Study: Many women have sex before they turn 18

Apart from marital bliss, a disturbing finding of the study was that married women consider themselves more vulnerable to HIV, income loss, economic uncertainty and unexpected pregnancies compared to their unmarried counterparts. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Chances of getting a 30-year-old virgin are almost nil, with just one per cent of the respondents saying they still retained their virginity at the age of between 27 to 29.
• The women were also asked where they got advice on sexual matters and most said they relied on friends or their spouses. Radio talk shows ranked very low with the findings showing that women don’t rely on the media for sexual information.
• On matters of health, a majority of the women, 87 per cent, considered themselves healthy and said they were leading healthy lifestyles. At least 78 per cent considered weight watching very important.

Apart from marital bliss, a disturbing finding of the study was that married women consider themselves more vulnerable to HIV, income loss, economic uncertainty and unexpected pregnancies compared to their unmarried counterparts.

The study shows that more married women also confess to having less control of poverty issues (77 per cent) and their weight (71 per cent).

Still on sexual matters, Kenyan women are early experimenters according to the study. A majority (56 per cent) said they had their first sexual experience aged under 18. The number of first sexual encounters declines from 20 years and above.

Chances of getting a 30-year-old virgin are almost nil, with just one per cent of the respondents saying they still retained their virginity at the age of between 27 to 29.

The women were also asked where they got advice on sexual matters and most said they relied on friends or their spouses. Radio talk shows ranked very low with the findings showing that women don’t rely on the media for sexual information.

A considerable number said they got such information from counsellors, parents and other family members. Fewer still turned to magazines, books, the Internet, religious leaders and TV shows for such information.

The study also sought to find out if Kenyan women were clear-headed on drug usage. Of the 1,304 respondents, 33 per cent said they had used drugs while 22 per cent had smoked cigarettes. Among the drugs used, miraa was the most popular, followed by bhang, cocaine and heroin.

WEIGHT WATCHING

On matters of health, a majority of the women, 87 per cent, considered themselves healthy and said they were leading healthy lifestyles. At least 78 per cent considered weight watching very important.

The lifestyle changes made in this regard included healthy eating, balanced meals, a high water intake, improved hygiene and regular exercise.

The study also shows that a significant proportion of women married earlier than desired. While 51 per cent considered 24-26 years the most ideal age for marriage, only 38 per cent were married at that age.

Thirty-two per cent had already married by the age of 21 to 23, while 15 per cent got hitched between 18 and 20 years. Three per cent got married while still under 18.

The number of women who get married starts diminishing from 27 years and above.

According to the survey, one in every four married women is unhappy and 26 per cent felt they ended up with the wrong husband.

Interestingly, the survey reports that 33 per cent of married women don’t live with their husbands. The findings show these women have gone back to live with their parents for various reasons. Others said they had opted to live alone, with a sister or a friend.