Factors Associated With Engaging in Pre-Marital Sex Among The Students of University of Maiduguri

Sexual behavior among the students in our universities is speculatively very rampant and worrisome. In this context it is important to understand why youth engage in risky sexual behavior and to understand the influencing factors for the behavior. This study was conducted in the University of Maiduguri. It identifies the social and economic factors associated engaging in sexual behavior among the students of University of Maiduguri. The data were collected using multi methods — Survey, Focus Group Discussion and review of University security records. The stratified simple random technique was used to draw respondents from a sampling frame sourced from the University information Management Unit. The sample size is 318 (286 for the survey and 32 focus group participants) The SSPS software was used in the analysis of tile data. The findings revealed that a number of factors are associated with pre-marital sex among the students in the University and economic reasons were the most significantly positive factor associated with pre-marital sex. Other factors identified as reasons include love, peer group influence, academic advantage, pleasure and provocative dressing. The study recommends that government should come out with a policy that will provide scholarship to youth in [lie University on a regular basis up to graduation. Government should also partner with NGOs and embark on advocacy and campaign on the need to sustain sex free life and discourage advocates of use of condom with sex. Effective supervision of both academic and social life of youth in the University by the authorities was some of the recornmendations put forward.