Coercion at First Sex - Agency, Consent, and Coercion: Young People's Experiences of First Sex in Ashanti and Northern Regions, Ghana (QRS24) - Analysis Brief [AB38]

Coercion exists on a continuum, ranging from rape to manipulation and mild pressure. Respondents in this study were grouped into three categories of coercion at first sex: high coercion, moderate coercion, and no or low coercion. High coercion involves physical force or an attack, threats, or severe pressure to have sex, or the respondent reported that they could not refuse sex. In contrast, moderate coercion includes manipulation, moderate pressure, or the respondent could only refuse sex with consequences. No or low coercion means both partners wanted to have sex, there were some ambiguous feelings towards sex, or there was mild pressure, but the respondent could refuse sex without consequence. The study found that many respondents, particularly women, experienced medium coercion at first sex. This type of coercion does not include physical force or restraint but does include pressure or manipulation. Importantly, many respondents who experienced medium coercion felt they could refuse sex, and many of them did on multiple occasions. However, their partners' continued pressure to have sex ultimately wore down many respondents, who yielded to the pressure to have sex for the first time. Coercion is a gendered experience, with young men typically being the perpetrators of coercion and young women being the subjects of coercion. This is especially true for the most highly coercive sex, which often involves physical restraint or violence. In some cases, forced sex followed a young woman declining the perpetrator's proposal for a relationship. While less common, some men experienced coercion, describing manipulative scenarios, being pressured into having sex, or grappling with ambiguous feelings about sex. Young women in the study expressed a desire for sex, yet rarely initiated sex with their partners. This lack of agency and autonomy during sex is a significant concern, as young people who experienced coercion at first sex regretted not having control over their sexual experience. In contrast, young people who experienced little or no coercion at first sex were satisfied and had more positive reflections on their first sexual experience. Societal expectations also play a significant role in limiting young people's ability to refuse sex. Married respondents, particularly young women from the Northern Region, experienced moderate coercion indirectly in the form of societal expectations. Unmarried young men in both regions occasionally felt pressured to have sex even if they were not interested, to maintain the social perception of men always being interested in sex. Peers can contribute to coercive environments at first sex, creating or manipulating situations that make having sex possible or creating the expectation for sex to occur. Transactional sex was also an occasional component in coercive sex, with young women receiving money or gifts from partners and sometimes experiencing coercion.