34 per cent adolescents in the city have sex before they hit 13

Two separate city-based studies have revealed many hidden facts related to the sexual habits of Mumbaikars. As per the report by Podar Institute of Education in Santa Cruz, 34 per cent of adolescents have sex before they turned 13.

Dr Pradeep Patkar, a psychiatrist from Navi Mumbai, said that with changing lifestyle, the meaning of sex and virginity has also evolved. “Till a few years ago, sex before marriage was a taboo, but now especially in metros, where people all across the world come together, the attitude has changed completely,” he said.

Also, owing to easy availability of pornographic videos and websites, adolescents are getting more and more involved in it.

As per the report, 47 per cent of the surveyed people said they had learnt about sex from pornography and a limited number had learnt from books.

However the Podar report, along with another report conducted by Maharashtra Association for Resident Doctors (MARD), highlighted that not many youngsters were aware of the sexually transmitted diseases that can result from practicing unsafe sex.

“As per our study, where we counselled around 500 adolescents, 30 per cent of them had sexual intercourse without using condoms. And more shockingly, 65 per cent didn’t know about STDs,” said Dr Sagar Mundada, president of central MARD, which conducted a week-long HIV awareness programme.

The study by MARD stated that around 10 per cent of the surveyed people revealed during counselling that their private parts were touched by acquaintances during childhood. But due to fear, they had remained silent and the incident had left an imprint in their mind forever, the report said.

“While counselling, I came across five to six persons who were sexually abused in their childhood by known people. While talking to them, we identified two things that stopped them from complaining — the fear of the abuser and scepticism if their parents would believe them.” In this one-week, 302 people have taken the pledge to conduct a premarital HIV test.