IMPACT OF PRE-MARITAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS ON THE LIFE ASPECTS OF YOUNG INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

Pre-marital sex is the engagement of sexual intercourse before the marital vows which is accepted by a particular society. This research focused on the impacts of pre-marital sexual relationships on the lives of young individuals in Sri Lanka. Which investigated causes, consequences, and gender specific impacts of pre-marital sexual relationships and the prevalence of these issues in contemporary Sri Lankan society. Purposive sampling method was instrumented to determine the sample size which was 20.  A mixed method which included data collecting methods such as, observations, participant observations, interviews, case studies and questionnaires were used to gather data. All 20 respondents were considered as 20 different case studies to gather in-depth data. The study revealed various mental, behavioral, educational, professional, and post-marital impacts. In conclusion female individuals experienced more pronounced negative impacts due to the socio-cultural context in Sri Lanka. The findings highlighted the importance of addressing and understanding the complexities related to pre-marital sex for the holistic well-being of young individuals in Sri Lanka.