For 25-year-old Lebedzani Nkhwa of Mbalambi village, the issue of concurrent partners starts at an early age for the boy-child. "To the boy-child, for one to gain respect and recognition of his friends and peers he must be seen with different girlfriends. It is his demonstration of sexual prowess through having multiple concurrent partners that gives him the social status and admiration of his peers." he argues. Nkhwa says that this explains why even at juniour secondary school level, young boys have already embarked on this very unfortunate lifestyle. "If you are to listen to their conversation, you will realise the extent of this confusion on our young ones. To them it is how many girlfriends you have that makes you a hero." he says. He identifies the socialisation process of the young male as the problem. "For as long as they still confuse masculinity with sexual prowess, we will continue to have this problem. The boy-child needs a completely new kind of socialisation that will teach him that having more than one sexual partner does not in anyway make you a superior male than others," he argues.
Mosheti Kafuko of Maun agrees; "This problem of multi-concurrent partners is mainly a disease for the boy-child.This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that, the conversations of most of our school going boys is tainted with boasting about the number of girls one has or has slept with. Those who have less are deemed as being less experienced or are accused of fearing girls."
