A. Lakhani et al., Addressing semen loss concerns: Towards culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS interventions in Gujarat, India, REPROD H M, 9(18), 2001, pp. 49-59
A situation analysis of sexual networking and sexual health in on industria
l area of Gujarat, India, identified anxiety about masturbation and other s
emen loss concerns as major preoccupations among young men. This paper desc
ribes how the Deepak Charitable Trust addressed these concerns in their HIV
prevention programme for young men aged 75 to 30. Flowcharts were used as
participatory learning tools and to obtain data on the perceived consequenc
es of masturbation, both before and after intervention activities. Research
was also done on the relation between semen-related anxieties and sexual r
isk behaviour by DCT and two other NGOs among young men engaging in unsafe
sexual behaviour. DCT advocates addressing masturbation and other semen los
s concerns in all sexual health compaigns in South Asia, based on the magni
tude of these concerns, their potential to confound syndromic management of
STIs and their significance cis on idiom of psychosocial distress. Masturb
ation and associated anxieties about sexual performance are seen as health
issues and discussed cis such by the programme. There is immediate identifi
cation among young men, whether or not they are already sexually active, an
d it provides an excellent entry point for sexual health and safer sex educ
ation. The community response to these efforts has been entirely positive.