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Sexuality and Health

Potentially harmful sexual practices in Southeast Asia and Africa include attempts to modify the genitalia using various traditional and modern products and practices. Prof Terence Hull, working with colleagues in Indonesia , initiated research in these areas in the 1980s. Some of the initial work carried out with Dr. Meiwita Budiharsana identified a series of practices that are of unproven, but potential risk to the health and well-being of both women and men in the region. These include:

• male and female genital cutting (including both culturally prescribed and medically indicated circumcision)
• the use of penile implants by males
• the use of traditional herbal preparations ( jamu in Indonesian) to enhance sexual performance by both men and women
• vaginal practices used by women to tighten and dry their vagina as a means of enhancing sexual performance.

A number of research teams have been formed to investigate these practices and assess the dangers they might pose to both physical and psychological health.

Contact: Terry Hull

Research Projects

Potentially Harmful Sexual Practices in Southeast Asia .
In 2000-2002 Hull and Dr Iwu Utomo managed a ford Foundation funded program of research projects to identify the variety and nature of such behaviours in Southeast Asia using qualitative methods. The project found many potentially harmful practices that were either very common but largely ignored for example male and female circumcision in Indonesia and male circumcision in Philippines (Hull and Budiharsana, 2001), or relatively rare but with significant implications for gender roles and reproductive health. In this latter group they found vaginal practices in Indonesia (Utomo and Hull, 2006; Utomo, 2006 and 2007); penile implants in all countries and major vaginal surgery for sexual purposes to be particularly problematic. Important findings and its socio cultural aspect and health impact of potentially harmful sexual practices have been documented in the forthcoming book entitled “Crafting sexual pleasure in Southeast Asia”. For more information and some draft chapters see: http://demography.anu.edu.au/G&SH/

Contact: Iwu Utomo

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Gender and Vaginal Practices in Asia and Africa.
Under a collaborative arrangement managed by the World Health Organization, Hull has coordinated studies in Indonesia and Thailand to explore the characteristics and prevalence of vaginal practices. From the qualitative study eight types of practice were identified: external washing, internal cleansing, application of substances or products to the external genitalia, insertion of substances into the vagina, drinking specific herbal concoctions, steaming, fogging and smoking the vagina and surgical procedures.