Pre-marital sexual intercourse

Sexual intercourse before marriage
Premarital sexual relations

Nature

Pre-marital sexual intercourse refers to consensual sexual activity between individuals who are not married to each other. Defined as a social and moral problem in many cultures and religious traditions, it is often associated with concerns about unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and the perceived erosion of traditional family values. Critics argue that pre-marital sex can lead to emotional distress, weaken the institution of marriage, and contribute to social instability. Debates surrounding this issue frequently involve ethical, cultural, and public health perspectives, reflecting diverse attitudes and beliefs across different societies and historical periods.

Background

Pre-marital sexual intercourse emerged as a recognized social concern in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as changing social norms and urbanization brought increased visibility to non-marital relationships. The problem gained global attention with the advent of public health campaigns in the mid-20th century, particularly regarding sexually transmitted infections and adolescent pregnancies. Cross-cultural studies and international policy debates have since highlighted its complex implications for health, family structures, and societal values worldwide.

Incidence

Pre-marital sexual intercourse is reported with increasing frequency across diverse cultural and socioeconomic contexts, reflecting shifting social norms and greater access to information and contraception. Global studies indicate that a significant proportion of adolescents and young adults engage in sexual activity before marriage, with prevalence rates varying widely by region. In some countries, over 50% of young people report having had pre-marital sex, highlighting its widespread nature and the ongoing debates it provokes regarding public health, education, and cultural values.
In 2022, a national survey in Nigeria found that 56% of unmarried women aged 15-24 had engaged in pre-marital sexual intercourse, sparking public discourse about youth behavior, sexual health education, and the influence of media on societal values.

Claim

In many parts of the world abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is valued. In other societies adults (and many adolescents) are unwilling to sacrifice the principle of abstinence even if general practice is different.

Today there are many who vindicate the right to sexual union before marriage, at least in those cases where a firm intention to marry and an affection which is already in some way conjugal in the psychology of the subjects require this completion, which they judge to be connatural. This is especially the case when the celebration of the marriage is impeded by circumstances or when this intimate relationship seems necessary in order for love to be preserved. This opinion is contrary to Christian doctrine, which states that every genital act must be within the framework of marriage. However firm the intention of those who practice such premature sexual relations may be, the fact remains that these relations cannot ensure, in sincerity and fidelity, the interpersonal relationship between a man and a woman, nor especially can they protect this relationship from whims and caprices. Sexual union therefore is only legitimate if a definitive community of life has been established between the man and the woman. These requirements call for a conjugal contract sanctioned and guaranteed by society – a contract which establishes a state of life of capital importance both for the exclusive union of the man and the woman and for the good of their family and of the human community. Most often, in fact, premarital relations exclude the possibility of children. What is represented to be conjugal love is not able, as it absolutely should be, to develop into paternal and maternal love. Or, if it does happen to do so, this will be to the detriment of the children, who will be deprived of the stable environment in which they ought to develop in order to find in it the way and the means of their insertion into society as a whole. (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Persona Humana, 1975).

Counter-claim

Pre-marital sexual intercourse is not an important problem at all. In today’s world, consenting adults have the right to make personal choices about their bodies and relationships. Focusing on this issue distracts from real societal challenges like poverty, education, and healthcare. Moral panic over pre-marital sex is outdated and irrelevant; what truly matters is mutual respect, consent, and responsibility, not arbitrary traditions or judgments about private behavior. Let’s prioritize issues that genuinely impact society.