Abstract
Engaging in safe sex practices seems to be a challenge in South Africa. It is one of the countries with the highest number of people infected with HIV/AIDS. In SA amongst the most vulnerable population that is infected by HIV at a higher percentage is youth, specifically, women. Youths also occupy a large percentage of the population among students in South African Educational Institutions. Safe sex research conducted among university students is acknowledged as it contributes towards addressing the social issue of HIV/AIDS. This research report provides qualitative findings on perceptions of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) postgraduate students around safe sex practices as well as their awareness around safe sex services offered by UJ’s Institutional Office for HIV and AIDS (IOHA). Some of the safe sex practices and services included male condoms, female condoms, masturbation, peer education, HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and HIV/AIDS Counselling and Testing. A descriptive and explorative research design was used in this study. An explorative design was applied because after conducting literature review, it was discovered that the area is not relatively known. A descriptive design was also applied. This enabled the researcher to describe phenomena of postgraduate students precisely using their narrative descriptions. The study gathered data through interviews where the researcher transcribed spoken language before analysing it. Therefore, qualitative research approach was used. The researcher used semi-structured data gathering method where key questions were developed and used in defining the area of safe sex. Using semi-structured interviews through probing, the researcher gained a detailed view of the participants’ perceptions and awareness around safe sex practices and services. A smart phone was used as a research instrument to audio record the interviews. A sample of six UJ postgraduate students aged between 23-25 years was recruited for the study. Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis were used in analysing data to gain understanding of awareness and perceptions of UJ postgraduate students around safe sex practises and services offered by IOHA. Using Sexual Empowerment Theory, this report evaluates students’ safe sex negotiating skills, attitude towards safe sex practices, students’ level of safe sex self-efficacy, students’ level of selfesteem in practising safe sex and students’ knowledge around safe sex practices and services. This study adds value in that it is contributing to the literature conducted on safe sex in Higher Education Institutions like the University of Johannesburg with limited researches conducted in the safe sex area of study. It is also contributing to future research and research process that focuses on sensitive topics like safe sex.
M.A. (Clinical Social Work)