ABSTRACT
Recent studies of sexuality in India show that premarital sex is not as rare as generally believed to be (Family Planning Association of India, n.d.; Rakesh, 1992; Goparaju, 1993; Bhende, 1994; Rangaiyan, 1995; Sachdev, 1997) and that young people often lack adequate information in order to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (Murthy, 1993, Verma et al., 1997). These studies establish gender asymmetry as an important feature of sexual experience and access to information. The studies also show that youth do not constitute a homogeneous category and that the sexual experiences and extent of vulnerability differ among groups such as street youth, young truck cleaners, married adolescents, and rural, urban and educated youth. There are significant differences between youth groups in terms of control over their sexuality and in the access to information and services (Ramakrishna et al., 2000). However, we know little about how youth sexuality is culturally constructed and what structural arrangements enhance or inhibit sexual experiences as well as access to information among young people. Such information will contribute significantly towards the design of culturally relevant sexuality education and the planning of appropriate sexual health services.
