgelykheid. MT op gemeenskapsvlak ondersteuning ontvang ten spyte van die teenstrydige aspekte daarvan met betrekking tot menseregte, en die twyfelagtige impak daarvan op die voorkoming van MIV/VIGS.