Gender differences in sexual behaviour amongst university students in Mahikeng, South Africa

Abstract

Studies indicate that females are more prone to the consequences of ‘irresponsible’ sexual activities than males on university campuses. This paper presents gender differences in sexual behaviour among students on a university campus. Data were collected from 1,060 students (451 males and 609 females). Multivariate data analysis included both multiple OLS regression and multinomial logistic regression. The results show that the proportion of virgin females was twice as much as males. The average age at first sexual intercourse was higher for females (18 years) than males (16 years). The analysis also shows that gender and year of study are significant determinants of age at first sex. Moreover, in a multivariate perspective, males are less likely to indulge in risky sexual activities compared to their female counterparts. It is recommended that the HIV/AIDS programme on campus should focus on ways to minimize ‘irresponsible’ sexual activities and put more emphasis on females.