A new study surveying 13 countries across the Asia Pacific indicates
more Indonesian women are unsatisfied with their sex lives than men.
Size may not matter to most Indonesian women, but about 77 percent of them say their sex lives are not fulfilling.
According to the results of the Asia Pacific Sexual Health and Overall Wellness survey released on Tuesday, the percentage of Indonesian women complaining of an unsatisfactory sex life exceeds the 64 percent of Indonesian men who feel similarly.
Interestingly, the national figures are higher than the regional average, with 64 percent of women and 57 percent of men finding no satisfaction in their sexual lives, said Andini Suhardi, who backed the study.
“More than half of our correspondents answered that sex is ‘very important,’ as though it was a staple in life,” she said. “Still, for women, sexual satisfaction is not always about having an orgasm. It also relates to love, affection and romance. Quality sex is one of the keys to keep the sparks alive among married couples, according to women.”
The survey, questioning a total of 3,957 people in 13 countries last year, revealed that dissatisfaction with sex was due to various problems, including erectile dysfunction. The study included a total of 578 respondents in Indonesia, comprising 328 men and 250 women, aged 24 to 74, who all said they were sexually active.
“Work loads, smoking habits and lack of exercise may decrease men’s sexual performance,” Andini said.
Wimpie Pangkahila, chairman of the Indonesian Association of Sexology (IAS) said erectile dysfunction was common among men in the country, but not many were willing to seek treatment, citing pride and lack of knowledge as reasons for the condition.
Based on various studies and data from his clinics in Denpasar, about 15 percent to 20 percent of married men suffered from erectile dysfunction.
“It’s just an estimate, but I suspect the number is increasing since erectile dysfunction is closely related to other health problems. Today’s lifestyle is the greatest contributor to the increase,” Wimpie said.
The disorder is defined as an inability of men to maintain an erection during sexual intercourse, and is said to be caused by both physical and psychological factors. An estimated 90 percent of cases that Wimpie knew of stemmed from physical problems like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, excessive alcohol consumption or anemia. Purely psychological problems such depression may also cause the condition.
He said the disorder was treatable as long as the primary causes were addressed.
“If a man has erectile dysfunction, we will have to check if he has hypertension or diabetes or other diseases. What needs to be cured first is the disease.”
