CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the general introduction of the effects of cohabitation on the well-being of girls in Buea. It specifically presents the background to the study, the problem the study is trying to solve, the objectives and research questions, the significance to the study as well as the organization of the study.

1.1 Background to the study

Most countries have experienced a decline in the rates of marriage, which is increasingly preceded or replaced by cohabitation. Younger generations are more likely to follow these non-traditional paths in life, even in societies that continue to place a very high value on the institution of marriage.

According to the recent literature, in countries where cohabitation is not widely accepted, choosing cohabitation as a living arrangement may lead to a deterioration in a young person’s relations with his or her family as well as their personal wellbeing (Di Giulio and Rosina 2007; Schröder 2008).

The trend has also increased rapidly in the majority of the higher institute of learning, the reason being the increase in the number of undergraduate students and the inability of the tertiary institutions in expanding and building new hostels which have forced several students to look for accommodation outside the campus.

This has led to the emergence of an unacceptable trend in most of the universities in which male and female students cohabit in the same room. Some call it campus marriage but it would rather be called “cohabitation” among students since it is an indecent act perpetuated off campus (Abubakar et al., 2008). Popenoe and Whitehead (2002) asserted that what makes cohabitation so significant is not only its prevalence but also its widespread and popular acceptance.

In Africa, cohabitation could be attributed to colonialism; it gradually broke down African communal living patterns, by the acculturation of foreign cultural norms and values.

This transcended to an outgrowth of historical changes in sexual behaviour such as the increased acceptance of sexual relations outside of marriage that emanate from the rise of the ideology of individualism (Rindfuss and VandenHeuvel, 1990).

This ideology of individualism is exacerbated by rapid urbanization, housing problems, and homelessness. In Cameroon and Buea in particular, the prevalence of co-habiting among youths is on the rise.

Adeniyi (2019, p. 11) maintained that cohabitation is when two people who are romantically involved choose to live together without making a formal commitment to marriage. Cohabiting couples are typically emotionally and sexually intimate.

Adeniyi stressed that the term ‘cohabitation is not commonly used to describe people who are merely sharing a living space or who call themselves “roommates” cohabitation can pertain to either heterosexual or same-sex couples, but it is most commonly used in reference to heterosexual couples.

Abullahi (2013) stated that cohabitation can be encapsulated as both a status and a process and it is also an alternative type of housing for at least one of the cohabiters.

It is no exaggeration that the number of students in Cameroonian universities that are public, mission, and private keep on increasing.

As a result of the economic crunch in Cameroon caused by the Anglophone crisis, many of the universities lack the capacity to build students’ halls of residence. Lack of sufficient hall of residence may probably have led to the emergence of cohabitation among university students.

1.2 Problem Statement

Since cohabitation is against the norms and values of our society, most students that live together do not allow their parents to know about it. This, therefore, exposes the students to all forms of risk and harm as they continue to cohabit.

The health dimension aspect of the problem is worrisome. Cohabiting students will most likely engage in unprotected sex which could result in sexually transmitted infections and the much-dreaded HIV/AIDS disease (Ogunsola et al., 2004). the female students may indulge in the use of oral contraceptives in order to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

But when pregnancy does occur, sometimes, the female student is more likely to seek abortion as a way out. This may expose the female students to quack doctors who are not licensed practitioners and this may result in septic abortion associated with hemorrhage, sepsis, and acute renal failure all of which endanger life.

Research shows that cohabitation is correlated with a greater likelihood of unhappiness and domestic violence in the relationship. Cohabiting couples report lower levels of satisfaction in the relationship than married couples.

Women are more likely to be abused by a cohabiting boyfriend than a husband. Children are more likely to be abused by their mothers’ boyfriends than by her husband, even if the boyfriend is their biological father.

If a cohabiting couple ultimately marries, they tend to report lower levels of marital satisfaction and a higher propensity to divorce. However, there is considerable evidence that some patterns of living together before marriage are associated with increased risks for less successful marriages

This study, therefore, intends to investigate the effects of cohabiting on the wellbeing of girls in Buea.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

Main objective

To assess the effect of cohabitation on the well-being of girls of the University of Buea, Southwest region of Cameroon

Specific objectives

1. To identify the factors responsible for cohabitation among girls in the university of Buea
2. To examine the effect of cohabitation on girls’ health in the university of Buea
3. To examine the consequences of cohabitation on the academic performance of the girls of the university of Buea

1.4 Research Questions

Main research question

What is the effect of cohabitation on the well-being of girls in the University of Buea?

Specific research questions

1. What are the factors responsible for cohabitation among girls at the University of Buea?
2. What is the effect of cohabitation on girls’ health in the University of Buea?
3. What are the consequences of cohabitation on the academic performance of the girls of the university of Buea?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The understanding of the health impacts of cohabitation is critical to towns like Buea which is experiencing an increase in the population of undergraduate students. However, little research has been done in this part of the country.

This study will fill some gaps in the literature on cohabitation among undergraduate students in Buea. The study will bring to the fore the various reasons for cohabitation as well as provide measures to reduce cohabitation among girls in Buea.

When the findings of the study are made known, it will aid the university community as well as policymakers to understand the phenomenon and for adequate measures to be taken to bring the issue under control.

1.6 Scope of the Study

Geographical scope

Geographically, this study was conducted among girls at the University of Buea. Hence the study will be limited to girls In Buea which is the capital of the south west region of Cameroon.

Content scope

Also, the study was aimed at investigating the effect of cohabitation on the well-being of girls at the University of Buea. All the concepts used in this study will be concepts related to the cohabitation of girls and how it affects their well-being. Any concept not related to this will not be used for the study.

1.7 Organisation of the Study

The study is organized into five sections/chapters. The first chapter is composed of the general introduction and the second part is all about the conceptual and theoretical framework of the study discussed by sourcing relevant reviews from books, journal articles, previous researches.

This body of the research provided a compressed concept and analytical framework of the study and an understanding of how to interpret data.

Chapter three discusses the methodology of this research outlining carefully the research design, sample population and sample size, and data collection and data analysis procedures. Chapter four presents the data analysis and finally, chapter five presents the conclusion and recommendations of the study.