The patterns of sexual behavior and condom use
within relationships among inner city youth in
Hartford, and the cultural logic that informs these
behaviors, did not emerge in a vacuum; rather
they have been shaped by their experiences growing
up in the inner city (or relocating there after
growing up in another, but often socio-economically
similar, locale). In the focus groups and
one-on-one interviews, participants cited a number
of key features of their psychosocial life experiences
that have shaped their views, attitudes,
understandings, and behaviors. These include the
following:
Coming of age in an impoverished family,
Living in a broken home,
Experiencing domestic violence,
Having limited expectations about one’s future,
lack of hope about significant improvements,
Having limited exposure to positive relationship
role models,
Having a lack of expectation about living a long
life (feeling old early, especially men),
Having a low level of expectation about the
dependability of others (i.e., limited ability to
trust), and
Fear of intimacy as dangerous because it makes
one vulnerable.
It is within this psychosocial milieu of threat and
uncertainty that the sentiments, beliefs, decisionmaking
and sexual behaviors of participants regarding
multiple concurrent relationships, lack of
relationship trust, patterns of condom use and
disuse, and fear of attachment become understandable.
Collectively, the factors cited above appear to
mitigate against strict and prolonged adherence to
risk reduction strategies, which are predicated on
being able to realistically engage in long-term
planning for a healthy life.