MRI Reveals Organs During Sex

In 1999, Dr. Pek Van Andel and colleagues, made the first MRI images of male and female sex organs while couples were having sex under, as it was put, cloistered conditions. MRI machines are said by some to be much like coffins.

In all, 13 experiments were performed with eight couples and three single women. The results, as stated in the journal: "The images obtained showed that during intercourse in the "missionary position" the penis has the shape of a boomerang and 1/3 of its length consists of the root of the penis. During female sexual arousal without intercourse the uterus was raised and the anterior vaginal wall lengthened. The size of the uterus did not increase during sexual arousal."

What is Naked Wedding?

It's not what you think.

The new term refers to newlyweds without a house, car, diamond ring or grand wedding ceremony.

Born under global financial crisis, it refers to a no frills wedding and has become popular because of the increasing house prices in 2009. However, the attitudes of the two genders are quite different. According to initial online statistics 80 percent of men approve of the "naked wedding", while 70 percent of females do not.

This is one account.

Sex Educator Marylou Naccarato

Disability blogger Marylou Naccarato was featured on WE's Secret Lives of Women:

This is the first part of a two-part series with Marylou. This portion of the show covers her work as a sex educator including a mini workshop and review of her favorite toys!



This is the second part of a two-part series. In this video watch Marylou as she shares her experiences as a woman living with short stature and learn a little more about her personal life. A surprise romantic serenade from her Little Big Man concludes the show!



Marylou's website is here.

Carnal Nation: 21 - 27 Dec 09

My posts with Carnal Nation, a website that provides comprehensive current, consistent, and uncensored content that embrace and honor human sexuality this week.

• 12/25/2009 - 9:23am
More Irish Bishops Resign

• 12/23/2009 - 9:54pm
Pakistani Eunuchs Recognised as Distinct Gender

• 12/23/2009 - 8:08am
Club Med Tackles Low Birth Rate in Singapore

• 12/23/2009 - 7:44am
Malaysian Actress Denies Hubby Uttered Divorce Proclamation

• 12/23/2009 - 7:14am
China Woman Wins First Sexual Harassment Lawsuit, Loses Job

• 12/22/2009 - 7:36am
Irish Government Plans Probe of Child Sex Abuse in Catholic Church

• 12/20/2009 - 9:37am
To Cross-Dress: AirAsia or Virgin Airways Chief?

• 12/20/2009 - 9:28am
Being Naked at Home Is Not Safe

• 12/20/2009 - 9:17am
Happy Matches at International Cougars Cruise

You can subscribe to my posts on Carnal Nation here.

China Billionaires Matchmake in Different Ways

It was the most expensive matchmaking party ever held in Beijing. There were 21 single billionaires, 22 single women and an admission fee of 100,000 yuan (S$20,570).

Love has a price. But this much? That is the central question of a heated debate taking place among Chinese netizens on whether these moneyed romantics have gone too far.

The 22 single women were selected in several ways. Some were registered members of a matchmaking website called Golden Bachelor, which organized the party. Others won a beauty pageant sponsored by Golden Bachelor. The remainder were scouted by Golden Bachelor employees, known as "love hunters," from Chinese cities. For the last two categories, tickets were free.

More than a thousand comments have been posted on Chinese web portal Sohu.com. The majority are critical. This is one negative letter blaming the mothers of these billionaires.

One in Three Men has Premature Ejaculation

As many as one in three men in Singapore could be suffering from premature ejaculation (PE).

PE, a devastating condition for a man, is defined as a lack of control on a man's part during intercourse, resulting in ejaculation prior to or within one minute of penetration, said Associate Professor George Lee Eng Geap from the University of Malaya and Monash University.

Although the poll did not include Singapore, Prof Lee, who is part of the study's steering committee, said: "We believe the results to be applicable to Singapore, because a similar study done in Europe in 2007 also showed a similar result. PE is a problem that cuts across ethnicity and age groups."

The Asia-Pacific Premature Ejaculation Prevalence And Attitude Study surveyed nearly 5,000 men, aged 18 to 65, from 10 Asia-Pacific countries, including China, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia.

Thailand's Miss Jumbo Queen

Thirty-one contestants take to the stage to compete for the popular Miss Jumbo Queen beauty pageant in Thailand's ancient city of Ayutthaya.

The contestants, all weighing at least 80 kilogrammes, wore traditional Thai costumes, performed in a talent contest, answer questions about health and social issues.

The Miss Jumbo Queen was chosen by the judges based on her appearance, performance, answers in an interview session and weight loss during the preparation session.

Korawan Sukornkeyoon who weighed in at 85.7 kilogrammes was announced as the Miss Jumbo Queen.

News: Sex and Facebook

US Facebook Sex-scam Man Guilty
A US teenager, Anthony Stancl, 19, from Wisconsin, who blackmailed fellow students at his secondary school into having sex after using their Facebook images has been convicted. Prosecutors said he tricked boys into sending naked images of themselves, and then blackmailed the boys for sex. Stancl faces up to 50 years in jail.

UK Parents Trapped Facebook Paedophile
A paedophile who targeted an 11-year-old on Facebook and was caught when the girl's parents posed as her online was beginning a jail sentence today. Thomas Gibbs was snared after the couple logged on as their daughter and discovered he was grooming her for sex. The 52-year-old has been handed a 16-month prison term by a judge at Oxford Crown Court.

More than 3,500 Sex fiends Booted off Facebook, MySpace
In a major crackdown on Internet predators, more than 3,500 convicted New York sex fiends have been booted from two online social networking sites - Facebook and MySpace. This is the first sweep of registered sex offenders under the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP), a 2008 law Attorney General Andrew Cuomo aggressively pushed.

Your Wife is not like Your Mother

This is a strong-worded forum letter which first appeared in The Star, Malaysia:

"I REFER to "We reap what we sow in a marriage" (The Star, Dec 7). If men have "carnal needs", so do women. The only difference is that women are naturally more shy and considerate in asking for sex.

I am sorry to say that many men have failed to grow up and expect to be served by their wives as they were served by their mothers.

But your wife is not like your mother, because you never expect your mother to give you sex.

Men need to understand that good sex must be worked at, and they must make half the effort if not more.

MARISA DEMORI, Ipoh."

It is very true that it takes two to make any relationship work. My approach to focus on helping all people who want to get more in touch with who they are and with how they are in relationship with others. We all have areas to grow in.

Popular Baby Names for 2009

Rounding out the top names for boys in 2009 were Matthew, Owen, Ethan, Jackson, Evan, Braden, Noah, Jack and Zachary. For girls it was Madison, Emma, Hannah, Olivia, Audrey, Isabella, Grace, Taylor and Emily.

Top boy names of the decade were Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Christopher, Jack, Daniel, Aiden, William, Joshua and Ryder. Top girl names of the decade were Emma, Madison, Emily, Hannah, Olivia, Samantha, Ashley. Ava, Elizabeth and Madelyn.

Celebrities have the most influence on new parents, boosting the popularity of monikers such as "Miley," "Rihanna" and "Kingston." For more, click here.

I had tried to come up with first names that matched the first letter of the family name. So none of the above had even popped into my mind. What about you?

What would you name your child?

Spices May Prevent Breast Cancer

A new study suggests that compounds found in black pepper and curry powder help halt the growth of stem cells that give rise to breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center applied piperine, found in black pepper, and curcumin, the main ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, to breast cancer cells in a laboratory dish. The spices, when used in combination, reduced the number of stem cells but did not harm normal breast cells.

The spice solution in this experiment was about 20 times more potent than the individual spices found in a typical diet. Because piperine and turmeric have not been tested in patients at risk for breast cancer, the study team does not encourage supplement use at this time. They plan to conduct a clinical trial to determine the safe dose of curcumin and piperine in people.

This year in the United States, doctors will diagnose 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

10 Surefire Ways to Prevent Sexual Assault

A tongue in cheek list of suggestions on how to prevent sexual assault from Feminist Law Professors. I found it on Scarleteen.

Assault is no laughing matter but read between the lines for the teaching points.

We agree with them that these ten tips absolutely, positively can prevent many sexual assaults without fail.

1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior.

2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!

3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault them!

4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.

5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON’T ASSAULT THEM!

6. Remember, people go to laundry to do their laundry, do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.

7. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.

8. Always be honest with people! Don’t pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign that you do not plan to rape them.

9. Don’t forget: you can’t have sex with someone unless they are awake!

10. Carry a whistle! If you are worried you might assault someone “on accident” you can hand it to the person you are with, so they can blow it if you do.

Carnal Nation Posts: 14 - 20 Dec 09

My posts with Carnal Nation, a website that provides comprehensive current, consistent, and uncensored content that embrace and honor human sexuality this week.

• 12/15/2009 - 2:46am
Marriage is Good for you

• 12/14/2009 - 7:15pm
Serial Kisser in Sydney

• 12/14/2009 - 7:10pm
Female Fruit Flies Can Be 'Too Attractive'

• 12/14/2009 - 7:07pm
E-Gay Marriage Next?

• 12/14/2009 - 7:03pm
No Cross-Dressing at Thai Graduations

• 12/14/2009 - 2:22am
Gene That Battles Our Sexes

• 12/14/2009 - 1:50am
Xmas Joke Costs UK Trainee Job

You can subscribe to my posts on Carnal Nation here.

What's Wrong With Ginger Hair?

An advert for a TV dating show has been banned for suggesting that people with ginger hair are unattractive.

Virgin Media's newspaper advert for the programme "Dating in the Dark" included the text: "How do you spot a ginger in the dark?" Virgin said the premise of the show was to challenge people's perception of attractiveness and to encourage decisions based on personality as well as looks.

However the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed with three complainants that the ad was likely to cause serious offence and should not be used again.

Other adverts in the series used to promote the show had included the tagline: "When the lights come on I just hope I haven't been kissing Shrek."

On Tuesday, Britain's biggest retailer Tesco apologised and said it had withdrawn a Christmas card which showed a child with red hair sitting on the lap of Santa Claus under the banner: "Santa loves all kids. Even ginger ones."

Human Rights Violations on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

On 10 Dec 2009, a panel discussion was organized by the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden on the occasion of the International Day of Human Rights.

The theme: Opposing grave Human Rights Violations on the basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

You are going to hear Sass Rogando Sasot, who is one of the leading voices of the transgender rights movement in the Phillipines. In 2002, she co-founded the Society of Transsexual Women of the Phillipines, the first and only transgender support and rights advocacy group in her country. In 2003 and 2004, together with Drs. Sam Winter and Mark King of the University of Hong Kong, she did the first comprehensive research work on Filipina transgender women, which was published in the International Journal of Transgenderism. During the 2007 Manila Pride March she has been named as one of the nine faces of Pride.



I was multi-tasking on my laptop as I started the YouTube. But the conviction in Sass Rogando Sasot's literally commanded me to stop whatever I was doing. The anger, pain and rage in the injustice transgenders have experienced was loud. I started crying.

All of us deserve to be born, live, and die with dignity. To have the freedom to express the uniqueness of the life-force within you. To live with authenticity. There is no excuse for any of us to inflicting indignity upon indignity towards each other. Absolutely no excuse.

This site shows the transcript.

View the entire UN session on SOGI (Real media, 1 hour and 25 minutes) here.

All Vulvas are Beautiful

I have received the kind permission from Betty Dodson to share the following vulva illustrations. They were originally printed in her book Sex for One. For more information about her work, visit their site here.

Know that these are intended for educational purposes, but are explicit sexual anatomy illustrations.

I feel strongly that there should more conversations about how the diversity and variety of vulvas in terms of their shape, size and colours, in light of increase genital surgery.

Just because my inner or outer lips look different than the girl next to me does not mean I am abnormal, weird or ugly. I am just different. We need to start realising and embracing the fact that different does not mean bad. In fact, we are all beautiful, complete and whole the way we are and not feed into stereotype portrayals in the media of what 'beauty' means.


© Betty Dodson. All rights reserved.

© Betty Dodson. All rights reserved.

© Betty Dodson. All rights reserved.

© Betty Dodson. All rights reserved.

Illustrations © 1974, 1983, 1987, 1996, Betty Dodson/Three Rivers Press. All rights reserved.

First Black Disney Princess

Disney is featuring its first black pricess in The Princess and the Frog, featuring its first black princess, for over three years now.

It's a happy coincidence that the film arrives during the first term of US first black President -- but for little girls, seeing a Disney princess who looks like them might be even more life-changing. Here's why.

This truly is wonderful. Princesses should (and do) come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities and race. Growing up, I had assumed I would end up slim, acne-free, smart and possibly white like all the Disney cartoons I adored. When I realised not everybody grew up to be that way, I was truly sore. We internalised it: there is 'something' wrong with me. I was fortunate that I learnt not only accept but embrace what and more importantly, who I was.

If only more little girls grow up with positive images of their race and bodies, they would be so much empowered - confident, stronger and... aware that they truly are beautiful. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them.

Media: Older and Still Sexual

I contributed an article 'Older and Still Sexual' towards the Dec/ Jan issue of Silver Lining.

My article is below:

Martha's Ideal Sexual Self

For week 4 of Tuesday Draw, participants were asked to draw what their ideal sexual self meant look like.

I did my own drawing separately and this is what I came up with: a big juicy red apple.

Why apple? All of us have eaten an apple at one point or another in our lives, so this is not an uncommon object to us. Apples come in different shapes, sizes and colours, but they are all edible. A big red apple is juicy, desired, edible and nurtures. My ideal sex life is one where I am desired, wanted and cherished by my partner.

What to Expect at Anonymous HIV Screening

Here's what to expect at an anonymous screening:

- You will be given an anonymous questionnaire, and private pre-test counselling.

- You will undergo an OraQuick test, where a swipe is taken from the inside of your mouth.

- You will get your result after 20 minutes, and receive post-test counselling.

- If the result is positive, you will have to go through a second full blood examination. Your doctor will then advise you to seek medical consultation at the Communicable Disease Centre, where trained doctors and counsellors will attend to you.

- A negative test may not mean that you are not infected. If the test is done within the window period - from one to three months after exposure to the virus - antibodies for HIV may not have developed sufficiently to be detected yet. You will need to do another test after three months to be sure.

Rekindling Connections for Couples

Children, long days and nights at the office, and competing schedules can wreak havoc on a couple's sex life. It is easy to take the closest person in our lives – our spouse -- for granted.

In this full-day workshop, learn to look at your other half with a fresh perspective, begin speaking more openly and honestly, and revisit ways you can bring each other pleasure. Take the relationship’s temperature. Acquire plenty of practical tips on how to enhance intimacy. Experience, instantly, the difference in the quality of your life!

Trainer: Dr Martha Lee, Clinical Sexologist with Doctorate in Human Sexuality

Cost: S$300 per couple; S$250 per couple if registered and paid before Sat 14 Feb.

No: Maximum 7 couples (14 people)

Date: Sun 7 March 2010

Venue: 33 Taman Warna, Chip Bee Gardens (opposite Holland Village Shopping Centre). Nearest MRT: Buena Vista. Email for directions.

Time: 9a.m. - 5p.m.

To register/ enquire for all of above: Please email info@eroscoaching.com or call 6100-0851.

Sex and the Citizens

An exhibition of artefacts from ancient Greece and Rome shows uninhibited attitudes to sex.

It is true that society has gone backwards in being open towards sex and sexuality through time. It is easy to assume that things have always been the way they are.

Martha's Fav Body Part from 'Tuesday Draw' Week 3

Inspired by my brave participants in the workshop 'Tuesday Draw', I did a drawing of my favourite body part outside of our session - my lips/ smile.

I drew my lips or smile, with and without teeth because I liked it, and have been complimented many times through my life for my nice teeth and smile. Most times the way we feel about our bodies has a lot to do with the feedback we have received from others about it. I probably won't have realised I had a nice smile or good teeth if others hadn't told me about it.

More than ever now, I am thankful for the smile I have because it bridges barriers and aids in communication especially in my work. I know I could do with smiling more!



What is your favouite body part? Does it have to do with what others think or say about it? Or do you like it in spite of what others might think/ say?

Dad at 77 Years

A septuagenarian became the oldest father in his village when his wife gave birth to a baby boy.

Ning Jianyou, 77, said this was the most joyful moment in his life as he had become a father again after 47 years.

The farmer had a son from his second marriage but the boy died at the aged of three.

Carnal Nation Posts: 7 - 13 Dec 09

My posts with Carnal Nation, a website that provides comprehensive current, consistent, and uncensored content that embrace and honor human sexuality this week.

• 12/09/2009 - 11:35pm
UK Fertility Watchdog Considering Cash for Eggs

• 12/08/2009 - 7:52pm
UK Cops: Sex in the Woods Is Not Illegal

• 12/08/2009 - 6:59pm
Spain Apologises for Jailing Gay Man in 1970s

• 12/08/2009 - 7:41am
McDonald's Refused Transgender Teen Job Interview

• 12/07/2009 - 9:05pm
Half of Teen Girls Have STIs Within Two Years of First Sex

• 12/07/2009 - 4:22am
NZ Man With HIV Pricks Sleeping Wife

• 12/07/2009 - 4:18am
UK: 20,000 Women Under 25 Had Repeat Abortions

• 12/07/2009 - 4:12am
Study of Korean Marriage Readiness

You can subscribe to my posts on Carnal Nation here.

Last Chance: Envisioning for 2010

You might think creating a vision board is silly, childish or unnecessary. But the simplest things in life work because they are simple. It's a matter of weighing the cos of your time vs. the price of not to setting time aside setting clear intentions. You decide.

Without vision, people perish. Begin the new year with a clear picture of where you want to go and what 2010 should look like for you. You can do this through ‘Envisioning for 2010’ workshop!

Eros Coaching is organising a workshop where you can:

1) Learn the importance/ value of creating a Vision Board
2) Create your own Vision Board – you can bring your own images/ magazines or use the materials provided to create one
3) Share what is on your Vision Board in a supportive environment, and cement your intentions for 2010.

What is a Vision Board?
A Vision Board is typically a poster board on which you affix images that you’ve removed from various magazines or other sources. The purpose is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or even where you want to go on vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.

Date: Fri 8 Jan 2010

Time: 7:30 – 9:30p.m.

Venue: 33 Taman Warna, Chip Bee Gardens (opposite Holland Village Shopping Centre). Nearest MRT: Buena Vista. Email for directions.

Who: Dr Martha Lee, Clinical Sexologist and Life Coach, will facilitate the session

Cost: S$35 (Refreshments cork board for everybody)

No.: Max 12 pax

To register: Email info@eroscoaching.com or call 6100-0851.

Sexual Self Discovery for Couples

“Sexual Self-Discovery’ - Clearing the Blocks to a Positive Sexual Self Image, is a four-part workshop where couples are invited to come together to draw very important figures – their bodies.

This is not an art therapy class, or an art class; however, it uses artistic imagery and can be most therapeutic and life changing. Through the use of art, couples can uncover body image issues, develop greater comfort and acceptance of their own and each other’s bodies, and learn more about their partner.

The first session begins with participants doing a full-body portrait of themselves and their partner. The second session focuses on expressing a body part which the participant appreciates on themselves, and an appreciated body part of their partner; the third on sexual anatomy; and the fourth, on their ideal sexual self.

Each session will end with facilitated sharing by clinical sexologist, Martha Lee. Participants who wish to contribute their digital photographs and/or artistic work anonymously towards a future art exhibition may do so.

I like to encourage couples to come to this session with an open mind, with the knowledge that the other participants are just like yourselves--desiring to uncover any body image issues and with the confidence that this will be a safe and supportive group.

• Tues 19 Jan 2010 - Sexual being – Your full body as a sexual being
• Fri 22 Jan 2010 - Favourite body part
• Tues 26 Jan 2010 - Sexual Anatomy
• Fri 29 Jan 2010 - Ideal sexual self

Venue: 33 Taman Warna, Chip Bee Gardens (opposite Holland Village Shopping Centre). Nearest MRT: Buena Vista. Email for directions.
Time: 7:30 – 9:30p.m.

Fee: S$100 per person for four sessions. To include S$75 material fee for all four sessions.

To register: Email info@eroscoaching.com or call 6100-0851.

What is MILF?

MILF is an acronym for "Mother I'd like to f _ _ _ (Bad Word Redacted)", is a common colloquial term generally regarded as vulgar when spelled out.

Slight variations include Mom I'd like to f _ _ _. For more, click here.



43-year-old supermodel Cindy Crawford has been reported as saying that:

"I don't want to be a cougar, I want to be a MILF," Crawford said. "I hate that word, 'cougar,' and what it represents. MILF is a word I absolutely love."

"I like that tag because I think there is a worry for all models that the moment you have kids the perception of you is going to change," Cindy explained.

"Age can be daunting, but you can't stop it. I know 20-year-old guys don't look at me anymore. I don't feel it like I used to," Cindy admitted in an interview with British GQ. "I remember walking down streets in New York at the height of my modelling career, my hair up, and all the construction guys would go crazy. It's different now."

Most Singaporeans Divorce Within First 9 Years of Marriage

Latest figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics showed that more than half of divorces in Singapore occur within the first nine years of marriage.

Among non-Muslim couples, 36 per cent of those who get divorced typically do so between five and nine years, while 12.6 per cent of divorces take place within five years after marriage. And in contrast, among Muslim couples, 32.7 per cent of divorces happen within the first five years of marriage. Marriages that last only five to nine years account for 27.2 per cent of divorces.

Statistics showed that there has been a light dip in divorce rates between 2007 and 2008. Additionally, 7,241 divorces and annulments were recorded in 2007, compared to 7,220 in 2008.

Anonymous HIV Testing Jumps 20% in Singapore

Latest figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH) showed a jump of 20 per cent in people coming for anonymous HIV testing in Singapore, compared to last year.

In the first nine months of this year, 129,966 people got tested, compared to 124,559 the year before. The availability of more clinics offering anonymous testing since last November has also shown to be an incentive for many.

Between January and October, 8,373 opted for anonymous testing, compared to 6,983 the same period in 2008. That's an increase of 20 per cent.

As of October, there have been 378 new cases of HIV, and the MOH said the overall figure for 2009 is likely to be similar for the whole of 2008.

But one figure has attracted some concern. Between January and June this year, 27 women tested positive, compared to 30 in the whole of 2008.

Out of the 218 new cases reported in the same six-month period, nearly two-thirds or 129 cases got infected through heterosexual activity.

Sex between men accounted for another 33 per cent of new cases.

The figures also throw up sharp discrepancies between men and women.

Out of the 4,159 reported HIV cases as of June, 9 in 10 are males. Most are single men who contracted the virus through casual sex, and sex with prostitutes.

Among women however, most were infected while they were married.

The ministry said these figures reflect a trend similar to previous years.

Miss Singapore Universe 2009 Admits to Boob Job

Miss Singapore Universe 2009 Rachel Kum, admits that she did a boob job.

The 24-year-old beauty queen also revealed that she had taken Botox injections to make her face looks slimmer.

Kum was embroiled in a controversy two months after she was crowned Miss Singapore Universe in May. There were calls for her to be stripped of the title after suggestive photographs of her emerged on the Internet.

Singapore Girls Under 16 Having Sex

In Singapore, girls aged between 12 and 14 are considered victims of statutory rape. Cases involving girls below the age of 12 are investigated as rape. Offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years, and fined or caned.

Under the Women's Charter, sex with a girl aged above 14 but below 16 is termed 'carnal connection'. If found guilty, offenders can be jailed for up to five years and fined up to $10,000 for this crime. While females are the majority of victims in underage sex cases here, the law has been amended to protect males as well.

The latest police figures show that 310 girls below the age of 16 were caught engaging in underage consensual sex last year - nearly 45per cent more than the year before. Put against the number from five years ago - 163 - the jump is even starker. In most cases, these boys are also teenagers, though they are sometimes in their 20s or even 30s. There was jump in the number of statutory rape cases - from nine in 2003 to 63 last year.

Of 721 children screened by counsellors after their parents had sought beyond parental control orders last year, nearly a quarter, or 171, were found to have already experienced sex in one form or another.

A survey carried out last year by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) among 500 girls under 16 indicated that a majority of these girls were seeking emotional fulfilment rather than a physical connection; some felt compelled to give in to the demands of their partners to prove their love.

The survey revealed that the two main reasons for having sex were a desire for a closer connection with their boyfriend and being pressured by their boyfriend into giving themselves.

A study on young people's awareness and usage of contraception commissioned last July by drug company Bayer Schering Pharma found that about three in 10 of the 240 respondents had had sex, but only 54per cent had used contraceptives. One in six believed that urinating or exercising after sex would prevent pregnancy.

Carnal Nation Posts: 30 Nov - 6 Dec 09

My posts with Carnal Nation, a website that provides comprehensive current, consistent, and uncensored content that embrace and honor human sexuality this week.

• 12/05/2009 - 7:26am
UK Builds Sexual Identity Database

• 12/04/2009 - 9:33am
More Immigrants Seeking Asylum Over Sexual-Orientation Discrimination

• 12/04/2009 - 9:08am
Sun-Maid Girl Goes Hollywood After 90 Years

• 12/03/2009 - 9:44pm
Malaysian Transsexual Fatine Faces Deportation From UK

• 12/01/2009 - 2:25pm
UK Bankers Having More Affairs

• 11/30/2009 - 6:54am
Anglican Archbishop Urged Unity Against Alternative Values in Singapore

• 11/30/2009 - 6:14am
One in Five HIV Infections in Africa Caused by Medical Staff

You can subscribe to my posts on Carnal Nation here.

Media: Asking for What You Want in Bed

I contributed an article 'Asking for What You Want in Bed' towards in the December issue of Today's Motherhood, an online e-zine. Read the entire magazine here.

My article is below:

Misconceptions About HIV Still Common Among Singaporeans

HIV infections are most commonly spread through heterosexual relationships, and not the commonly thought homosexual relationships or drug abuse.

Recent data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) showed that of the 218 newly-detected HIV cases in the first six months of this year, more than half of them (59 per cent) acquired the disease through heterosexual relationships.

Homosexual and bisexual transmission account for 33 and six per cent of the total new HIV cases respectively, while intravenous drug use accounted for only 2 per cent of the cases. At the end of June this year, there were 4,159 HIV-infected Singaporeans, according to MOH.

Many people also think symptoms such as weight loss and diarrhoea means you are HIV-positive. The truth is that being HIV-positive can be asymptomatic, especially during the first few years.

Even without treatment, HIV typically takes an average of 10 years to progress to Aids, the point whereby the person's immune system becomes too weak to fight off infection.

In Singapore, most of the patients were in the late stages of HIV when they were diagnosed. According to MOH, more than half of the new cases detected in the first half of the year were in the later stages.

For more information, visit www.letstalkaboutsex.sg/whatsmyrisk/.

Media: In Simply Her Nov 09

I am quoted in the November issue of Simply Her magazine, a female magazine in Singapore.

Below are the links of the same article being reposted on Diva:
• Get out of the sex slump
• Are nosy in-laws killing your sex life?
• Needy kids sabotage parents' lovemaking
• Has sex become predictable and boring?
• Feeling un-sexy after giving birth

Reconstructive Healing

Dr Marci Bowers at Clinic in Trinidad, Colo., which specialises in sexual reassignment and female genital mutilation reconstruction.

Make Love not Porn

At TED2009, audience member Cindy Gallop gave a 4-minute presentation that became one of the event's most talked about. Speaking from her personal experience, she argued that hardcore pornography had distorted the way a generation of young men think about sex. She talked about how she was fighting back with the launch of a website -- http://makelovenotporn.com -- to correct the myths being propagated.

Study: Men Watch Porn, and it is not bad for them

After a two-year study Montreal University is maintaining that all men watch pornographic videos but it does not impact on their sexual habits or their relationships with women.

The majority watches X-rated movies to satisfy a "fringe fantasy," according to his research, and it would be unfair to extrapolate from that that it leads to criminal behaviour.

A handful of universities permitted him to address their campuses, and after appealing to some 2,000 mostly women students to take part, 20 heterosexual men agreed to discuss their sex lives in depth.

His first discovery: all the respondents watched adult videos online. Singles viewed twice the amount of pornography as others with an average of three 42-minute sessions weekly, versus 1.7 27-minute sessions for those in a committed relationship.

Second: almost all searched alone for online erotica, whether in a committed relationship or not. Respondents explained they just did not feel comfortable sharing such moments with others, even with a spouse or girlfriend.

According to his research, said Lajeunesse, men search out pornography that relates to their earliest sexual fantasies, generally conceived at age 12 at the onset of puberty. They are not looking for new tricks to show off.

Lajeunesse also dismissed suggestions that avid pornography enthusiasts seek to imitate in life what they see on screens, or that they watch X-rated videos in an attempt to purge vile sexual impulses.

Your Skin Can Hear

We not only hear with our ears, but also through our skin, according to a new study.

The finding, based on experiments in which participants listened to certain syllables while puffs of air hit their skin, suggests our brains take in and integrate information from various senses to build a picture of our surroundings.

Along with other recent work, the research flips the traditional view of how we perceive the world on its head.

"[That's] very different from the more traditional ideas, based on the fact that we have eyes so we think of ourselves as seeing visible information, and we have ears so we think of ourselves as hearing auditory information. That's a little bit misleading," study researcher Bryan Gick of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, told LiveScience.

"A more likely explanation is that we have brains that perceive rather than we have eyes that see and ears that hear."

With such abilities, Gick views humans as "whole-body perceiving machines."

What role does this new information relate to lovemaking? Experiment and have fun doing so.

Top 10 Bonkers Places for Sex

Apparently they are:

1) Windsor Castle
2) On your office roof
3) Whilst driving at 100mph in Norway
4) Dubai beach
5) In court
6) In a phonebox
7) On top of a police car
8) On a crane
9) In church
10) On train tracks

HIV spread in China

HIV is now spreading fastest in China through heterosexual sex, a trend demanding new strategies to stave off a rebound in the epidemic after years of progress in containing it, a United Nations report said.

Data show that 40 per cent of new HIV infections diagnosed in China were acquired through heterosexual contact, with homosexual sex accounting for 32 percent and most of the remainder related to drug abuse, which was previously the main source of infections and the government’s main focus for prevention.

Paris: No Trousers for Women

A decree banning women from wearing trousers in Paris is still technically in force, making the laissez-faire French capital theoretically stricter than hardline Sudan in the fashion stakes.

The rule banning women from dressing like men – namely by wearing trousers - was first introduced in 1800 by Paris' police chief and has survived repeated attempts to repeal it.

The latest attempt to remove the outmoded rule was in 2003, when a Right-wing MP from President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party wrote to the minister in charge of gender equality. The minister's response was: "Disuse is sometimes more efficient than (state) intervention in adapting the law to changing mores."