HIV awareness and teenage girls' sexual motives and predispositions in Caprivi

Abstract

Preface provided by author:

The rapid spread of HIV and the high rate of teenage pregnancy are very common social problems in Namibia. In addressing these issues focus had been on the individual person and on male sexual violence. However, the effectiveness of such methods is undermined by their remedial and intrapsychic nature. Ideal as these methods may be, they may not arrest the spread of HIV and teenage pregancy because they are not holistic

Berer and Sunanda (1993) argue that if we really want to end the spread of HIV, which has taken advantage of how all of us live our sexual lives, we must question our relationships and transform them

HIV has not only taken advantage of us on the basis of how we live our sexual lives but also on the basis of how we all live our human relationships. Ugly as our human relationships may be, we must summon the courage to look them in the mirror, reflect on them and change some aspects of our relationships that are counter survival to all human kind. Then and only then can we safely and effectively motivate individual living in these transformed realtionships to transform their sexual behaviours

This study is a critical analysis of our human relationships and how they put us at risk of getting HIV. Berer and Sunanda (1993) further argue that having only one partner in one's entire life is neither possible nor desirable for most of us. However, no matter how many sexual partners each one of us may have or have had in the past and for whatever reason, every female sexual life must be treated with integrity, respect and care. A courtesy and caring phenomenon that have evaported from our human relationships

Whether any teenage girl's experience in any sexual relationship has been positive or negative, teenae girls are socialized to be silent about it. Perhaps if teenage girls begin to talk about their sexual activities and experiences openly an dconfidently, they will help each other and will help males to find the strength to value every teenage girl and her sexual needs. Consequently, empower every teenage girl to fight the spread of HIV and teenage pregnancy in Namibia. Perhaps then every teenage girl will be able to sek what she wants and refuse what she does not desire, and perhaps then every teenage girl will be able to express her sexual life instead of hiding it where males can take advantage of it. And perhaps then males will start to respect teenage girls and their sexual lives. Only then can teenage girls' sexual relationships be safe to themselves and to those that they love and only then will sexual intercourse be safe to teenage girls too

Practising safe sex must be a collective effort embedded in the human relationships. Without meeting the teenage girls' basic needs, condom use and abstinence from sex will not find social support, at least among teenage girls