“Sex!” The word is enough to catch your attention and somehow it is also a topic that makes people uncomfortable. In India, sex still remains a hush-hush topic despite being the country that has given Kamasutra to the world and hosts temples that promote sexuality in Khajuraho, Konark, Belu, and Halebidu.
As sex is associated with taboo, it has led to sexual health becoming the most neglected part of an individual’s health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples, and families, and to the social and economic development of communities and countries.
It is important to keep a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence, the global health body maintains.
Aspects of Sexual Health
According to WHO, the ability of men and women to achieve sexual health and well-being depends on their:
- access to comprehensive, good-quality information about sex and sexuality;
- knowledge about the risks they may face and their vulnerability to adverse consequences of unprotected sexual activity;
- ability to access sexual health care;
- living in an environment that affirms and promotes sexual health.
Moreover, sexual health involves wide-ranging issues including sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual expression, relationships, and pleasure. It is noteworthy that poor sexual health includes various negative impacts like sexually transmitted infections (STIs), infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), reproductive tract infections (RTIs), unintended pregnancy and abortion, sexual dysfunction, sexual violence, and harmful practices like female genital mutilation.
Sexual Health in India
According to Dr Sujit Ash, Consultant, Gynecology & Obstetrics, P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Khar, when it comes to sexual health in India, though we have improved on various parameters, there is still a huge lacuna that needs to be filled.
“We have made various programs and are largely reaching our indicators, but this has to be better,” he said.
In a country where we have annually around 15 million abortions, of which around 70 per cent are unsafe, and nearly 50 million women do not have proper access to contraception, along with widespread untreated sexually transmitted infections, there is a lot to be done to achieve better health for young girls and reproductive women, Dr. Ash pointed out.
According to Dr. Ash, with around 80 per cent of women delivering at a health facility, we have succeeded in reducing maternal and newborn mortality, but many do not receive quality maternal care in cases of high-risk or complicated pregnancies.
“When we talk about sexual health, we address contraception, abortions, better pregnancy outcomes, and sexually transmitted diseases. Along with this, menstrual hygiene, gender-based violence, and gender identity are also some aspects that need to be stressed when we think of sexual health, with an emphasis not just on physical but also mental and emotional wellbeing,” he told Financial Express.com.
According to Sahil Gupta, Co-Founder, MyMuse, a Sexual Wellness company, the status of sexual health in India is a complex and multifaceted issue.
“When it comes to pleasure alone, more than 57 per cent said they wanted more sex than they were getting, clearly addressing the existing pleasure gap. The subject of sexual well-being and pleasure is shrouded in stigma in our country. Being a largely young population with 65 per cent under the age of 35, we’ve got lakhs of customers across 200+ cities, including metros, tier 2 and 3 cities, who are excited about our products, open to experimentation and willing to take agency of their sexual pleasure. This forces us to reckon that the status of sexual health and pleasure is shifting slowly and steadily for the better in our country,” Gupta told Financial Express.com.
In recent years, companies like MyMuse have played a crucial role in creating healthy conversations around sexual wellness. According to reports, the number of sexual wellness companies have doubled over the past three years. Data from Tracxn, a platform for privately held startups, shows that although these companies have also raised a combined $24 million in funding since 2020, nearly half the companies remain unfunded.
Other than offering a wide range of sexual wellness products, companies like MyMuse also offer educational resources and information about sexual health and wellness.
‘Sexual health education should begin at an early age’
According to Dr. Ash, being a patriarchal society, women’s issues are seldom paid heed to. “I have seen girls neglect issues because they have been told that some are supposed to be normal, or they are told to accept them and move on with them. And this can start right from childhood. If you ask me, sexual health education and family life education should begin at an early age, from school days. 27 per cent of women in India have no idea or do not use modern methods of contraception. Contraceptive advice and the freedom to use it should be imbibed,” he explained.
The unmet need for contraception has to be explained to young girls as well as young boys to not just have safe sex but also to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections for both partners, he revealed.
And when it comes to pregnancy, we still see that the mandatory doctor visits during the antenatal period are not complied for, deliveries are still done or conducted at a non-institutional setting, and postnatal care is negligible, Dr Ash said.
“We have various government-led programs and schemes that are functional right from the grass-roots level, but most are not aware of them or refrain from making full use of them,” he pointed out.
Sexual Health and Wellness Segment: The Problem Areas
Although sexual health continues to be a taboo in India, startups focusing on this segment are witnessing tremendous growth. GetVantage, India’s leading equity-free funding marketplace and growth platform has backed MyMuse and another successful brand known as BoldCare.
As the demand and awareness about these companies and their offerings are increasing, the products are slowly becoming more mainstream. However, there is still a lot that needs to be done.
According to Gupta, several key problem areas persist in the sexual health and wellness space, which can vary by region and cultural context but are often universal concerns. The company has a dedicated sex-ed platform, unLearn, that was launched earlier this year.
“…due to the lack of sex education, prioritising sexual health doesn’t come easy to most people,” he told Financial Express.com. According to him, awareness, stigma and discrimination, and lack of quality products continue to pose a challenge. Moreover, the company has expanded its availability to quick commerce platforms like Blinkit and Zepto.
“Our aspiration is to contribute to a societal shift, where open, non-judgmental conversations about sexual wellness are not only accepted but actively encouraged. We believe that by creating spaces for honest dialogues and providing educational resources, we can help normalise discussions that have often been kept in the shadows,” The Co-Founder highlighted.
He also informed that the company is planning to explore the possibility of diversifying into additional product categories and content services.
Why is Sexual Health Important?
According to a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Psychosexual Health, there is a substantial prevalence of sexual health disorders in India. However, due to social stigma and shame people often avoid talking about the issues they are dealing with.
“There are two universal truths, the majority of people over the age of 18 are sexually active, and second, everyone who is sexually active wants to get better at it. Over 100M+ Indians are having sex daily, and the sexual wellness market hasn’t evolved to meet their needs. The market so far has been shrouded with misinformation, poor quality and discriminatory products. This needs to change and we’re already being the change we want to see in this regard,” Gupta told Financial Express.com.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ash emphasised the need to prioritise women’s health.
“A woman’s life journey is very dynamic, and at every stage, there are certain health aspects that need to be addressed. As an adolescent or a teen girl, it is important that she understands menstrual hygiene, contraception, the importance of consent, and safe sex practices,” he explained.
According to Dr. Ash, this will help her in her reproductive years, where it becomes important to understand her sexual pleasures, sexually transmitted infections, her reproductive rights and needs, safe pregnancy and delivery, and the proper method of contraception to lead a healthy reproductive phase.
“And later, it would be wise to discuss perimenopause and menopausal health implications. This is the life cycle of every woman, so if this begins for one, the coming generations will benefit from following the same pattern to maintain good health,” he added.
Although policies and national programmes are there, there is an urgent need to increase awareness, he emphasised.
“…once a woman or a girl starts prioritizing her own health, she can be better educated, be more independent, be sexually and emotionally healthy, and work towards a better future for herself and her family,” he informed.
