Sexual Desire and Expression among Girls in a Traditional Shona Context

Abstract

The study explored sexual fantasy, sexual desire, sexual expression, girl fertility awareness, and mubobobo among girls in a traditional Shona context. The study used snowballing technique to recruit participants. Inclusion in the study was voluntary. Teenage girls were asked about their sexuality in the era of HIV and AIDS. The study was qualitative in nature and used thematic content analysis to analyse the data. The girls described their experiences growing up following Shona traditions about puberty, sexual beliefs and practices. The results showed that girls in this study experienced sexual desire, sexual fantasy, sexual expression and some experienced unconscious sexual expression in their sleep. The girls explained how cultural teachings interfered with free sexual expression in adulthood. The findings of this study can be used in the advancement of girl child rights, reproductive health rights and sexual rights activism. Health educators could use the findings of this study in the advocacy for change in legislation on sexual beliefs and the promotion of adolescent sexual health. Further research can focus on sexual expression advocacy in culturally restrictive environments in Africa.

Culture Clash: Shona (Zimbabwean) Migrant Women’s Experiences with Communicating about Sexual Health and Wellbeing across Cultures and Generations

“…Whether parents are comfortable having such conversations or are knowledgeable about the topic is another issue. Conversely, in many African cultures parents are not expected to be involved in their children's sexual health and wellbeing education 17 . While we acknowledge that intergenerational culture clashes and conflict can result from differing messages about sexual health and wellbeing our research found that it may not only be the messages, as often assumed, which ultimately result in a cultural clash.…”

“…The church may have also been most comfortable as it espouses an abstinencebased approach to sexual behaviour that mirrors the message the women endorsed with their children -a perspective supported by a range of African groups 7,8,11,12,16,17,25 . In order to gain parental endorsement of comprehensive sexual health and wellbeing programs future research could investigate individuals or institutions that migrant parents believe they can entrust with their children's sexual health and wellbeing education.…”

“…While Australian models expect discussions about sexual health and wellbeing to be generated from one's parents, the Shona model removes this potentially uncomfortable scenario. Shona people may do this in an effect to eliminate perceptions (from both parent and child) of judgement and resistance, when topics of sexual health and wellbeing are discussed 17 . However, once families move out of Zimbabwe there are no or few aunties and uncles or older cousins to relay this information to the next generation 15 .…”

Transition to motherhood following the use of assisted reproductive technologies: Experiences of women in Ghana

“…One of the prominent challenges experienced by infertile women is stigma and adverse treatment by society. Women also suffer physical abuses and violence [13] while others are secluded from certain cultural practices even at death [15]. Although symptoms recognition in infertility may be difficult to identify as compared to other forms of sicknesses, it is assumed that women with infertility go through emotional and psychological challenges.…”

“…At the individual level, childless women may face economic hardships, social segregation, violence, marital dissolutions, physical and emotional abuses [11][12][13][14]. Childless women may also be secluded from certain cultural practices and even at their death, special rituals may be performed to circumvent their infertility situation in the next world [15]. These practices depict that the entire society is against childlessness, hence their discontent and adverse attitudes towards people with infertility.…”