Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sex preselection Moral and ethical aspects'

This thesis uses an advocacy/participatory framework and moral conflict theory to examine the opposing ideas: and interests of parties involved in the issue of prostitution on 82nd Avenue in Portland, Oregon. It locates areas of contention within the larger dominant feminist discourse, which views sex work as either a form of violence and exploitation or as a form of legitimate free-contract labor. The thesis shows how the intractable moral conflict between these differing feminist theories and values can be mediated using participatory data collection techniques. Ethnographic data was collected and analyzed from 11 women working in the sex industry in Portland, highlighting voices commonly left out of the conflict. Participants were given cameras and invited to photo-document their individual and community's needs and aspirations through the qualitative, arts-based research method, photovoice. An exhibit of these photographs was displayed as an art exhibit at several locations throughout the Portland area. Data collection methods also included a review of local media sources collected between September 2007 and April 2009, and field notes gathered from participatory and non-participatory observations at public town hall forums. Close analytic attention is given to the perspectives of those marginalized populations of sex workers excluded from the dialogue on issues that directly affect them. This thesis demonstrates ways in which community-based, participatory research, such as the use of photovoice method, can empower marginalized individuals to affect change within their community. The exhibit of photovoice data was used to enhance communication among individuals and groups involved in an intractable moral conflict about sex work in Portland. This thesis argues that photovoice method has potential for increasing the quality of public discourse to manage moral conflicts or to discover resolutions suitable to the needs and desires of multiple stakeholders.

The use and abuse of drugs among adolescents and adults has prompted a renewed national concern about drug abuse. Educational programs have attempted to provided factual information and create negative attitudes about drug use so that students will decide not to use drugs. Studies have revealed, however, that the drug programs have not been effective in reducing drug use. The present research addresses two primary questions: 1) Are there developmental differences in young persons' perceptions of social and moral dilemmas associated with drug use? and 2) Are gender and race associated with social and moral reasoning about drug use? Semi-structured interviewers were conducted with 32 fourth and 32 eleventh grade students. The interview posed two vignettes about drug-related behavior, including helping behavior. In addition, the interview probed respondents' conceptions of the problems associated with drug use and of the treatment that users and dealers should receive. Content analysis produced 40 codes which reached the reliability criterion of 60 percent agreement. The Kappas ranged from .57 to .91 (m = .66). Chi square tests were conducted, using the variables of race, sex and the thematic categories associated with each question. Of the 26 tests of significance conducted on the variables, two were significant for grade, two were significant for gender and one was significant for race. Eleventh grade students were more likely to specifically reject some category of help than the fourth grade students (x2 = 4.48,p < .05, df = 1). Fourth grade students were more likely to consider teachers as a source of help (x2 = 3.48,p < .06, df= 1). Female students were more likely to acknowledge risk to themselves due to helping (x2 = 4.27,p < .04, df= I). Caucasian students were more likely to acknowledge that there may be risks to the helpee due to helping (x2 = 3.52,p < .06, df= 1). Male students were more likely to want punishment and control of drug dealers (x2 = 5.32,p < .05, df= 1). In general, the :findings indicate that there are fewer developmental, gender and race differences in children's perception of drug use and associated dilemmas than might be expected. Students' descriptions did reveal that they are thinking and reasoning about the information given to them.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
The problem of youth has been a key issue in South Africa since 1994, with youth seen as needing extra guidance and leadership if they are to bring about the country that many hope for. The interest in youth is also spurred on by recent studies that claim that once adolescents establish certain behavioural patterns that it becomes difficult to modify these patterns. Little research exists that describes the ordinary sociological experiences of youth, especially on sensitive issues that attract a lot of public attention- such as teenage sex and pregnancies, and what is perceived as the ‘slipping of youth morals’. There is great concern that youth are experimenting with sex at too early an age in their social and political development (Frimpong 2010: 27). In my thesis I focus on the thinking, choices and decisions that learners at one high school in Cape Town seem to make with regard to sex and sexuality, and how their choices seem to be influenced by a variety of discourses attached to the provision of a sex education programme at the school; discourses that organise their everyday thinking and actions in very concrete ways. A key goal of the study was to disarticulate and re-articulate the deficit mentality that shapes discourses of sexuality in South Africa, and to develop ‘sexual’ stories and strategies of story-telling that allow the voices of learners to be heard (Pillow 2004). My focus in this study is mainly to explore how the sex education programme reconstitutes youth’s sexual identity. In my qualitative study I challenge the tendency to view youth participation in teen sex using mainly an abstinence-only discourse, and suggest that sex education programmes ‘contaminate’ and ‘mutilate’ youth understandings of sex and sexuality in quite complex ways.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Theological positions are usually considered as coterminous with ethical considerations. That which the Church has earnestly considered in the light of what is believed to be God's will, as elucidated in religious texts and through prayerful contemplation, are considered to be ethical without contradiction. Recently the Roman Catholic Church adopted a position forbidding the use of condoms as protection from contracting HIV/AIDS. Instead, the Church has declared that the way to controlling the AIDS pandemic is via sexual abstinence for the unmarried and sexual faithfulness within marriage. It is acknowledged that it is not possible for all the church's theological positions to be driven by pragmatic concerns within society. Nor can a church easily be seen to be promoting sex outside of marriage by recommending the indiscriminate use of condoms. However, the Roman Catholic Church, by forbidding the use of contraception, puts itself in an ethically questionable light relative to other Christian churches. The Catholic Church needs to reconsider its stance on contraception from first principles, divorced from dogmatic beliefs and practices which were derived by men and which have endured beyond their usefulness or theological veracity. It is evident that a church should not adhere to dogmas that are ungodly in their impact and ethically questionable in their import. If a church needs to revise its dogmatic stance on such issues, it should have the courage to do so. This research considers whether the stance of the Catholic Church on condoms can be considered ethical. The position of the Catholic Church is considered critically from a variety of philosophical, empirical and ethical viewpoints. In so doing, it highlights the principled and practical problems of resolving differing moral positions that cross the religious and secular divide. The approach adopted is one of an applied ethical nature, given the probable effects of participating in unprotected sex. Pregnancy and contracting HIV/AIDS are the likely outcomes of not using condoms, and these conditions will create enormous problems for the individual concerned, her, or his, family, as well as for the greater society. The position taken in this research is that the Catholic Church's stand on abstinence before marriage and faithfulness in marriage, as the answer to the HIV/AIDS crisis, would be a realistic ethical position, if, and only if, it was at all feasible and realisable in practice. However, it is the contention of the author, based on empirical considerations, that the idealistic stance taken by the Catholic Church is out of touch with the realities in our contemporary South African society and is doomed to failure. Given this perspective, the Catholic stance is morally questionable, as, if sexual relationships continue to occur outside of marriage, and if condoms are not used, the result will be unwanted pregnancies, HIV infections of both mothers and their babies, crises for families and society at large, and ultimately widespread death from AIDS. Given the pandemic facing South Africa, the Catholic position in banning the use of condoms, is ethically questionable and morally suspect. The Church needs to be called to account for the implications of its dogmatic stance. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is simply too serious for a public institution, such as the Catholic Church, to be involved in perpetuating theological niceties and holding idealised positions. The Church is not divorced from the society it exists in and a realistic, responsible and accountable response is needed in the current context of hundreds of thousands of persons facing death from AIDS and its related diseases.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Teologiese standpunte word gewoonlik beskou as gelyktermig met etiese oorwegings. Dit wat die Kerk met erns beskou het word sonder weerspreking as eties aanvaar in die geloof dat dit die wil van God is wat belig word in religieuse geskrifte en deur gebedsoordenking. Onlangs het die Rooms-Katolieke Kerk 'n standpunt aanvaar wat die gebruik van kondome verbied as beskermingsmiddel teen MIV/VIGS-besmetting. Daarteenoor het die Kerk verklaar dat die VIGS-pandemie beheer moet word via seksuele weerhouding vir ongetroudes en seksuele getrouheid binne die huwelik. Daar word toe gegee dat dit nie moontlik is om al die die kerk se teologiese standpunte aan pragmatiese kwellinge binne die gemeenskap te onderwerp nie. Daarmee saam kan die kerk ook nie buite-huwelikse seks aanmoedig deur aan te beveel dat kondome onoordeelkundig benut word nie. Relatief tot ander Christelike kerke plaas die Rooms- Katolieke Kerk homself egter in 'n etiese bevraagtekenbare posisie deur die gebruik van voorbehoedmiddels te verbied. Die Katolieke Kerk behoort sy standpunt oor geboortebeperking te heroorweeg in die lig van primêre prinsiepe - geskei van dogmatiese oortuigings en bedrywe wat deur mense bedink is en wat hulle bestaansreg as nuttigheid of teologiese waarheid oorskrei. Dit is duidelik dat 'n kerk nie dogmas behoort aan te hang wat onverantwoord in haar impak en eties bevraagtekenbaar in hulle belangrikheid is nie. Indien 'n kerk sy dogmatiese standpunte oor sulke sake moet hersien, behoort dit die moed te hê om dit te doen. Hierdie navorsing skenk oorweging aan die vraag of die Katolieke Kerk se standpunt oor kondome as eties beskou kan word. Die posisie van die Katolieke Kerk word krities beskou vanuit 'n verskeidenheid filosofiese, empiriese en etiese standpunte. Dit verlig die beginsels en praktiese probleme wat verband hou met die resolusie van die verskillende morele posisies wat die kloof tussen die religieuse en sekulêre moet oorbrug. Die benadering wat benut word is van 'n toegepas etiese aard, gegewe die waarskynlike gevolge van deelname aan onbeskermde seks. Swangerskap en besmetting met MIV /VIGS is die waarskynlike resultate indien kondome nie benut word nie. Dit lei gevolglik tot enorme probleme vir die betrokke individu, familie en die breër samelewing. Die aanspraak van hierdie navorsing is dat die Katolieke Kerk se standpunt - dat weerhouding van seks voor die huwelik en getrouheid binne die huwelik as antwoord dien vir die MIV /VIGS krisis - 'n realistiese etiese posisie verteenwoordig indien, en slegs indien, dit toepasbaar en haalbaar binne die praktyk is. Dit is egter die bewering van hierdie skrywer, gebaseer op empiriese oorwegings, dat die idealisriese standpunt van die Katolieke Kerk uit voeling is met die realiteite van ons kontemporêre Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing en dat dit gedoem is tot mislukking. Gege hierdie perspektief, word dit duidelik dat die Katolieke standpunt moreel verdag is, veral as in gedagte gehou word dat - indien seksuele verhoudings buite huweliksverband voortduur en kondome nie gebruik word nie - die resultaat onbeplande swangerskap, MIV besmetting van beide moeders en babas, krisisse vir families en die samelewing en uiteindelik wydverspreide sterftes as gevolg van VIGS sal wees. Gegewe die pandemie wat Suid-Afrika in die gesig staar word die Katolieke standpunt waarin die gebruik van kondome verbied word eties bevraagtekenbaar asook moreel verdag. Die Kerk moet tot verantwoording geroep word vir die implikasies van sy dogmatiese standpunt. Die MIV /VIGS'pandemie is eenvoudig te ernstig vir 'n openbare instansie soos die Katolieke Kerk om betrokke te bly in die voorsetting van teologiese kieskeurigheid en die verkondiging van geïdealiseerde standpunte. Die Kerk is nie los van die samelewing waarbinne dit bestaan nie en 'n realistiese, verantwoordelike en toerekenbare respons word benodig binne die huidige konteks waarbinne honderde duisende mense dood as gevolg van VIGS in die gesig staar.

Drawing on the concept of sexual geography, this study examines the social and political meanings of sexualized spaces in the urban geography of Portland, Oregon between 1970 and 2010. This includes an examination of the sexual geography of urban spaces as a deliberate construct resulting from official and unofficial public policy and urban planning decisions. Sexual geographies, the collective and individual constructions of sexuality, are not static. Nor are definitions of deviant sexual practices fixed in the collective consciousness. Both are continuously being reshaped and reconstructed in response to changing economic structures and beliefs about sex, race and class. Primary documents are used to build a conceptual geography of sexualized spaces in Portland at points between 1970 and 2010 with an emphasis on the policy and urban planning decisions that inform the physical designations and social meanings of sexualized spaces including prostitution zones, pornography districts and gay entertainment areas.

Condom use is promoted as an effective method for prevention and contraception for people who practice or are at risk of practicing high-risk sexual behaviors. According to the UNAIDS (2009) report, condoms are the only resource available to prevent the sexual spread of the HI-Virus; and with regard to family planning, the same report proposes that condoms expand the choices, have no medical side effects, and thus provide dual protection against pregnancy and disease. However, in Africa as elsewhere in the world, condom use has been fiercely debated. The debates on the accessibility, availability and distribution of condoms in schools are not new nor are they uncontested. In Namibia, the HIV and AIDS policy in education does not explain how, when and by whom condoms should be made available to learners. This leaves it to schools to decide on how (and whether) to make condoms available to learners. As a result, individual school‘s choices not only vary, but are mediated by different factors that are not always in the best interest of learners who, as the foregoing discussion suggests, continue to participate in behaviour that, amongst other things, puts them at risk of HIV infection and falling pregnant. Relying on Foucault‘s theory of discourses, this study investigated the dominant discourses that shape learner, teacher, parent religious and traditional leader and traditional healer perspectives, responses, and experiences with regard to the accessibility, availability, and distribution of condoms in school. The study was conducted in nine schools in Kavango Region in Namibia using a mixed methods approach. The study used triangulation in the data collection process through the use of questionnaires where 792 learners participated in this component, and focus group discussions and individual interviews targeting four groups namely, learners, teachers, parents and religious leaders, traditional leaders and traditional healers. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS), and findings from the focus group discussions and individual interviews were analyzed identifying themes and patterns and then organizing them into coherent categories with sub-categories. The study revealed that the majority of adult participants opposed the idea of making condoms available in schools; advocating abstinence instead. This was despite evidence on the prevalence of sexual activity amongst youth in the community. Reasons had to do with various competing and hierarchized discourses operating to shape participant beliefs, perspectives, and responses in a highly regulated and surveilled social and cultural context. Put differently, the dominant discourses invoked a particular sexual subject; authorized and legitimated who invoked such a subject; who was and was not allowed to speak on sexual matters; as well as how sexual matters were brought into the public space of schools. Such authorization and legitimation regulated the discursive space in which discussions on sexual health, safe sex, and resources such as condoms were permitted; with negative consequences for the sexual well-being of youth in Kavango Region. The study also highlighted the tension between freedom, choice, and rights, showing how complex in fact is decision to make condoms available in school. On the one hand, teenagers positioned themselves as capable subjects who had the right to exercise choice over their sexual lives. Requesting parent consent was thus viewed as a violation of this right to choose. Such a position displayed authority and agency by learners that was pitted against views amongst adults in this study that positioned youth as having no agency. In their view, youth (a) were still children and thus innocent and pure, (b) ought to abstain, and (c) were difficult to control given the modern context. Adults believed that early sexual involvement by learners did not result from lack of vigilance and control on their part, but rather from exposure to modern social mores. The study concluded that (a) schools remain difficult spaces not only for mediating discussions of sex and sexuality, but also for providing resources to mitigate sexual risk amongst leaners, (b) in highly regulated societies, dominant religious discourses are produced and reproduced in and through existing institutions such as family, church, and schools; highlighting how these serve to normalize beliefs and perspectives, (c) the dominant discourses shaping communities in which schools find themselves remain inconsistent with school discourses that are shaped by modernist conceptions of childhood and youth, and (b) adult choices to sanction and obstruct schools from making condoms available (and in the case of teachers, not accessible and distributable) put the very children at risk that they propose to be protecting.

The “tabloid TV” news genre is a relatively new phenomenon in Uganda and Africa. The genre has been criticised for depoliticising the public by causing cynicism, and lowering the standards of rational public discourse. Despite the criticisms, the genre has been recognised for bringing ‘the private’ into a public space and one of the major ‘private’ issues on the public agenda is women and gender equality. Given these critiques, this study set out to interrogate the meanings that young working class women in Kampala make of the tabloid television news programme Agataliiko Nfuufu and to ask how these meanings relate to the contested notions of femininity in this urban space. In undertaking this audience reception study I interviewed young women between the ages of 18-35 years by means of individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study establishes that Agataliiko Nfuufu is consumed in a complex environment where contesting notions of traditionalism and modernity are at play. The study also establishes that while mediating the problems, discomforts and contestations of these young women’s lives, Bukedde TV1 operates within a specific social context and gendered environment where Agataliiko Nfuufu is consumed. The study concludes that the bulletin mediates the young women’s negotiations and contestations, but it provides them with a window into other people’s lives and affords them opportunities to compare, judge and appreciate their own. Furthermore, the gendered roles and expectations in this context have become naturalised and have achieved a taken-for-grantedness. Therefore, patriarchy has been legitimised and naturalised to the extent that the respondents define themselves largely in relation to male relatives, and marriage. While the women lament the changes that have taken place in their social contexts which disrupt the natural gender order, they construct themselves as subjects of the prevailing discourses of gender relations that see men as powerful and women as weak and in need of protection.

The importance of considering gender in the effective delivery of international humanitarian assistance (IHA) is well appreciated by the international humanitarian community. Yet evidence suggests that the translation of this appreciation into effective policy and practice remains elusive. This thesis investigates the conceptualisation and implementation of gender policy across the international humanitarian system. It argues that global humanitarian responses continue to fail in consistently addressing gender-based issues and remain ad hoc despite a relatively constant global discourse on the issue. The thesis pursues this argument in three parts. Part One reviews the theory, ethics and policy that drive IHA, including its gender work. It explores the theories of cosmopolitanism and communitarianism in international relations and the place of feminist theories within these. Drawing on this analysis, the thesis then moves on to discuss the history and contemporary expression of the international humanitarian system, considering its effects for gender work. Part Two examines humanitarian response in the field, exploring three case studies where humanitarian organisations responded to different types of emergencies in disparate parts of the globe. These case studies focus on responses to the ongoing displacement crises in South Sudan (2011 onwards), the cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea (2009-2011) and the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (2011). Through analysis of interviews and organisational documents, this section reveals that the implementation of gender policy is subject to the fulfilment of several conditions related to organisational mandate, emergency type, and pre-existing gender structures in the particular context. Together, these conditions suggest that the liberal feminist framework guiding gender work is inappropriate for, and ineffective in, the current international humanitarian system. Drawing together the arguments of Parts One and Two, Part Three elaborates that a deficit exists in the policy and practice of gender work in IHA as a result of its fundamental theoretical underpinning. To address this deficit, the thesis concludes by advocating for a change in prevailing approaches to gender in IHA. The thesis suggests that attention to a critical feminist ethics of care may be able to reform gender work to make it compatible with the various conditions of particular humanitarian contexts.

The literature reviewed reveals changing attitudes towards sexuality generally and towards sexuality and the elderly in particular. These changes are ' .... represented by a shift from religious organization of moral life to increasingly secular regulation embodied in the emergence of new medical, psychological and educational norms' (Weeks 1986,p.33). However, it seems that these changes have not necessarily affected provision of care for older persons in a positive way. This study focusses on attitudes of older women, housed in traditional large residential units, and attitudes of caregivers of the residents in such units, towards human sexuality. Data was obtained by means of the administration of the Sexual Attitude Scale (Hudson and Murphy, 1976) which is a summated rating scale. The attitudes of subjects toward self-determination in human sexuality in the context of the aging person's life are specifically considered. The major findings of the study were that residents attitudes towards human sexuality were generally extremely conservative. However, this clearly did not extend to a belief that sex was only for the young. Attitudes expressed by staff towards human sexuality were on the whole liberal and they agreed that sex was not only for the young. However, although caregivers support the idea that sexuality in the later years is important in theory, their actions do not bear this out. The findings have implications for the prevailing arrangements for caring in traditional large residential care units with respect to house rules, and education in human sexuality for residents, staff and relatives of the elderly.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

This thesis is concerned with the correctional treatment process for sex offenders, and the problems that criminal justice system authority poses for treatment settings. A particular focus is whether inmate participation in treatment programs is voluntary or coerced, given the link between programs and prospects of release. In examining this question, the author considers the results of an empirical project in which a group of inmates were interviewed about their perceptions of the correctional treatment process. Background to this project includes discussion of the doctrine of informed consent and respect for autonomy as its underlying rationale; discussion of the concepts of coercion and voluntariness; and examination of the development of rehabilitative ideals. A conclusion drawn from the discussion is that the presence of coercive authority may impact adversely upon correctional treatment efforts. Coercive authority creates difficulties in relation to the voluntariness of inmates' consent, the confidentiality of the treatment relationship, and the professional autonomy of the clinician. These problems in turn raise questions as to whether correctional programs retain the character of treatment, or are more properly considered as part of punishment, or as tools of social control. However, coercive authority is a necessary presence if correctional services are to work towards the goal of protection of society. The central question to be addressed therefore is whether the prospects of release can be used to motivate inmates for treatment in a way that is consistent with the requirement of voluntary consent to treatment. The results of the empirical project suggest that for the majority of inmates, the link between treatment and release is not coercive. However, a number of inmates did indicate they felt coerced into treatment programs. Reforms may thus be necessary to avoid coercive authority resulting in coerced treatment. In discussing these results, the author considers a number of directions for reform, including the introduction of an operational presumption of coerced referrals to treatment, which would place greater emphasis on clinicians' obligations to secure voluntary consent.

Peacekeeping sex, or sex between peacekeepers and local people, is a long-standing and serious issue, and its current regulation is fraught and unsatisfactory. The United Nations (UN) has shifted from an unofficial 'boys will be boys' approach in Cambodia in the early 1990s to the current 'zero tolerance' policy that prohibits sexual exploitation and abuse. Until recently, the peacekeeping literature largely ignored the issue of peacekeeping sex. The academic literature is split between supporting the zero tolerance approach and critiquing the policy's over-inclusiveness, problems with enforcement and unintended consequences. This thesis asks how peacekeeping sex can be better regulated and proposes a feminist regulatory framework that uses regulatory tools to make international law more responsive and effective in achieving feminist objectives. This thesis differs from other studies of peacekeeping sex by examining international law from a regulatory perspective. Responsive regulation sees law as one of a range of regulatory options and envisages a broader range of regulatory mechanisms and actors than a state-centric view of law. A regulatory perspective involves evaluating the capacity of international law for setting standards, monitoring compliance and enforcement through a discussion of jurisdiction, immunity and the responsibility of states and international organisations. The thesis assesses whether regulatory tools, such as the zero tolerance policy, advance feminist objectives by highlighting the extent to which local women are empowered or disenfranchised by particular regulatory regimes. Unlike other studies of peacekeeping sex, this thesis also considers sex between private military contractors and humanitarian non-government organisation (NGO) workers, who increasingly act as subcontractors and partners in UN peace operations. The discussion of legal and policy regulation is grounded in three case studies of how the regulation of peacekeeping sex operates in practice. The first case study considers private military contractors employed by the private military security company, DynCorp, who participated in and benefitted from the trafficking of women into the Bosnian sex industry in the late 1990s-early 2000s. The second case study looks at humanitarian NGO workers who exchanged aid for sex with teenage girls in refugee camps in West Africa in 2002. The third study, of UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2004, highlights the unenforceability of the UN zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. All the case studies point to problems of irrelevance, incoherence and non-responsiveness in the current regulatory regime for peacekeeping sex. The thesis concludes by suggesting ways in which law can be made more effective and responsive to feminist concerns through coupling it with non-legal regulatory mechanisms. These include building on developments in regulating NGOs and private military security companies, such as peer review and reporting mechanisms, and more traditional means at international law, such as the development of new treaties and amendment of existing treaties. Peacekeeping sex highlights the need for new ways of including non-state actors in international law, as both the subjects and objects ofregulation. The thesis also indicates the potential for greater engagement between international law and regulatory theory, as well as between feminist theory and regulation.

Gender reassignment procedures are performed for the treatment of the gender dysphoria syndrome (transsexualism). Although this modality of treatment is therapeutic in nature and therefore not contra bonos mores, the legal status of the post-operative transsexual remains that of his/her previous sex. The purpose of the gender reassignment procedures is that of acceptance within the community as a person of the sex indicated by his/her changed appearance. Nothing will be achieved by the successful completion of treatment if the person's changed sexual appearance is not recognised by the law as a change in sexual status as well. The law, by keeping aloof of the problem of the post-operative transsexual, has created a legal "vacuum" where there is social and judicial acceptance of reassignment procedures, but a refusal to give legal effect to the change in status that the transsexual obsessively desires and the operation simulates. This work will analyse the medical issues associated with gender reassignment procedures. The legal status of the transsexual after reassignment procedures will be explored, and in doing so, the human rights violations with which such people have to contend, will be highlighted. The constitutionality of the lack of a legal recognition of the post-operative transsexual's sexual status will be examined. It will be shown that there are compelling reasons for legislation to be introduced as a matter of urgency to safeguard the fundamental rights of the post-operative transsexual.
Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Natal, 2000.

There is a rise in premarital and extra-marital sexual relations amongst some modern Zulus. The causes of this rise include the perpetual childhood of women in society and the political and socio-economic setting in South Africa. The results of this rise include teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. In Zulu traditional sexual practice the publicity of love affairs curbed sexual promiscuity. Many people were involved in the love affairs of young people. This tradition broke down because of the political, religious and socio-economic changes in South Africa. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is sacred; it is an institution of God, a sacrament. Therefore premarital and extra-marital sexual relations taint the integrity of marriage. A number of things can be done to alleviate the problem of premarital and extramarital sexual promiscuity. These include: changing the political and socio-economic structures of our country; empowering women; inculturation; and changing the pastoral attitude of the Church towards sexuality.
M.Th. (Theological Ethics)

A number of studies have attempted to describe and explain both the levels of and trend in support for abortion in the adult population and college students, yet there is a gap around abortion attitudes of adolescents. This quantitative study aims to examine the levels of knowledge and attitudes of abortion among male and female secondary school learners, to examine gender differences among the learners with regards to abortion attitudes and knowledge as well as to investigate the effect of religion in terms of abortion. A sample of 150 adolescent males and females from Grade 11 between the ages of 15 to 19 years old was chosen to be used in the study. This research study was conducted at a secondary school in a lower middle class suburb in Durban. The learners were required to complete a questionnaire measuring levels of knowledge (based on different components of the South African legislation regarding abortion, that is, the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act (1996); a rating scale of abortion attitudes (Esposito & Basow, 1995) and a short biographical component. The statistical programme SPSS 15.0 was used to analyze the data. The results show that the respondents' knowledge about South African legislation governing the act of abortion; varied, attitudes to abortion differed by gender, sexual status and the reasons for abortion. It was found that the older the person, the more positive their attitude towards the elective reasons for abortion. In this study, more positive attitudes towards abortion were prevalent in the Hindu sample as compared to the Christian sample.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This study attempts to understand prostitution from their definition of the situation. It differs in its method from other studies on prostitution in that the investigation was based on the prostitutes' own perspectives as interpreted by the researcher using the interpretative epistemological tradition. A comparative analysis of prostitution in two economically stable African Countries, namely Nigeria and Botswana was made. This study investigated society's perception of prostitutes and how it impacts upon their empowerment and emancipation as vulnerable members of the society and their participation in prevention and control of sexually transmitted infection including HIV/AIDS. Also the role of governments and individuals in creating and sustaining prostitution, an extensive insight to the modus operandi of prostitution and suggestions on how best to address prostitution in society, were discussed. A triangulated methodology of three hundred and twenty five sexworkers (325) that includes a quantitative study of two hundred and five sex workers complimented with a qualitative study of one hundred and twenty sex workers participating in focus group discussion and case studies informed the study. The findings of the research suggest that in the prostitutes' own definition of the situation; prostitutes contribute to the maintenance of societal equilibrium, the society creates and sustains prostitution. Economic need rather than lack of morals creates prostitutes and their situation of vulnerability as women is being reinforced by their status as prostitutes. Violence from partners that includes the police and the inability to reprimand their clients, are some hazards of prostitution and these result in their mobility and creates a challenge in adequately addressing the issue of prostitution in society, including their limited participation in the control of STDs. Respondents in Botswana had a very good knowledge of STI's /HIV/AIDS and had no difficulties in going to hospital in the event of any STD's as compared with Nigerian respondents. The Nigerian respondents' indulged in self-medication with antibiotics and traditional herbs mixed in local gin before and after a sexual act, rather than go to hospitals. The research findings should assist the government and international community's policies and programmes aimed at addressing prostitution and STDs/HIV/AIDS.
Sociology
D.Litt. et Phil.(Sociology)