Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Sex is one of the basic needs of the human beings. Sex is not just only

for making a baby or for making an intimate relationship to work or lasts longer

but it also contributes to the health of the individual. According to (Zimbardo, et

al., 2015), No one enjoys being hungry or thirsty. But we can’t say the same for

sex: Unlike hunger or thirst, arousal of the sex drive can be pleasurable. And

even though sexually aroused individuals may seek to reduce the tension by

mating or other sexual activity, the sex drive is not homeostatic – again unlike

hunger and thirst. In other words, sex – like hunger – is linked with diverse

motives in the hierarchy.

But what if humans start being sexually frustrated especially if the

individuals are in a state of confinement? Then, sexual deprivation occurs.

Sexual deprivation is long periods during which sexual activities are not

accessible. (Parker, Aggleton, 2002) Being sexually deprived affect different

aspects of health such as physiological, psychological, and emotional

consciously or unconsciously. If humans don’t have sex for long periods of time

they start to think and do ridiculous things. (Murray, 2017)

Many prisoners are sexually deprived, face serious sexual health

challenges and regardless of their orientation may lead degrading and

dehumanizing sex life while at incarceration. Sexual deprivation exerts

pressure on prisoners towards forms of consensual or nonconsensual sexual

exposures. This may range from exploitive sex with prison staff or co-inmate,

homosexual satisfaction of one’s sexual needs to sexual abuse or victimization.

(Lawan, et al., 2016)

Sex and sexuality are a part of life. Aside from reproduction, sex can be

about intimacy and pleasure. Sexual activity, penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI),

or masturbation, can offer many surprising benefits to all facets of your life:

physical, intellectual, emotional, psychological, & social. Sexual health is more

than avoiding diseases and unplanned pregnancies. It’s also about recognizing

that sex can be an important part of your life, according to the American Sexual

Health Association. (Rogers, 2016)

Moreover (Michelle Hussy, 2015), sex is great in many ways. It not only

allows partners to get intimate with each other, but it also burns calories and

releases a whole host of hormones that have a range of benefits. It means, sex

is a good contributor in health of a person since it is included in the physiologic

factors of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

One of the objectives of this study was to identify the effects to the health

status of being sexually deprived in prison. Since sex is one of the physiological

needs of a human being based from Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,

one objective was to understand the importance of coition to an individual.

Lastly, this study determined the relationship between the demographic profile
of the inmates and the possible effects of sexual deprivation, especially to the

inmates of BJMP.

This first semester comprised Chapter 1 – The Problems & Its

Background and Chapter 2 – The Research Methodology. Wherein the

researcher must review the study, research for related studies, and apply the

statistical knowledge acquired from the previous semester, the course of

Biostatistics. For the next semester, the study was continued for Chapter 3 –

Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data and Chapter 2 – Summary,

Findings, Conclusions, & Recommendations. These chapters were conducted

the study in the area or locale of the research; these include the validations of

the equipment, data collection, data entry & analysis, interventions such as

providing health teachings, and drawing conclusions.

Background of the Study

Although a prisoner is one who is deprived of his liberty against his will

and kept in confinement or custody in a prison, penitentiary, or jail as a result

of conviction of a crime, he/she cannot be denied certain human rights. The

United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and the dual United

Nation Convention on Civil and Political Rights, and Economic, Social and

Cultural Rights of 1967 stated among others the right to health as inalienable

from humans. Thus, prisoners as humans have the right to a complete state of

physical, mental and social wellbeing including the right to respond to

fundamental or physiologic urges for air, thirst, hunger, defecation and sexual

satisfaction. (Lawan, et al., 2016)

The study has taken place in Bureau of Jail Management & Penology,

Santa Cruz, Laguna. The participants were both men and women in the prison.

The mission of Bureau of Jail Management & Penology is to enhance

public safety by ensuring humane safekeeping and development of Persons

Deprived of Liberty (PDL) in all district, city, and municipal jails for their

integration to society.

The vision of the BJMP, a premier institution highly regarded by society

for the secure and humane treatment of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) by

its competent and motivated corps.

As one of the five pillars of the Criminal Justice System, the BJMP was

created to address growing concern of jail management and penology problem.

Primarily, its clients are detainees accused before a court who are temporarily

confined in such jails while undergoing investigation, waiting final judgment and

those who are serving sentence promulgated by the court 3 years and below.

As provided for R.A. No. 6975, the Jail Bureau is mandated to take operational

and administrative control over all city, district and municipal jails.

The Bureau has four major areas of rehabilitation program, namely:

Livelihood Projects, Educational and Vocational Training, Recreation and

Sports, and Religious/ Spiritual Activities. These were continuously

implemented to eliminate the offenders’ pattern of criminal behavior and to

reform them to become law – abiding and productive citizens.

Theoretical Framework

According to Abraham Maslow, a humanist psychologist, our actions are

motivated in order to achieve certain needs. Maslow first introduced his

concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human

Motivation" and his subsequent book Motivation and Personality. This hierarchy

suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to

other, more advanced needs. (Cherry, Gans, 2018)

In addition to the basic requirements of nutrition, air and temperature

regulation, the physiological needs also include such things as shelter and

clothing. Maslow also included sexual intercourse or reproduction in this level

of the hierarchy of needs since it is essential to the survival and propagation of

the species. (Cherry, Gans, 2018)

Freud conceptualized personality structure, the Psychoanalytic

Theory, as having three components: id, ego, and superego (Freud,

1923/1962). The id is the part of one’s nature that reflects basic or innate

desires such as pleasure-seeking behavior, aggression, and sexual impulses.

The id seeks instant gratification, causes impulsive unthinking behavior, and

has no regard for rules or social convention. The superego is the part of a

person’s nature that reflects moral and ethical concepts, values, and parental

and social expectations; therefore, it is in direct opposition to the id. The third
component, the ego, is the balancing or mediating force between the id and the

superego. The ego represents mature and adaptive behavior that allows a

person to function successfully in the world. Freud believed that anxiety

resulted from the ego’s attempts to balance the impulsive instincts of the id with

the stringent rules of the superego. The accompanying drawing demonstrates

the relationship of these personality structures

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is probably the most well known theorist

when it comes to the development of personality. Freud’s Stages of

Psychosexual Development are, like other stage theories, completed in a

predetermined sequence and can result in either successful completion or a

healthy personality or can result in failure, leading to an unhealthy personality.

This theory is probably the best known as well as the most controversial; as

Freud believed that we develop through stages based upon a particular

erogenous zone. During each stage, an unsuccessful completion means that a

child becomes fixated on that particular erogenous zone and either over– or

under-indulges once he or she becomes an adult. (Heffner, 2014)

The final stage of psychosexual development (Genital Stage) begins at

the start of puberty when sexual urges are once again awakened. Through the

lessons learned during the previous stages, adolescents direct their sexual

urges onto opposite sex peers; with the primary focus of pleasure are the

genitals. (Heffner, 2014)

 Lastly, Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development in the stage of

Intimacy vs. Isolation (18 – 35 years old) which virtue is love and also comprises

sex. According to (Videbeck, 2011), the task for this is forming adult, loving

relationships and meaningful attachments to others.

Intimacy means the process of achieving relationships with family and

marital or mating partner(s). Erikson explained this stage also in terms of sexual

mutuality - the giving and receiving of physical and emotional connection,

support, love, comfort, trust, and all the other elements that we would typically

associate with healthy adult relationships conducive to mating and child-

rearing. There is a strong reciprocal feature in the intimacy experienced during

this stage - giving and receiving - especially between sexual or marital partners.

Isolation conversely means being and feeling excluded from the usual

life experiences of dating and mating and mutually loving relationships. This

logically is characterized by feelings of loneliness, alienation, social withdrawal

or non-participation. Erikson also later correlated this stage with the Freudian

Genitality sexual stage, which illustrates the difficulty in equating Freudian

psychosexual theory precisely to Erikson's model. There is a correlation but it

is not an exact fit (Erikson, 1982).

Conceptual Framework

Conceptual Framework contains several variations and contexts with

the use of a paradigm. It provides an outline of how to plan for conducting a

research. It is used to create conceptual distinctions and organize ideas.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Demographic Profile Effects of Sexual

Deprivation to the Health
Status of the Inmates in
 Age BJMP, Santa Cruz,
Laguna
 Sex
 Physical Aspect
 Number of Years in
 Psychological
Prison
Aspect

 Emotional Aspect

Frame 1 Frame 2

Fig. 1 Research Paradigm of the Study

The figures above (Frame1 & Frame 2) show the Conceptual

Framework of the study. The Frame 1 displays the Independent Variable which

is the Demographic Profile such as Age, Sex, & Number of Years in Prison; the

figure demonstrates the presumed causes of the effects of sexual frustration

appearing in the lives behind bars.

 The Frame 2 shows the Dependent Variable that pertains to the Effects

of Sexual Deprivation to the Health Status of the Inmates in BJMP, Santa Cruz,

Laguna, which is the main problem of the research. The effects of being

sexually confined affect the physical, psychological, &emotional aspect of the

prisoner.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of the study was to find out the effects of being sexually

deprived related to the health of the inmates in BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna.

1. What is the Demographic Profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2. Sex; and

1.3 Number of Months/Years in Prison?

2. What are the effects of sexual deprivation to the health status of inmates in

BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna in terms of:

3.1. Physical Aspect;

3.2. Psychological Aspect; and

3.3. Emotional Aspect?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the Demographic Profile of the

respondents and the effects of sexual deprivation to the health status of

inmates in BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna?

4. Does the demographic profile of the inmates have a significant effect to

sexual deprivation?

Hypothesis

Demographic profile of the inmates has no significant effect to their sexual

deprivation.

Significance

This study benefited the following people as it has given them clearer

view of effects of being sexually deprived to the health status of the inmates in

BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna.

The Respondents/Inmates. This has given them adequate information about

the effects of sexual deprivation to the health status of the inmates in BJMP –

Santa Cruz, Laguna.

The Health Legislators. To legislate laws that may answer the problems of

the harmful effects of sexual deprivation to the health status and a humanistic

approach for the inmates of BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna. They are responsible

for the reinforcements of laws regarding to health.

The Bureau of Jail Management & Penology. To provide solutions or

interventions for reported of sexual violence occurrences inside the prison.

They can be informed and give guidance for the situations for the reported

violence behind bars.

The Law Enforcement Profession. To acquire additional knowledge and give

enhance protocol for the risk of sexual assault incidents inside the penitentiary.

The Nurses. To look at this study as a reflection for those who are in need so

that they become aware or conscious of the profession they are in and can help

to the reduction of the disadvantageous effects of sexual deprivation.

The Researcher. To broaden her knowledge about sexual behavior,

especially the behavior in an incarcerated area, and how sex is important to an

individual.

The Nursing Students. To relate their knowledge obtained from their course

subjects especially in Psychiatric Nursing and Medical Surgical Nursing. Since

Psychiatric Nursing discusses the aspects of psychological and emotional

effects of sexual behavior problems. Medical Surgical Nursing indoctrinates the

physical aspects that results from causes of sexual deprivation.

The Students. To boost their comprehension about sex education and to gain

knowledge about the effects of sexual deprivation to an individual.

The Filipino People in General. To determine how the effects of sexual

deprivation affects the health status of an individual who is sexually confined.

Scope & Delimitation

 The study has dealt mainly with the effects of sexual deprivation to

health status of the inmates, BJMP, Santa Cruz, Laguna. It seeks to know the

issues of being sexually frustrated.

The researcher focused on the inmates of BJMP Santa Cruz, Laguna as

the subject of the study at least 15 respondents from men and 15 respondents

from women since the approximate number of the inmates in BJMP is 300,

Simple Random Sampling was the chosen sampling technique for this study.

The study was conducted once a week. Furthermore, the researcher chose the

inmates in Santa Cruz as respondents in a set of questionnaires & surveys,

and interviews. Afterwards, the researcher came up with the assessment

procedures where the information gathered were analyzed and evaluated.

Although the research has reached its aims, there were some unavoidable

limitations one of them is a significant number of respondents available in the

preliminary testing were unavailable and unwilling to participate in the final

stage of testing because some of the data needed are personal or a private

concern to an individual.

Definition of Terms

Age. The length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed.

Civil Status. Or marital status, is any of several distinct options that describe

a person’s relationship with a significant other. Married, single, divorced, and

widowed.
Demographic Profile. The statistical characteristics of human populations

(such as age or income) used especially to identify markets.

Effects. Power to bring about a result. Something designed to produce a

distinctive or desired impression.

Emotional Aspect. Relating to a person’s emotions. The physical body is

therefore directly influenced by the range of emotions that can, depending on

each individual’s biological make-up, influence, even unbalance the

biochemical reactions of the body.

Inmates. Prisoner; convict. A person confined to an institution such as a prison

or hospital.

Physical Aspect. Defining traits or features about the body.

Psychological Aspect. Refers to how symptoms and conditions impact a

person’s mental and emotional state of health and how the mind can influence

that a person experiences.

Sex. Sex refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as

female or male.

Sexual Deprivation. Sexually frustrated; sexually starved. Long periods during

which sexual activities are not accessible.