The Determinants of Forced First Intercourse among Women in the Philippines

Yujiro Sano, University of Western Ontario
Pearl Sedziafa, Memorial University
Jonathan Amoyaw, University of Western Ontario
Eric Tenkorang, Memorial University

Sexual coercion is a global public health issue. While a few studies document women’s experience on sexual coercion in the Philippines, their findings largely remain descriptive. Using the Philippines Demographic and Health Survey, we examine the factors associated with forced first intercourse among Filipino women. Preliminary findings show that Cebuano and Ilonggo women are more likely to describe sexual debut as forced than their Tagalog counterparts. Also, while richer women are less likely to report forced first intercourse than their poorest counterparts, women with secondary education are more likely to do so than those with higher education. Moreover, currently married women are much less likely to report forced at sexual debut than never married women. Older women are also less likely to describe first intercourse as forced than younger women. Finally, early sexual initiation is a risk factor for coerced sexual debut. Based on these findings, we provide some suggestions for policymakers and other interested parties.