The Menace of Illegal Sexual Activities in Gym Centres in Warri South LGA: Implications on Marital Stability and Public Health

Gym centres are primarily established to promote physical fitness and healthy lifestyles, but some have increasingly become environments where illegal sexual activities occur among users and instructors. This study focused on examining the prevalence of these practices and their impact on marital stability and public health in the Warri South Local Government Area of Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with data collected from 200 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Recent findings reveal that illegal sexual activities (ISA) are surprisingly prevalent in gym centers. Indecent dressing (M = 3.15) and sexual harassment (M = 3.07) topped the list of concerns. The study's sample included 54.0% females and 62.0% married individuals, highlighting a significant presence of these issues within marital settings. The results also indicated that ISA plays a role in marital instability, particularly by fostering increased mistrust (x = 3.13) and leading to extramarital affairs (x = 3.11). Additionally, these activities pose serious public health risks, such as the spread of sexually transmitted infections (x̄ = 3.16) and unsafe sexual practices (x = 3.11). Inferential statistics confirmed significant relationships at the 0.05 level. The paper concludes that inadequate supervision and weak regulatory practices help encourage these behaviors. Strict enforcement of gym rules, staff training, monitoring systems, and continuous health education was recommended to reduce ISA and protect users.