A Qualitative Study of Indian Women’s Experiences with Sexual Pleasure and Masturbation

Abstract Masturbation is associated with positive sexual development. However, there is limited research on masturbation in India, where sexual health efforts center on disease prevention and often neglect sexual pleasure. In this study, we aimed to examine Indian women’s experiences of masturbation and sexual pleasure during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, we conducted 22 semi-structured virtual interviews with women aged 20–43, based in India. Interviews were conducted in English, Hindi, and Marathi and were transcribed and translated into English, as needed. Thematic analysis was employed with an inductive coding approach (Nowell et al., 2017). We discerned three themes: (1) ways of learning about masturbation and associated emotions, (2) cultural regulation of women’s sexuality, and (3) change in sexual life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that participants faced early barriers to masturbation due to limited access to sexual knowledge and the absence of comprehensive sex education. Families and social norms stigmatized women’s sexual pleasure, limiting their agency and discouraging self-exploration. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these barriers by reducing privacy and increasing surveillance, yet participants found ways to explore self-pleasure and masturbation. Our findings challenge the Indian cultural silence and stigma around women’s masturbation by showing that it is not just a private act, but one that is shaped by sociocultural norms and used by participants to reclaim their sexual agency. Our findings highlight the need for sexuality education and public health strategies that are culturally responsive, comprehensive, and pleasure centered.