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Correlates of Forced First Sexual Intercourse among Women in the Philippines
Authors: Yujiro Sano, Alice P. Sedziafa, and Eric Y. Tenkorang
Source: Sexuality & Culture , 20: 717-730; doi:10.1007/s12119-016-9356-z
Topic(s): First intercourse
Sexual behavior
Sexual violence
Country: Asia
  Philippines
Published: MAY 2016
Abstract: Forced sex has been identified as a public health and human rights issue. While a few studies have explored women’s experiences on forced sex in the Philippines, their findings were largely descriptive. Using the 2008 Philippines Demographic and Health Survey, the current study examined factors associated with forced first sexual intercourse among Filipino women. Results indicated that Cebuano and Ilonggo women were more likely to describe sexual debut as forced than their Tagalog counterparts. Also, compared to those from the poorest households, women from richer households were less likely to report forced first sexual intercourse. Moreover, currently married women were less likely to report forced at sexual debut than never-married women. Finally, early sexual initiation was a risk factor for forced sexual debut. These findings have implications for policymakers and other stakeholders. Interventions targeting sexual violence against women in the Philippines must pay specific attention to ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities. Keywords: The Philippines, The Demographic and Health Survey, Forced first sexual intercourse, Sexual violence