Saranthon Kaewkhoon. A study of gender power relations in sexuality : a case study of women factory workers in Aom-noi subdistrict, Krathumbaen district, Samut Sakhon province . Master's Degree(Rural Development Studies). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2004.
A study of gender power relations in sexuality : a case study of women factory workers in Aom-noi subdistrict, Krathumbaen district, Samut Sakhon province
Abstract:
This Social research is a qualitative and quantitative study, the objectives of
which were 1) to study the characteristics of gender power relations in sexuality of
women factory workers and 2) to study factors affecting the gender power relations in
sexuality. Samples of the study consist of 138 factory women living in Aom-Noi
Subdistrict, Krathumbaen District, Samut Sakhon Province, which were divided into
108 samples in a qualitative study and 30 samples in a quantitative study. Data was
analyzed by content analysis in a qualitative study and by ANOVA for one-way
classification in a level of 0.05 significance in a quantitative study.
The findings of the study indicate that most of the samples have less sexual
negotiation or no sexual negotiation. The results from in-depth interview of 30
respondents show that 63.33 per cent (19 persons) have no sexual negotiation with
their husbands. 36.66 per cent (11 persons) have sexual negotiation, but only 7 persons
have a successful sexual negotiation - - can refuse their husband sex by persuasive
speaking and giving reasons and can initiate to have sexual relationship with their
husbands. And only a few respondents can insist on condom use for a safer sex from
unwanted pregnancy and uncertainty of HIV infection from their husbands, as the
meaning of condom use in factory women’s thinking is tied with sex workers and it
also expresses feeling of being unreliable resulting in unstable relationship of a couple.
However, in the group of no sexual negotiation or unsuccessful sexual negotiation,
factory women give reasons that they are timid, afraid of, fearful that their husbands
will be angry, fearful of being abandoned and unreliable if their husbands use
condoms. The result also shows that important factors affecting gender power relations
in sexuality are 1) income - -factory women have higher income than their husbands.
2) personalities - - they are confident in themselves and raised with sexual equality.