Sexual Perception of Young Lebanese Students

Abstract

This article presents the sexual perception of young Lebanese students. We hypothesized that, in Lebanon and the Arab countries, premarital sex is forbidden by most cultures because of conservative societies and backgrounds. Sexuality lives as a "myth" in these conservative societies. We examined the influence of demographics and genders among a group of 706 Lebanese university students, from public and private universities, as well as the fluctuation of sexual beliefs and practices, based on their gender, demographics and social pressure. The method used was a questionnaire collected form n = 706 students, 446 females and 260 males. The female population of our sample is 62.9% of the total volunteers while the male population is 36.7%. They come from different religions (Christian, Muslim, Druze and Other), between May 2015 and December 2015. Quantitative significant results: 1) A non-conformity with the social and demographic pressure and an openness of the new generations. Similarly, it shows more permissiveness in flirting. Even though, parts of the negative answers were significantly linked to understanding the rules of prohibited sex (NO 32.4% for belief and NO 34.5% for practice); 2) the reality of Lebanese youth, their integrity in engaging in a relationship, and their true daily happening of social and peer pressure; 3) An opening to a natural outlook of sexual life, (25.5%) with reluctance on dating (51.1%); 4) An important significance is showed in the percentage between beliefs and practice: 18% in belief and 78.3% in practice (Q1) and 34.2% in belief and 60.8% in practice (Q2) emphasizing on the reality of sexual engagement within Lebanese youth; 5) However, reluctance in engaging in sexual activity and attachment and fear to social sanctions toward premarital sex and agreeing on abstinence before marriage. Quantitative findings supported the lack of sexual education and the prevalence of religious and social norms. This article examines Young Lebanese adolescents do not always have the same views neither the same patterns of sexual behaviors between men and women. Education and awareness are the keys to a healthy sexual life. Specifically, it considers the way they receive their sexual education, the acceptance and refusal of differences between genders, beliefs and practices. It becomes a real challenge 300when it comes to early learning and education, openness, and real communication of sexual life, being a natural part of life, with honesty and transparency.