Background to the Research

• This report is based on the results of the first major survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles of young people, aged 14-25 years, in NI.
• The survey was conducted by the University of Ulster in conjunction with the Family Planning Association Northern Ireland from 2000 to 2002.
• The report exclusively presents the findings from the one-to-one in-depth interviews conducted during the research.
  

Research Approach

• 15 one-to-one in-depth interviews were conducted with young people across NI.
• Interviewees self-selected and volunteered during the research project. Some interviewees had completed the survey questionnaire prior to the interview and self-selected through this. Others were approached during focus group discussions and agreed to take part in an interview.
• Interviews took place in a location chosen by the interviewee.
• Interviews lasted between 45 and 140 minutes and were tape-recorded.
  

Main Findings

• Twelve stories from young people are presented in the report. Young people talk about their puberty, their experiences of sex education, their first boyfriends and girlfriends and their current sexual relationships. These experiences are embedded in accounts of their lives in general.
• Some interviewees talk about their sexual abuse or about homophobic bullying and their difficulties in 'coming out'.
• Others share their experiences of teenage pregnancies or about their difficulties of finding a partner because of a disability.
• Some interviewees talk about fatherhood or about the threats they received because they were in a religiously mixed relationship in NI.