Sexual Health Matters

Factors associated with extra marital sex life in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: implications for the spread of HIV/AIDS

Bamiwuye O*, Asa S, Fadeyibi O and Bisiriyu L
Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Key words: culture, marital infidelity, HIV, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Correlates of extramarital sexual relations among 308 married men and women in Ile-Ife were investigated. The variables employed include age, occupation, education, age at marriage, attitude to paid sex, and so on. Both univariate and multivariate analysis were employed. Results show that reported levels of extramarital sex is higher among females than males in Ile-Ife. Attitude to money or material compensation for sex correlates significantly with high level of extramarital sex. The majority of women who had extramarital relations had it because of economic considerations. Most of those who were involved in multiplicity of sexual partners did not care to use condoms. Increasing economic hardships have forced many people young or old, especially women to resort to promiscuous sexual behaviour to make a living. The fear of AIDS, let alone other STDs, is of less concern than the immediate lack of basic necessity such as food, clothes and shelter. Massive community mobilisation will be necessary to achieve a societal consensus that can weaken transactional sex and lay emphasis on sticking to one sexual partner. The underlying poverty issue which put women at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV must also be addressed.

Introduction

Several studies have confirmed that the breakdown in the mechanism of sexual behaviour has increased(1-4). Cultural and social sanctions about extramarital sexual activity have become weaker, and in some societies, the practice has become institutionalised.

Extramarital sexuality has been found to be more common among males than females. The reason adduced was that women could be punished by the husban(5). With regards to the incidence of extramarital affairs among tribes of Uganda, the Baganda men frown upon a man who is faithful to his wife and adultery seems to be a common practice among their women. It has been noted that among the same tribe in Uganda, many undesired children resulted from extramarital and concubinage relationships(6). Also among the Banyakole, it is reported that extramarital sexual relations were allowed between a wife and her in-laws when the husband is on labour migration(7). In a study from Guinea Bissau, it was reported that a man whose partner is breastfeeding could take a lover and if the lover got pregnant as well, she was likely to become a second wife to be set up in a different home. This second home is known as ‘cassa dois’(8).

Extramarital relations appeared widespread throughout Lesotho, where ‘Bonyatsi’ individuals could easily be identified. The ‘Bonyatsi’ (marital infidelity) practice was recognised as usual state of affairs only in private rather than in public forum. Folk songs made reference to it. Bonyatsi is a relationship which may be maintained on a long term basis between already married persons and it is different from prostitution. The origin of Bonyatsi was claimed to be part of the creation and a feature of all human social life. In Ghana, the Akan tradition welcomed marriage between cross cousins and majority of men claimed that they have sexual relationships with girl friends when their wives are breastfeeding and such relationships can develop into marriage since polyandry is acceptable to the society(9).

Ghanaian women often limit the extramarital sexual activities of their husbands by cutting down the overall period of abstinence in marriage. To many Ghanaians the idea of sexual partner implies the ‘mpena’ relationship or concubine. ‘Mpena’ is a regular or permanent relationship which carries with it some financial and other rewards for the females(9).

The result of a study of sexual networking among women in Benin City, Nigeria showed that 26% of the women surveyed claimed that they have had intercourse with strangers and 70% of the women have had extramarital sexual relationship(10). Among Nigerian male police officers it was found that most of their extramarital sexual partners were single girls particularly students(11). In Ondo State, Nigeria, a previous study found that extra-marital sexual activities were rampant(12). They found that most male’s extramarital relationships are with younger women whom they described as “friends” or singles. For the majority of married women, who indulge in extramarital relationships, married men are often their partners and these men might have been known to them prior to becoming married. The researchers also found one third of such relationships to be with relatives by marriage, for example brothers-in-law and sons of co-wives.

In Brazil, and other Latin American countries there is a practice which insists on sexual monogamy for women while tolerating extramarital sex for men. Women who suggest condom use risk being accused of marital infidelity and possible abandonment(13). From this review, while reasonable evidence emerged on nature and prevalence of extramarital sex, the studies scarcely addressed the factors behind extramarital relations. Extramarital sexual relations may be affected by socio-economic reasons, attitude to money or material compensation for sex among others. Given the present economic predicament of the country, it may be useful to investigate how sexual contacts outside marriage take place in exchange for money and other material compensations.

Methods

The data for this study were obtained from a survey conducted in Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria between May and July, 2002. The subjects for the study comprised married men between the ages of 18 and 60 years and, married women in the age range 15 to 49. In all, a total of 308 (181 males and 127 females) married respondents were interviewed. In arriving at this total, three residential areas were first distinguished by socio-economic status – low, middle and upper middle. A systematic random sampling was then adopted to select eligible respondents. The instrument used in data collection was a structured questionnaire. The major statistical procedure employed to determine the correlate of extramarital sexuality is the binary logistic regression model. The model helped in controlling for simultaneous effects of independent variable like age, education, occupation, religion, form of marital union etc., on likelihood of engaging in extramarital sex within twelve months preceding the survey.

Results

Table 1 presents a description of incidence of variations in extramarital sexual relations in the past year by selected socio-economic variables. With respect to age, 42.8% of male and 55.5% of female in the age group “less than 25 years” reported extramarital sexual practices in the past year. As the age increases, level of extramarital relations tends to decrease. Apart from the age group “less than 25 years,” men consistently reported a higher level of extramarital relations than women. Also, from the table, married adults living with their spouses were less involved in extramarital sexual contacts than those living separately from their spouses and those widowed. More females than males living with their spouses claimed they have had extramarital relations in the past year (37.9% vs. 35.4%). Examination of occupational variations of parties in extramarital relations revealed that over half of male respondents were artisans. The proportion of men in white collar jobs who reported incidence of extramarital relations is greater than men who were farmers (36.0% vs. 22.6%) and than men in trading (36.0% vs. 26.7%). The bulk of the women who reported extramarital sex in the past year were traders (51.4%).

Table 1 further reveals that men who had attained secondary school level and above were much more involved in extramarital sex than those with lower education (42.8% vs. 26.3%). The proportion of women with low education who engaged in extramarital relations was greater than those with higher education (41.1% vs. 35.2%). A consideration of age at marriage by level of extramarital sexual relations by gender shows a disparity in the incidence of extramarital relations. Among men who married earlier than age 25 years, 26.3% had practised marital infidelity twelve months preceding survey compared with 41.1% of women in the same age group. Women who married before age 25 were more involved in extramarital relations than those who married at a later age while men who married at the age of 25 years and above were more involved in extramarital sex than their counterparts in other age brackets. The proportion of men who have joint accounts with their wives was less involved in extramarital sexual relations than those who keep separate account (30% vs. 38%). Similarly, women who have joint accounts with their husbands was less involved in extramarital sexual behaviour than their counterparts who have separate accounts (22.2% vs. 41.4%) Men who eat together with their wives engaged in extramarital relations in almost the same proportion with those who do not (36.0% vs. 35.9%). Men who go out together with their wives were marginally more faithful in marriage than those who do not (33.7% vs. 37.8%). Women who go out with their husbands engaged in extramarital practice more than those who do not (46.3% vs. 31.6%).

Table 1: Percentage of respondents who had extramarital sex one year preceding survey by selected variables

Multivariate analysis of extramarital sexual

From Table 2, the odds of engaging in extramarital sex by married men tend to decrease as age increases. Younger men and women are significantly more likely to engage in extramarital sex than other age categories. Women in the younger age groups are also more likely to report extramarital sex than their male counterparts (1.355, p<0.01 for men; 1.487, p<0.01 for women). As the age increases, the likelihood of extramarital relations decreases among men and women.

Men and women with secondary level of education appear to be more prominent in extramarital sexual behaviour than their counterparts in other levels of education. Men with secondary level of education were 2.5 times more likely to be unfaithful in marriage than those who were uneducated (p<0.05). Women with secondary level of education were about 3 times more likely to engage in sex outside union than those with no education (p<0.01). Men in post secondary level of education were about two times more likely to engage in extramarital sex than those without education (p<0.01.) Similarly women with post secondary level of education were more likely to engage in extramarital sex than those without education but less likely than those with secondary education (p<0.05).

A consideration of occupation of respondents reveals that women traders are more likely to engage in sex outside unions than their counterparts in other occupational categories (p<0.05). Men in white collar jobs are more likely to have practised extramarital relations in the past year than their counterparts in other occupational classifications. The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases is found to be highly correlated with likelihood of engaging in extramarital sexual relations. Men who reported ever had at least an STD are 1.7 times as likely to be unfaithful in marriage than those with no history of disease (p<.01). Women who have had experience with an STD are 1.31 times more likely to practice extramarital relations than those who had no experience (p<0.01).

Table 2: Logistic regression of involvement in extramarital sex

It was found that low budget status is positively associated with higher incidence of extramarital relation among women. This result shows that some women supplement family budget by trading sex for money or other material compensation. However among married men, those who earn a lot engage in more significantly extramarital sex (p<0.05). Married men with high budget status are 1.7 times more likely to engage in extramarital sex relative to their counterpart with low budget status (p<0.05). Among women on the other hand, there is a significant inverse relationship between budget status and marital infidelity. Women with medium budget status are less likely to engage in extramarital relations than those who have low budget status (p<.01). Similarly women who rated their budget status as high are also less likely to be involved in marital infidelity (p<.05). On attitude towards money and material consideration for sex , the table shows that women who have a favourable attitude are 1.3 and 2.7 times more likely to engage in marital infidelity than those whose attitude are unfavourable (p<0.05 for men) and (p<.001) for women). Multivariate analysis on paid sex revealed that men and women who reported transactional sex are more likely to have had extramarital relations in the past year than those who have never had sex for money or material considerations. Women who reported ever had sex because of money are 7.9 times more likely than those who never had sex for money and this is statistically significant (p<0.001).

Discussion and conclusion

This study identified socio-demographic and motivational factors that were statistically associated with level of extramarital sexuality in Ile-Ife, Osun State, South West Nigeria. More than 2 in every 5 respondents reported they have had extramarital sex in the past 12 months. Women were found to be more involved in extramarital sex than men (37.8% vs 35.9%). This is probably due to a long-term practice known as “oluku”. “Oluku” means a friend or a customer and this is usually among opposite sex especially married adults. The culture permits a married woman to have another man as her “oluku”. Today married women run to their “oluku” for financial and or material assistance in exchange for sex. Many married men even know the “oluku” of their wives and approve of such relations in as much as there are financial returns associated with the practice. Past studies have shown that men generally exaggerate their sexual activities and women generally under report their sexual adventures, if these findings are correct then the rate of extramarital sexual practices among married women need to be investigated. Men consistently reported larger number of sexual partners than women. The majority of women who have had extramarital sex had it either because of money or material rewards (66.7%). Among men in extramarital relations, more than two-fifth did this because of fun while about a third had it for sexual variations. The study also revealed that young adults are more likely to engage in extramarital relations than the older adults. This finding confirmed the general breakdown in traditional sexual norms which Feyisetan and Pebley (1989) and Oyekanmi (1990) attributed to increase in modernization. The result is also consistent with those obtained by Isuigo-Abanihe, 1993 and previous studies by Orubuloye, 1990. Men and women who have favourable attitude to material compensation for sex were found to be more likely to have multiple sexual partners. Increasing economic hardships have forced many people young or old, especially women to resort to promiscuous sexual behaviour to make a living. The fear of AIDS, let alone other STDs, is of less concern than the immediate lack of basic necessity such as food, clothes and shelter. Persons exchanging sex for money and or material compensations constitute a high risk group.

There are ways extramarital sex can be managed. First is to change or modify societal practices that support money and/or material compensations for sex. Massive community mobilisation will be to achieve a societal consensus that can weaken transactional sex and lay emphasis on sticking to one sexual partner. Second is to highlight the risk of HIV infection and the need for men and women alike to negotiate sex that will involve condom use in extramarital relations.

Another issue emerging form this study is the connections between AIDS and poverty and other barriers to AIDS prevention. These connections must be acknowledged and explored. The underlying poverty issue which put women at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV must be addressed.

The impact of HIV goes far beyond HIV-positive individuals. It has implications for their sexual partners and family members including future children. More in-depth studies on the extramarital sexual behaviour in Ile-Ife, using more comprehensive assessments of variables measuring extramarital sexuality are necessary. Research methods such as focus groups and in-depth interviews can be incorporated to assess sexual behaviour of married men and women outside union. Future endeavours using qualitative research methods which cover rural and urban setting of the town on a larger scale would allow for an improved understanding of factors associated with extramarital sexual behaviour in Ile-Ife.

References

1. Feyisetan BJ. Pebley AR. (1989): Premarital sexuality in urban Nigeria. Studies in Family Planning, 20(6), Nov-Dec. 343-354

2. Makinwa-Adebusoye PK. (1991): Adolescent Reproductive Behaviour in Nigeria: A Study of Five Cities. NISER Monograph Series No3.

3. Oguntimehin F. (1992): The Nature and Pattern of Multiple Sexual Contacts in Selected Areas of Ekiti District, Nigeria, unpublished Master's Thesis, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

4. Messersmith LJ, Kane TK, Odebiyi AI, Adewuyi AA. (1994). Patterns of sexual behaviour and condom use in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: Implications for AIDS/STD prevention and control. Pp 197-216 in AIDS Impact and Prevention in the Developing World: Demographic and Social Science Perspectives. Supplement to Health Transition Review 4 Canberra: Australian National University.

5. Obbo C. (1987): The old and the new in East African elite marriages" in Parkin and Nyamwaya (Editors). Transformations of African Marriage. Manchester University Press.

6. Kisekka MN. (1973). "The Baganda of Central Uganda." Molnos, A. (Ed.) Cultural Source Materials for Population Planning in East Africa. "Beliefs and Practices." vol 2. Nairobi: Institute of African Studies/East African Publishing House.

7. Middleton J. (1973): "The Lugbara of North-Western Uganda." Molnos, A. (ed.) Cultural Source Materials for Population Planning in East Africa. "Beliefs and Practices." vol 2. Nairobi: Institute of African Studies/East African Publishing House.

8. Hogsborg M, Aaby P. (1990): Sexual Relations, Use of condoms and perceptions of AIDS in an urban area of Guinea-Bissau with a high prevalence of HIV-2. Paper presented at Anthropological Studies Relevant to The Sexual Transmission of HIV, Sonderborg, Denmark, 19-22 November 1990.

9. Anarfi, K (1993): Sexuality, migration and AIDS in Ghana. Pp. 45-67 in: Sexual Networking and HIV/AIDS in West Africa, ed. J.C. Caldwell et al. Supplement to Health Transition Review 3. Canberra: Australian National University.

10. Omorodion F.I (1993): Sexual networking among market women in Benin City, Nigeria. Pp. 159-169: in Sexual Networking and HIV/AIDS in West Africa. Ed. J.C. Caldwell et al. Supplement to Health Transition Review 3. Canberra: Australian National University.

11. Akinnawo E. O. (1995): Sexual Networking, STDs and HIV/AIDS transmission among police officers. Pp113-121 in The third world AIDS epidemic. Supplement to Health Transition Review 5. Canberra: Australian National University.

12. Orubuloye, I.O., J.C. Caldwell and P. Caldwell (1994): Commercial sex workers in Nigeria in the shadow of AIDS. Pp 101-116 in Sexual Networking and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: Behavioural Research and the Social Context, ed. I.O. Orubuloye et al. Canberra: Australian National University.

13. Diniz CS, Araujo M. (1994) Women, sexuality & AIDS in Brazil World Health. 1994 May-Jun; 47(3):14-5.

Futher reading

Adewuyi, A.A. 1997. “End of Project Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Behaviour Survey of AIDSCAP'S Intervention Programme among Students in Tertiary in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria”. Centre for Research, Evaluation Resources and Development, Osun State, Nigeria, AIDSCAP Task Order 5004-007.

Ankomah, A with Ford, N (1993): Premarital sexual behaviour and its implications for HIV prevention in Ghana. Occasional Paper No. 22, Institute of Population Studies, University of Exeter.

Federal Office of Statistics (FOS) and IRD/Macro International, Inc.(IRD) 1992: Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 1990. Columbia, Maryland: IRD/Macro International.

Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services (FMOHHS) 1992: Ministerial Press Briefing. Reprinted in The Daily Times, 14 January 1993 (Pp. 32-33: AIDS and STD Control)

Isiugo-Abanihe, U.C. 1993a: Sexual Behaviour and Exposure to the Risk of AIDS in Nigeria. Faculty Lecture Series, Delivered at the Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan.

Isiugu-Abanihe, U.C. 1993b: Sexual Behaviour in Marriage: Coital Frequency, Extramarital Relations and Risk of AIDS in Urban Nigeria, in Proceedings of the Conference on Reproductive Health and Family in Africa, pp555-581. Abidjan, November 8-13. Dakar: Union for African Population Studies.

Oyekanmi, F.O., 1990. "The Spread of STDs in Nigeria, an exploratory study of Ilesa, Oyo State. An unpublished Research Proposal. Ulin, P. (1992) African Women and AIDS: Negotiating Behavioural Change.Social Science and Medicine 34, 1:63-73

World Health Organisation (WHO) 1993: WHO Estimate of HIV Infection Tops 14 Million. Press Release WHO 38, May Geneva: Global Programme on AIDS.

World Health Organisation (WHO) 1994: Current Global Situation of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic, July. Geneva: Global Programme on AIDS.
*Address all correspondence to Olusina Bamiwuye. E-mail: bamiwuye2001@yahoo.com

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