WHEN WE MASTURBATE
Self-exploration and masturbation is common among children and in fact begins in the womb.  For example, there have been reports by physicians of the ability to visualize by ultrasound male infants in the uterus touching themselves.[1]

According to Dr. Daphne Miller of WebMD: “By the age of five, most children deliberately play with their genitals to experience pleasure.”  Little boys may rhythmically rub or pull their penises and little girls may rub themselves, squeeze their legs together, and sometimes even insert objects into their vaginas.”[2]  During this age, it’s important that parents do not make children feel self-conscious or ashamed about their sexual exploration.  However, it is equally important for parents to emphasize that there is a time and place for everything.

During adolescence, masturbation with the goal of orgasm, usually begins.

The Kinsey Institute, an organization affiliated with Indiana University, was founded in 1947 for the purpose of establishing research in areas of human sexuality, gender, and reproduction. Dr. Kinsey and colleagues published Sexual Behavior in the Human Male in 1948 in which they interview approximately 5,300 males attempting to gather objective facts regarding male sexual behaviors and later released Sexual Behavior in the Human Female in 1953 in which over 6,000 women were interviewed.

Some results of this landmark study included:

·         92% of males reported that they had masturbated
·         62% of females reported that they had masturbated
·         45% of females who reported having masturbated indicated that they could reach orgasm within 3 minutes.

Masturbation techniques reported by females:

·         84% used clitoral and labial manipulation
·         20% used vaginal insertion
·         11% used breast stimulation
·         10% used thigh pressure
·         5% muscular tension
·         2% had fantasy alone to reach orgasm; and
·         11% used other techniques