Masturbation – is it a taboo or not?
Written by Dr. Arun Bhat P., Consultant Psychiatrist Read time - 10 minutes Word “masturbation” elicits a mixed reaction in people. Why does it carry a lot of taboo & stigma? The word masturbation means “deliberate erotic self-stimulation”. In India it is colloquially called as “Hasta Maithuna (Hasta – Hands & Maithuna – Sexual intercourse). Although it is a subject of taboo & has been viewed negatively in various cultures it is much more prevalent. It is estimated that around 80-90% of males & 40-60% of females masturbate in their lifetimes. Self-stimulation of genital organs is also seen in some children without the sexual context. We can see examples of such behaviours in animals also. In males, masturbatory processes usually involve stimulation of penis (especially glans penis) to the point of orgasm & ejaculation. It is usually done with hands but rubbing against objects & clothing is also not uncommon. Whereas stimulation or rubbing of vulva, clitoris, bre