Cultural Factors Affecting the Negotiation of First Sexual Intercourse among Latina Adolescent Mothers
- 1 April 1998
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in International Quarterly of Community Health Education
- Vol. 18 (1) , 121-137
- https://doi.org/10.2190/7j81-7cn7-7let-vyen
Abstract
In 1995, the Latina adolescent birth rate surpassed that of African Americans for the first time. This article investigates cultural and social factors affecting the initiation of sexual intercourse among Latina adolescent mothers in Los Angeles. The data are from life history interviews with forty young mothers and their partners conducted in 1994 to 1997. Results suggest that sexual intercourse is initiated within the context of the couple's developing relationship, and that the course of relationships is highly scripted. Men pressure for sex and women resist. Women should be ignorant about sex, but control access to intercourse. Sex is never discussed. Thus, it is unexpected, and contraception other than withdrawal is not used. This script places young Latinas at enormous risk for pregnancy and STDs.Keywords
This publication has 36 references indexed in Scilit:
- Cultural Factors Affecting the Negotiation of First Sexual Intercourse among Latina Adolescent MothersInternational Quarterly of Community Health Education, 1998
- How Old Are U.S. Fathers?Family Planning Perspectives, 1995
- Contraceptive Technology.Published by JSTOR ,1994
- Does American acculturation affect outcome of Mexican-American teenage pregnancy?1, 2Journal of Adolescent Health, 1993
- Ethnic variation in adolescent use of a contraceptive serviceJournal of Adolescent Health, 1982
- Attitudes toward Sex Education among Black, Hispanic and White Inner-City ResidentsInternational Quarterly of Community Health Education, 1982