Young Asian women and relationships: traditional or transitional?

This article investigates social and cultural aspects of "teenage life" amo ng south Asian girls in Britain, particularly their experiences of relation ships with boys and the extent to which they become involved in sexual acti vities. In-depth interviews were carried out with teenage girls and young w omen from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds and a comparative g roup of white British girls, in four schools and one college in the South a nd West Health Authority Region. Asian teenage girls conformed to different behavioural norms than their white peers. They were influenced by cultural traditions, religious obligations, family loyalties and community expectat ions. Few Asian girls became involved in relationships or sexual activities . However, once removed from the parental home, the influence of parents an d their Asian community, their social and sexual behaviour changes; they ex perience an independence which often involves relationships and sexual acti vities. In contrast, white teenage girls experienced a different set of pre ssures which came from peers and boyfriends and accepted involvement with b oys and sexual activity.