USE OF THE INTERNET IN EARLY SEXUAL INITIATION

This study examines the influence of Internet use on early sexual initiation among adolescents and young people in the city of Parakou using data from a survey conducted in 2022 by the Ecole Nationale de Statistique de Planification et de Démographie. The survey focused on ICTs and the dynamics of sexual and social behavior in the city of Parakou. Data were analyzed at three levels: univariate bivariate and multivariate (logistic regression models).out of a total of 2926 adolescents and young people aged 15-34 in the city of Parakou 11 individuals out of 100 had experienced early sexual initiation. When the age at which an individual has access to the Internet increases by one unit the probability of early sexual initiation decreases by 9%. Socio-demographic characteristics such as level of education religion gender and marital status were found to be factors associated with early sexual initiation as were social pressure media influence and money.