In Nigeria, as well as in many other parts of the world, having sex before marriage is often seen as immoral behaviour.

The idea of a young girl spending the night with her boyfriend is highly unlikely and is discouraged by societal norms.

However, things are quite different in other cultures where people are more open to the idea and expect children to engage in premarital intimacy. It is rather unsettling and unconventional but this is a respected tradition. Such practices are so common in these parts that no one bats an eyelid.

Here are three tribes where children are encouraged to engage in sexual relations:

The Mangaia tribe

One of the tribes of the Cook Islands, the Mangaia, is known for indulging in child sex, with children between the ages of eight and thirteen being encouraged to indulge in sexual intimacy.

Boys in this culture are taught to masturbate by the age of eight, till they reach puberty when the top of the foreskin on their penis is cut off as a form of circumcision. Following this, the boys are free to engage in as much sexual activity as they choose, primarily with older women who can help them enhance their sexual performance.

The Trobriand tribe

The Kiriwina Islands archipelago in Papua New Guinea is home to the subsistence horticultural Trobriand tribe. They have rejected all outside influences as a people and take pride in their culture and customs.

Children in this tribe begin engaging in sex at a rather young age of six to increase their sexual awareness. They plan a number of sexual activities including sensual music, dances, games, and songs.

The Trobriand people see sex as an important part of socialisation and believe that teaching kids how to have sex will make them more socially adept. 

The Kreung tribe

This ethnic tribe is located in northeastern Cambodia's Ratanakiri province. The Kreung tribe have no attachment to virginity and believe that having as much sex as possible is more important.

According to tradition, when a girl turns 13, her father constructs a hut known as the Love hut where the girl is required to remain as various suitors enter to have sex with her.

The girl is expected to do this with every potential husband until she finds the one who makes her feel the happiest and ultimately decides to wed him.