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CHAPTER I

The Problem and the Review of Related Literature

Introduction

With the advent of advancement in technology, the community was very

permissive to the events that are happening today. Even young people are now

freely engaging themselves in sexual activities, and as a consequence it even lead

to unwanted pregnancy and worst is abortion. Because of the permissiveness of

the society, we often forget to determine what is the battle over morality and

public policy.

Pre-marital sex is an extensive act that is done by many people today,

young or old not thinking of the effect of what they are engaging in. They are

thought that because they just want to try it then they eventually did it. One of the

reasons why many people are engaging in pre-marital sex is due to the influence

of the modern technology such as cell phones, internet, peer pressures, financial

constraints, family problem and many more.

The morality of marriage has been lost and the importance of life had been

endangered. Abortion is against life and liberty. If people say that since they have

the freedom to do their will they do the things that satisfy them. They can engage

in premarital sex and remove the life from their womb because it is just an

obstruction for their enjoyment.

To quote Mother Teresa of Calcutta, she said that,

“The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can

kill her own child what is left but for me to kill you and you to kill
me? There is nothing between.”
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According to Jagad Guru in his Life Force Series entitled “Abortion”, he

said that, “Different people identify themselves in different ways according to

how they identify themselves, they see a different purpose in life. For instance,

the vast majority of people identify themselves as the body. They believe, “I am

this body. I am matter. That is my identity.” And what do you feel is the purpose

of their existence? To enjoy-not only sensual but also feelings, sentiments,

intellectual stimulations, or even pseudo-spiritual pleasures which are all centered

around themselves. This is what most people of the world today perceive as their

purpose is life.

Now this isn’t just philosophy in the sense that it has very practical effects

in many many different fields. For instance, people’s materialistic viewpoints-the

way people identify themselves as the body and the way they perceive the

purpose of life as sense of enjoyment-serves as the spring board of the various

social problems. Let us just take one social question: abortion. It is very obvious,

external activity with far reaching social consequences and which has so much to

do with the real life. Abortion is actually the offshoot or result of people’s

perceiving the purpose of life in a particular way. Abortion is based upon the

notion that the purpose of life is individual enjoyment.”

Furthermore, Henry V. Sattler, believed that, sexuality should involve

creative, imaginative, playful celebration. Celebration, in turn involves rituals,

rules, and meaning.

To be wholesome, significantly, and meaningful, sex must be placed by

human free actors within a setting in which it can become fully what it is meant to
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be. For the human being, the diamond is not right as found in the mine. It must be

cut and mounted in an appropriate and creative setting.

This lead the researchers to obtain facts and knowledge that help explain

the underlying reasons of such behavior. Thus, the researchers are moved to study

the perceptions of selected BSN III students on pre-marital sex and abortion.

Related Literature

Foreign Literature

Morality is a factor for many people when deciding whether or not to have

premarital sex. Is it a factor for you? After all, the messages we receive from most

TV shows and movies these days tells us "everyone is doing it." In light of today's

permissive attitude, your peers may think you're weird to even question it.

But maybe there is something inside you, like a voice in your head, that is

making you uncertain about whether or not sex before marriage is a right or

wrong action. Many people refer to this voice as their conscience. How can you

know if your "conscience" is right? People all around the world look to the Bible

as a moral or religious book, so let's see what it says about premarital sex.

The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. That's a word we don't

hear much these days, so what does it mean? Fornication is sexual intercourse

between people who are not married to each other. The only distinction the Bible
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makes between premarital sex and adultery is that adultery involves married

persons while fornication involves those who are unmarried. Premarital sex is just

as much of a sin as adultery and all other forms of sexual immorality. They all

involve having sexual relations with someone you are not married to.

(http://www.allaboutworldview.org/premarital-sex.htm)

This is an extremely important point, for although few would deny that it

is good that fewer teenagers are having sex outside of marriage, we need to see

that teenagers are not the only and perhaps not the chief problem. In 1994, just 22

percent of children born out of wedlock had mothers age 18 or under; more than

half had mothers ages 20 to 29. Over half of the abortions each year are had by

unmarried women in their 20s, while just a fifth are under 20. Teenagers account

for a smaller proportion of unwed births today than 20 years ago.

The number of unwed pregnancies and abortions that result from

unplanned pregnancies suggests that the couples engaging in sexual intercourse

are not really engaging in what should be called "premarital" sexual intercourse. It

is highly unlikely that any discussion of marriage or plans for marriage have been

made. Indeed, there is much evidence that a considerable amount of sexual

intercourse, especially first time encounters, occurs among those who are

inebriated and know each other hardly at all.

In some cultures, couples would get married when a pregnancy occurred.

Premarital sex was largely a matter of advancing one's wedding night a few
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months and formalizing one's commitment once a pregnancy made marriage

necessary. In such situations the category "premarital'" sex is more precise; the

sexual intercourse does precede marriage. One study shows that the context of sex

outside of marriage used to be "premarital." It reports on the premarital sexual

habits of young unmarried before the availability of contraception and abortion.

This study reports that most couples having sexual intercourse before marriage

engaged in a very important conversation. Since contraception and abortion were

not available, the young woman would ask of the young man, "what happens if I

get pregnant?" And the young man would customarily answer, "I will marry you."

Indeed, the study reports that when a pregnancy occurred, the young man would

in fact marry her. Today this is rarely the outcome of an unwed pregnancy; again,

abortion, unwed motherhood, and placing a child for adoption are the predictable

consequences of an unwed pregnancy.

(http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0087.html)

Attitudes regarding religion and abortion are closely linked with some

religious groups opposing abortion under any circumstance. Other religious

groups support the availability of modern, medically supervised abortion.

However, this support is often tempered by conditions such as:

1. abortion is not a method of birth control.

2. abortion should not be used for sex education,

3. abortion should not be used for population control, and

4. abortion should not be used to provide fetal tissue for transplantation.

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Some organizations support abortion rights only in limited situations such

as rape, incest, or cases in which continued pregnancy may jeopardize the life or

health (physical or mental) of the woman.

Religious opinions on abortion are intertwined with religious opinions on

whether or not governments should become involved in the abortion debate.

Generally speaking, religious groups that oppose abortion prefer that laws are

enacted criminalizing abortion, whereas religious groups that support abortion are

of the opinion that society as a whole should leave the decision to individual

women. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_abortion)

Local Literature

No reliable statistics on abortion in the Philippines is available because

abortion is illegal. No woman, doctor on hospital will ever admit to having

committed the crime for fear of legal sanctions. It is estimated, however that one

(1) out of four (4) pregnancies end up in abortions. Seventeen percent of pregnant

women in Metro Manila undergo an induced abortion due to unwanted pregnancy,

the results of a recent research showed.

The research showed that women resort to various abortion methods

ranging from taking certain drugs or herbal preparations to approaching a "hilot"

or traditional midwife to consulting a health practitioner like midwife, doctor or

nurse. One of the respondents in a study among abortees in Tuguegarao, Cagayan,

even had a hilot insert a barbecue stick in her sex organ to induce abortion.
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In Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Tuguegarao, where the abortion

studies were made, abortion, though illegal, is widely practiced. In Metro Manila

study made by Josefina Cabigon of the University of the Philippines Population

Institute, 17 percent of the 1,169 women surveyed admitted having had an

abortion.

For those who are married: to space pregnancies; too many

children; added financial burden. For the unmarried: unwanted pregnancies. Many

have an abortion because the latter "interferes with occupation, studies, or

employment."

The men do play a role in childbearing. Some reasons given by women

had to do with their menfolk: some women are now separated from their

husbands, others had a quarrel with the husband; husband has no job; husband is

irresponsible; common-law husband has other family. Poor health was also cited

(although there were no medical indications).

Over half of the women who had induced abortion are married, showing

that abortion is used to regulate or limit the number of children.

(http://www.prolife.org.ph/article/articleview/16/1/24/)

About 4 in 5 abortions in the Philippines are for economic reasons,

according to a survey by the University of the Philippines. In many cases, said

Jocelyn Pacete, a spokeswoman for Likhaan, a women's health group based in

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Manila, "the mother can't afford another child, so ends up choosing her five

living children over the fetus in her womb." ( Manila Bulletin, October 2006)

The act is criminalized by the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines,

which was enacted in 1930 but remains in effect today. Articles 256, 258 and

259 of the Code mandate imprisonment for the woman who undergoes the

abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, even if they

be the woman's parents, a physician or midwife. Article 258 further imposes a

higher prison term on the woman or her parents if the abortion is undertaken

"in order to conceal [the woman's] dishonor”.

The United Nations recognizes that abortion in the Philippines is

permitted only in instances in which the pregnant woman's life is endangered.

However, there is no law in the Philippines that expressly authorizes abortions

in order to save the woman's life; and the general provisions which do penalize

abortion make no qualifications if the woman's life is endangered. It may be

argued that an abortion to save the mother's life could be classified as a

justifying circumstance (duress as opposed to self-defense) that would bar

criminal prosecution under the Revised Penal Code. However, this position

has yet to be adopted or debunked by the Philippine Supreme Court.

(hppt://wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_Philippines)

Sister Pelar Versoza, RGS, National Coordinator of Pro-life

Philippines replied to the invitation of Congressman Padilla to send comments

regarding the House Bill. Pro-life advocates believed that the legalization of
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abortion is not necessary to accomplish the governments concerns for the

mother in crisis pregnancies.

According to Sister Versoza, indirect abortion has always been allowed

in cases when the mother’s life is in danger. Everything must be done to save

the life of the mother, because if she dies, the baby will also die. Whatever

medication or procedure to cure or save the mother should be given. If the

baby dies along the way, this is considered the most unfortunate death,

something that was never intended or induced. However the direct abortion

has never been a way of curing the mother. In fact it often entails more risks to

the mother. Catholic Church teachings and Bioethics supports this stand

therefore, no laws is necessary to implement it.

Foreign Studies

A study on premarital conducted by Klusaw, Kristine A.

(2002) found out that,

Premarital sex is a huge problem in society today;

the numbers are staggering. "Among Americans
who have been married, a raging ninety- three
percent of men, and eighty percent of women
(between ages eighteen and fifty-four) have lost
their virginity before their honeymoon". Teens
everywhere are not waiting until they are married to
have sex. "Teenagers are saying, ‘sex is fun’ and
‘everybody is doing it’". Teens are less developed,
emotionally and physically before having sex, and
they are not prepared for the serious problems that
come along with their decision to have sex. There
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are always consequences when a teenager chooses

to have sex. "Teenagers, according to some polls,
view premarital sex as acceptable as long as ‘two
people love each other’" . If at age sixteen a
teenager tells a parent or someone older that they
are in love, the parent will laugh and say that no
teenager at sixteen has experienced true love. Love
is something one experiences when one is mature
and ready for a life-long commitment, not when one
is involved in a two-year high school crush.
"Premarital sex is based on selfishness, not on love"
. If one has passionate feelings for someone, one
may feel the need to have intercourse with that
person. Teens need to open their eyes and see the
harmful effects of premarital sex. "Premarital sex
hurts you (sic), running the risk of getting diseases
and it profoundly scars you emotionally, by cutting
you off from God". Some teenage girls are saying,
"Oh I’ll be fine, I am on birth control and we used a
condom; there are no worries." "No form of
contraception can prevent a heart from being
broken, and a soul from being lost". While
contraceptives may lessen the chances of disease
and unwanted pregnancy, birth control is not always
dependable.

Premarital sex is riddled with many

emotional problems and mental consequences. The
emotional scars are the most painful and most
overlooked aspect of premarital sex. Many people
have tremendous regret after sex, which leads them
into depression. They begin to feel used and simply
"unclean."

Ehrmann (1990) found out that premarital sex began sooner and rates

where higher among the lower classes.

Zelnick and Kantnar (1990) found out that the more religious a person

is, the less likely he or she is to engage in premarital sex. The higher
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proposition of the youth with the premarital sex experience is found among

those who subscribe to no religion at all.

Adams (1989) confirms that premarital sex become a “cultural

alternatives” in society a cultural alternatives is some practice or belief on

which the people have divided viewpoints and feelings, which is certainly true

in the case of premarital sex.

Local Studies

A substantial amount of research has been conducted in developed

countries on the negative outcomes that may accompany early sexual activity.

Unprotected sexual intercourse can result in unwanted pregnancies and abortions

and places young people at an increased risk of infection with HIV and other

sexually transmitted diseases. Moreover, pregnant adolescents may go on to

become adolescent mothers, who typically have low educational attainment and

face economic disadvantage. Similar outcomes may occur in less-developed

countries such as the Philippines

In the 1995 nationwide Young Adult Fertility Survey (YAFS) of 11,000

Filipino males and females aged 15-24, the majority (82%) reported never having

had sexual intercourse (74% of males and 89% of females). These results are

similar to those reported among young Filipino women in the first YAFS

conducted in 1982. The majority of young Filipino adults choose to abstain from
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sex until they are married, perhaps as a consequence of the traditional values

fostered through the church, the family and like-minded peers.

Given the risks of unprotected sexual intercourse during the adolescent

years, it is important to obtain a comprehensive understanding of those factors

associated with protective behaviors like sexual abstinence, as well as to address

the needs

of young people who may be at risk of engaging in unprotected sexual

intercourse. Many diverse factors influence adolescents' level of sexual risk-

taking behaviors. Poverty, race, ethnicity, religiosity, age at puberty, peer

relations, school performance, involvement in other risk-taking behaviors and

family composition and relationships have all been identified as determinants of

adolescent sexual behavior among youths in the United States. (International

Family Planning Perspectives, 23:168-172, 1997)

Romero, Luis (1996) points out that as early as adolescent period, the

child should be aware of what is premarital sex, courtship and its purpose.

Ibay, Vincent (1994) believes that the social influence gravely affects the

performance of the students on dating, courtship, and some sort of premarital

behavior.

Conceptual framework

Our present civilization has put far too much emphasis on the mechanics

of sex, and far too little insistence on and awareness of the psychological and
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spiritual value in which this expression of love must have its origin. If sex is used

rightly it can bring heaven to home. Used wrongly it can make it a hell. Use it

wisely and it will become a wonderful servants. Use it wrongly and it will become

a terrible task master. (Maurus, J., 1977)

The question of the value and rights of the fetus is intimately connected

with the question of when human life begins. For those who see the fetus as a

truly human being, the fetus has all the rights and values of every other human

being. On opposite approach is taken by those who view the embryo or fetus as

only tissue in the mother and give the mother the right to control her body as her

personal property. If women are to be truly free and liberated, they must

ultimately have full freedom to control their own reproductive capacities. The

woman cannot be truly experience the fetus as anything but a part of her own

flesh. There can be no doubt that in the practice emphasis on the right of the

woman to control her own body has greatly contributed to a wider acceptance of

abortion, but in the ethical literature the women’s right reasons have not been

developed in great depth. This position seems to ignore the right of the fetus.

Although biological data alone cannot determine the existence of a truly human

beings, such data prove that the fetus is a biological individual and not merely

maternal tissue.

Among the many reasons why abortions are commonly sought are cardiac

complications, a suicidal condition of mind, psychological trauma, pregnancy

caused by rape. The inadvertent use of fetus-deforming drugs, and many personal

and family reasons such as the financial burden or intrusiveness of s child. Such
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reasons certainly explain why abortions are often viewed as an available way to

extricate a woman or a family from difficult circumstances. But the primary

ethical issue remains: Are any such reasons sufficient to justify the act of abortion

a human fetus? An ethicist concerned to defend abortion seeks a principled

justification, where ethical are advanced for one’s conclusion. It might be decided

of course, that in only some above mentioned circumstances would an abortion be

warranted, whereas in others it would not be justified. Even so, such as decision

presupposes some set of general criteria that enable one to discriminate ethically

justified abortions from ethically unjustified ones. ( Pahl, 2000)

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Research paradigm

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. Profile of the  Assessment of Determine the

respondents: the profile of students

1.1 Age the perception

1.2 Sex respondents. toward pre-

1.3 Course  Ascertain the marital sex and

1.4 Civil status perception of abortion.

1.5 Religion the

2. Respondents respondents.

perception

towards:

2.1 Pre-marital

sex

2.2 Abortion

FEEDBACK

This figure shows the input of the study and the process that was used to

evaluate the respondents’ perception toward pre-marital sex and abortion.

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Research objectives

The study sought to analyze and investigate the perceptions of selected

BSN III students on pre-marital sex and abortion.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents as regards to their:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Course

1.4 Civil status

1.5 Religion

2. What are the perceptions of the respondents’ toward:

2.1 Pre-marital sex

2.2 Abortion

3. Is there a significant difference between the respondents’ perceptions

when grouped together according to their profile variables?

4. What is the implication of the study?

Scope and Delimitation

The study is confined to the selected BSN III students of Saint Paul

University during the second semester school year 2006-2007. The researchers

used the questionnaire method, which served as the primary instrument in the

study.
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Definition of Terms

The terms used in the study are defined to enable the researchers to

understand its contents better and clearer.

Abortion- termination of pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent

life.

Perception- it involves the process by which the individual select, organize and

interpret sensors stimuli, such as from seeing, hearing, and touching into

meaningful information surroundings.

Premarital sex-sexual relationship before marriage.

Sex- it is an organic pleasure or satisfaction associated with the stimulation of

genital organs.

Therapeutic pregnancy- deliberately induced expulsion of a living fetus in order

to save the mother from the danger of death brought on by pregnancy.