‘Always between two cultures’: young British Bangladeshis and their mothers' views on sex and relationships

Abstract

This paper presents data on the sexual health perspectives of young British Bangladeshis and their mothers. It discusses the implications of these data for the development of appropriate sexual health education. Between April and September 2006, 36 young people and 25 mothers of Bangladeshi young people were interviewed through seven focus group discussions. Groups were gender and age specific (16–18 years, 19–20 years and mothers). Recruitment took place in community‐based organisations in an inner city London borough. Mothers expressed concern about pre‐marital sex but felt unable to control out‐of‐home activity. Feelings of isolation, lack of control and communication difficulties were key issues for them. Young people had varied perspectives on pre‐marital sex. Some experienced emotional conflict between what was expected of them in terms of their faith and their engagement in intimate relationships. Both the young people and mothers highlighted the need for sex and relationship education to take account of cultural perspectives and the involvement of parents and the wider community. However, parents and community representatives require information and communication support to enable this involvement. Sex and relationships education content needs to be inclusive, have both secular and faith perspectives and engage where relevant with local communities.