Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education 2016 started work. Therefore, it is of no surprise that most youngsters kept their relationships a secret from their elders. Respondents noted that they rarely see any young couples on the streets, especially in the islands, as they usually tend to meet secretly in isolated places. This is a very significant observation as respondents suggested that meeting in such isolated places may encourage youngsters to become physically intimate before they are ready for such relations. Hence, the effectiveness of parental disapproval of such intimate meetings were questioned by many youths. Respondents also recalled instances where children were beaten or were grounded by their parents upon finding out about their relationships. However, they also mentioned that there were instances where parents had given their approval for the relationship if they approved of their child’s partner. There were also instances where parents would simply advice their child against such relationships and recommended them to wait until they finish their studies. Some of the participants stated that they felt that the conservative attitude towards romantic relationships stem from the South Asian backgrounds where Maldivians specifically “copied the strictness of the Indian culture”. Others believe that religious perceptions played a more significant role in such cultural norms. Participants stated that Islamic values clearly discourage interaction with members of the opposite sex outside of marriage as a huge emphasis is given to the protection of family honor and women. This aspect could support the outraged reactions from some of the participants when they noted that some parents are more lenient and often gave consent when boys get into relationships as opposed to girls. In most islands, family members, especially 59 THEMATIC ANALYSIS