“There are too many naked pictures found in papers and on the net”: Factors encouraging premarital sex among young people of Nepal

Background: A conventional Nepalese society still regards sexuality as a taboo and sexual activities outside marriage are rarely accepted. However, attitudes of young Nepalese people towards sexual relationships have steadily changed with the modernization of society and culture. There is also a view that young men and women in Nepal are now more comfortable in each other's company and also initiate sexual relations before marriage. Aim: To explore factors encouraging premarital sex among young people of Nepal. Methods: Ten focus groups and 31 individual in-depth interviews with rural and urban young people were carried out by same sex researchers. Results: Most participants were aged 18-22 years. Findings indicate that curiosity towards sex and sexuality issues, personal appearance, peer pressures, exposure to print and electronic media and financial motives are key factors in encouraging premarital sexual intercourse. Conclusion: There is a need to disseminate more information on the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies, targeting young people which would encourage them to engage in safer sexual behaviour.