Premarital sex and pregnancy in Greater Jakarta

James O’Donnell,Peter McDonald,Iwu Dwisetyani Utomo

doi:10.1186/s41118-020-00081-8

James O’Donnell, Peter McDonald + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41118-020-00081-8

Copy DOI

Journal: Genus	Publication Date: Jun 22, 2020
Citations: 9	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Australian National University, University of Melbourne

Abstract

Social taboos and stigmas around sexuality and non-marital sex in Indonesia have led to substantial underreporting of the prevalence of premarital sex. In this study, we explore underreporting amongst young adults in Greater Jakarta. We use the 2010 Greater Jakarta Transition to Adulthood Survey (GJTAS), a survey of more than 3000 people aged 20–34 years, to derive estimates of underreporting based on discrepancies reported in the timing of marriage, first child birth and first sexual intercourse and sexual activities. Survival and life table analyses are utilised to identify individual and societal predictors of premarital sex and its reporting and to estimate cumulative incidence across young adulthood. The results reveal substantial evidence of underreporting, particularly amongst women, arising from premarital pregnancies. We estimate that the proportion of the female cohort who will engage in premarital sex by the age of 35 years increases from 4.4 to 22% after taking into account evidence of underreporting. Premarital pregnancies and unreported premarital sex is found to be particularly common amongst lower educated people. This raises important questions for policy and research in terms of the provision of information and support for young couples and the methodological implications of substantial underreporting.

Highlights

Issues related to sexuality and reproductive health are difficult topics for research in Indonesia
Sex remains a taboo subject within general Indonesian society, premarital sex is forbidden and cause for deep family shame, government family planning services are legally restricted to married couples and sexual and reproductive health education is limited in schools (Situmorang, 2003; Simon & Paxton, 2004; Utomo & McDonald, 2009; Davies, 2014; Widyastari et al 2015)
At least up until recently, premarital sex has been found to be increasingly acceptable amongst young people in the context of a loving relationship and/or one which is expected to lead to marriage (Simon & Paxton, 2004), or in the case of males, to gain sexual experience (Utomo, 1997; Situmorang, 2001)

Summary

Introduction

Issues related to sexuality and reproductive health are difficult topics for research in Indonesia. Sex remains a taboo subject within general Indonesian society, premarital sex is forbidden and cause for deep family shame, government family planning services are legally restricted to married couples and sexual and reproductive health education is limited in schools (Situmorang, 2003; Simon & Paxton, 2004; Utomo & McDonald, 2009; Davies, 2014; Widyastari et al 2015) Over many decades, these have been reinforced through traditional moderate Islamic values embodied in ‘idealised morality’, which in recent years have been challenged by liberal and conservative pressures. At least up until recently, premarital sex has been found to be increasingly acceptable amongst young people in the context of a loving relationship and/or one which is expected to lead to marriage (Simon & Paxton, 2004), or in the case of males, to gain sexual experience (Utomo, 1997; Situmorang, 2001)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion