Where does risk lie in sexual practices? A study of young people’s social representations

Abstract

This research investigates the social representations of risky sexual practices. Specifically, it analyses the circumstances in which young Spanish people represent a sexual practice as risky, and how the representation of risk has implications for decisions about using condoms. The Grid Elaboration Method was used to gather the naturalistic thoughts and feelings of 175 young people regarding risky sexual practices. The content of the responses was analysed by lexical analysis using Iramuteq software. The results of the analysis suggested two main textual universes regarding risky sexual practices. The first of these, at a theoretical-informative level, is clearly linked to the discourse of experts, where condom use is a key factor and risk is distanced from the self. And the second, at a practical-applied level, represents risky sexual practices in a context that is linked to the unknown and the lack of control due to the use of substances or the spontaneity of the sexual encounter. The concept of risk is concluded to emerge from various sources of information, values, or social conventions that articulate everyday understanding and are likely to guide sexual practice, some of which are far removed from the expert knowledge of risk. The representation of risk in sexual relations is therefore understood to be situated within a social context. The substantive, theoretical, and practical consequences of this social construction of risk are discussed as the major contributions of this paper.

Práticas sexuais e comportamentos de risco para infecções sexualmente transmissíveis entre jovens universitários [Sexual practices and risk behaviors for sexually transmitted infections among university students] [Prácticas sexuales y conductas de riesgo de infecciones de transmisión sexual en estudiantes universitários]

“…Nesta perspectiva, o indivíduo distancia-se do risco porque não percebe sequer sua existência. O segundo é a aplicação prática, cujas práticas sexuais estão vinculadas ao desconhecido, bem como ao descontrole provocado pelo uso de substâncias ou espontaneidade de encontros sexuais 8 . Diferenças socioeconômicas, ambientais e culturais interferem no enfrentamento às IST no ambiente universitário.…”

“…Os jovens se expõem a relações de risco e não possuem consciência da sua real vulnerabilidade. As universidades, por sua vez, pouco atuam de forma a proteger e conscientizar essa população [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] . Percebe-se, portanto, que os estudantes universitários, em um contexto global, arriscam-se em práticas sexuais não seguras.…”

A Call to Action. A Critical Review of Mental Health Related Anti-stigma Campaigns

“…Whilst, we are not arguing that in certain circumstances individuals with experiences of mental ill-health may need access to extra services and protections, using risk framings as a method to challenge public stigma is highly problematic ( 101 ). Specifically, a recurrent theme in the literature on health and stigma, is that collective practices which attribute risk to a particular group (i.e., individuals with mental illness) often is concomitant with discursive practices that Other the afflicted group ( 25 , 162 , 163 ). Indeed, groups which are constructed by the lay public as “at-risk,” are also often materially and symbolically believed to threaten the social order ( 25 , 162 ).…”