The percentage of married people who masturbate is higher than that of single people who do so, a survey showed yesterday.
Masturbation is a natural behavior, with 96.3 percent of men and 65 percent of women in Taiwan saying they have masturbated, said Chen Yu (陳煜), chief of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s Division of Andrology and Female Urology.
The survey showed that 84 percent of married people masturbate, higher than 76.3 percent of single people, he said, adding that the percentage of married people who masturbate increases with the number of years they have been married.
The main reason that they masturbate might be because their partner cannot or is unwilling to have sex, Chen said, adding that the causes can be complicated, including distance, age, stress, children or diseases.
“Like having sex, masturbation is just one of the ways to fulfill natural sexual desires, but conservative values and lack of discussion can lead to misconceptions about masturbation,” he said.
A 13-year-old boy was recently brought to the hospital by his father for masturbating, Chen said, adding that because the father often scolded his son for masturbating, the boy exhibited stress that affected his sleep and performance at school.
Masturbation does not cause premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction, Chen said, adding that premature ejaculation is associated with serotonin levels, emotional factors and lower frequency of sexual activity, while erectile dysfunction is often associated with aging or chronic disease.
“Masturbating does not cause infertility, and can improve sperm mobility and quality, leading to better chances of conception,” Chen said, adding that masturbation does not cause testicular cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia or baldness in men, and might reduce the risk of prostate stones and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
“For some people, masturbation is an easier way to satisfy their sexual needs than considering whether their partner is satisfied with their sexual activities,” said Yang Tsung-tsair (楊聰財), a clinical psychiatrist and chairman of Taiwan Association for Sexuality Education.
The survey showed that only 7.8 percent of men and 17.2 percent of women said they seldom or never reached orgasm during masturbation, he said, adding that the release of oxytocin and dopamine during orgasm can reduce stress, allowing the individual to feel more relaxed and sleep better.
Although the frequency might differ from person to person, people should enjoy the emotional relief from masturbation as long as they choose a proper place and timing, and pay attention to safety and hygiene, Chen said.
The survey was conducted by a Japanese sex toy company among 1,200 people aged between 18 and 49.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday bestowed one of Taiwan’s highest honors on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman in recognition of her contributions to bilateral ties. “By conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on Ambassador Bowman today, I want to sincerely thank her, on behalf of the Taiwanese people, for her outstanding contribution to deepening diplomatic ties between Taiwan and SVG,” Lai said at a ceremony held at the Presidential Office in Taipei. He noted that Bowman became SVG’s first ambassador to Taiwan in 2019 and
A man walks past elementary school artworks at the Taipei Lantern Festival in Ximen District yesterday, the first day of the event. The festival is to run from 5pm to 10pm through March 15.
RSS