Factors which influence the onset of sexual activity amongst young people

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the perspectives of young people with regards to the onset of sexual activity amongst adolescents. Specifically it aims at investigating possible factors, which influence the initiation of sexual activity. Although the age of legal sexual consent in Malta is 18 years, an increasing number of young people become sexually active long before this age. The study outlines a qualitative inquiry consisting of 7 interviews with 7 young people aged over 18 years. It found out that according to the informants’ perspectives, young people seem to be making the transition to having their first sexual intercourse at an earlier age than their cohorts in the past and they are confronted by complex social dilemmas. This could be due to the influence of various factors, some being more dominant than others, which are affecting the choices they make. These could be related to the ethical, psychological, social and physical aspects of sex and could determine young people’s readiness in initiating sexual activity. The findings indicate that young people’s detachment from parents is mostly being influenced by peers and the excessive use of modern technology is also considered as a contributing factor for sexual onset.