SURVEY | Most young people approve of premarital sex

A survey conducted by the Fu Lun Youth Association of Macau has found that almost 80 percent of their respondents do not oppose premarital sex.
The survey was divided into four parts, one of which focused on young people’s attitudes towards marriage and sex. For this part of the survey, the association collected results from questionnaires completed by 439 local young people aged between 13 and 29.  The results showed that 77.2 percent of the respondents do not oppose premarital sex. Most of those who claimed to have had sexual experiences said that sexual intercourse usually takes place at home, while some reportedly go to hotels.
Moreover, the survey showed that 54.2 percent of the respondents already have some experience in dating. Around 12.9 percent started dating as early as 13 years old or younger.
The majority of respondents said that they met their partners or former partners through school, work or friends. They also claimed that that they would consider a potential date based on the person’s character and common hobbies or interests, as well as on their appearance.
In terms of their preferred age to get married, the majority of respondents indicated that they wish to get married between the ages of 24 and 27.
The association’s president Ng Chi Leng said that the results of the survey indicated that young people have an open approach towards premarital sex. Therefore, the group will be promoting sex education to a wider range of individuals. “We are going to focus on the law and physical and psychological knowledge [regarding sex] so that [young people] will not try [having sex] only out of curiosity”, she said. JPL