Intimacy and responsibility: experiences from South African young girls

1. Intimacy and responsibility: experiences from South African young girls Nduna M1, Maseko V1, Jewkes R2 1Psychology Department, University of Witwatersrand 2Medical Research Council, SA Mzikazi.nduna@wits.ac.za

2. Acknowledgements • ARSRC funding support • NRF 50% of Conference Fund • Faculty of Humanities, Wits 25% • To all the participants for allowing me to get into their personal life stories • Prof Rachel Jewkes for technical assistance on Study 2

3. Background • Research and advocacy on outcomes of intimacy is mainly on (girls) • Factors related to pregnancy • The impact of pregnancy on the girls future • Supporting teenage mothers • In addition to child support grants there are debates in SA on provision of maternity leave and post-partum support from schools to mitigate the impact of pregnancy • This is not good enough as it leaves the fathers out

4. Methodology • Data collected for two exploratory studies • The objectives of the studies were broad to allow for participants themselves determine the scope of their conversation during the interview • Ethical approval for both studies was obtained from the University of Witwatersrand’s ethics committee for research involving human subjects

5. Based in Soweto, a township in Johannesburg Adolescents who had babies in the last year were recruited from three schools Eight volunteered (5) Participants were told they will be asked about their experiences related to pregnancy Based in Butterworth, a mostly urban community in the rural Eastern cape Nine young girls volunteered- parity not used as criteria for inclusion or exclusion (2) Participants were told they will be generally asked about their life experiences Method

6. Data collection • In-depth one to one interviews carried out by the researchers in local language • Auditory privacy was ensured • Recorded transcribed and translated into English • Age: 15-22

7. Objectives • STUDY ONE: to explore experiences of learners who fell pregnant at school a year post partum • STUDY TWO: to explore sources, experiences and expressions of distress, and help seeking behaviours among young people

8. Sample description • Unmarried, scholars when pregnant • All heterosexual but one self identified as lesbian • Lived in family contexts characterized by hardships and abuse most pronounced are neglect, antipathy, blackmail from caregivers, difficulty accessing support for themselves • Multiple partnering was not common among these girls • One had two children in the same year

9. Changes in the nature of the relationship • He was surprised or disappointed • Reduced attention towards the girlfriend • He became ‘uncaring’ ‘unloving’ • Relationship characterised by fights and arguments • Ended the relationship

10. All participants expressed a desire to have an intimate relationship with the fathers of their children and were distressed by the end of it • They expressed a loss of what was seen as a loving relationship, that used to provide a sense of understanding and support • “…I wish we could have the kind of a relationship we had before. I had someone I could talk to, he understood me, he never wanted to see me cry or hurt…” Sbonelo

11. Unexpected discoveries • Ranged from discovery of concurrent partnering by the boyfriend, dealing with partner desertion, denied paternity • “…I was not the only one who was pregnant with his child, we were three at the same time. Two of them are dead mine is the only one alive…” • “…we used to fight a lot, then one day he said that the child is not his, and I have not seen him since that day…” Nolitha, (a year later) • “……a friend of mine was friends with one of his girlfriends, she came and said you know so and so is also pregnant with your boyfriend’s child…I was seven months pregnant then…” Phumi

12. We will see when the baby is born • paternity will be established by looking at whether the baby is born with some resemblance of (his) family • “ …when I told him that I was pregnant he said we will see when the baby is born. Since then he never came to see me. When we meet in the street its just Hello Hello, no talking…” Maletsatsi • “..i do not know what he wanted to do, whether to deny the child or not. When my family went there his mother asked…then they said they will see when the baby is born…my child’s father told me that his mother wanted him to deny that the child is his…” Nomsa • “…his mother does not like me, there is another girl that Musa’s dad impregnated so she likes that girl. This girl is also here at school…” • I told him and he said we will see the child is born. Then I told myself that this a challenge whereby I must stand on my own. I do not care whether he supports his child or not, right now he does not do anything…”

13. Their response to the challenges? • Only one mentioned that she tried to access paternity tests • Psychological responses such as in internal stigma, frustration, self loathing and distress • Practical logistics of looking after a child, fending for one’s needs, pre-existing difficulties with parents were exacerbated

14. Conclusion • Adolescent fathers neglect both the mother and the child • No family or other intervention towards the man partner • To mitigate the impact of pregnancy the state needs to implement access to paternity testing • To ensure financial obligations towards the child • To mitigate the impact on child’s identity • To empower women

15. Recommendations • Further research on the following is needed • Prevalence of the problem of men opting out of their responsibility • acceptability, accessibility and costs of providing paternity tests at a wider scale in public settings • the impact of denied paternity on future expressions of sexuality for girls/women • Make it an important aspect of the developmental work to combat GBV and poverty among women