[Premarital sex in Antananarivo (Madagascar): how are students freeing themselves from the norms?].

This paper aims to analyze the representations of premarital sexuality among young people in a context where they are strongly encouraged not to engage in premarital sexual relations. This link between prevention messages, representations and behaviours has been studied among a student population in Madagascar. The analysis is based on a socio-demographic survey conducted in 2006. Results show that young men and women share the ideal of abstinence before marriage. The promotion of premarital sexual abstinence within AIDS programs reinforces gender differences. It is mainly young women who are urged to be abstinent, whereas young men have the means--condom use--to transgress the taboo of premarital sex and protect themselves against health risks. Thus, young men have a dual strategy. On the one hand, they attach great importance to premarital abstinence with their future wife; on the other hand, they can have sex with occasional partners and are then protected by condoms.