When it comes to sex, men don't have all the answers

AT A time when the government is trying every possible method to bring down the ever-increasing population, curious young men who are turning to it for answers on sex and related matters may just do the trick. An analysis of data collected by the government's first interactive call centre of the Indian Population Stabilisation Fund, run by international BPO Vcustomer, shows men - especially those from the not-so-affluent sections - are seeking more information on sex than their female counterparts.

Of the 1,655 calls received till June 11, the first week of the call centre, about 60 per cent were from young men asking about things like the ill-effects of masturbation or oral sex, homosexuality and orgasms. Women, on the other hand, wanted to know about abortion and contraception options, including natural ones.

Among older men and women, infertility was a major issue of concern, the data shows. The call centre also received some strange calls.

"About two-three per cent calls were from adolescents who wanted to know how women react in bed if satisfied after intercourse," said Shailaja Chandra, executive director of the Fund. "How to abort a baby was another frequent query from youngsters," she added.

That a majority of the queries came from young men is understandable, as they live in a society where talking about sex is still taboo, an official of the United Nations Population Fund said. "Normally, girls have their mothers who tell them about important issues like menopause.

But boys don't find such a framework in their families. It shows there is paucity of information for youngsters who want to know more," Chandra explained.

Another interesting aspect noticed was the eagerness among young Indians to opt for modern contraceptives like condoms and pills. Till recently, a health ministry study had shown the participation of men in contraception going down.