Mutual Masturbation

Defined:
Mutual masturbation is when two or more persons touch, caress, massage or stroke the genitals of each other, usually with the goal of producing pleasure and orgasm. Sometimes this takes place as part of 'heavy petting' between a couple, but it can also occur between one or more friends. When it occurs between friends it is more often than not done with a same-sex friend, usually without there being 'romance' involved. Mutual masturbation does occasionally happen between two people who do not know each other. For the purpose of this discussion, two or more people masturbating together or in a group, but with each person only masturbating themselves, does not equate to 'mutual masturbation' and the risks/benefits would be the same as masturbation alone.

Negative Consequences:

As with 'heavy petting', petting below the waist and inside the pants and underwear, and then only if the same hand touches both person's genitals (meaning that when touching yourself and then your partner, you can transfer body fluids, including sperm, to your partner's genitals). This same risk is true when two people share the same sex toys in the same way. Even a tiny amount of fluid or sperm is enough to transfer a disease or get a girl pregnant (yes, sperm can live outside the body, though not for very long).

Positive Consequences:

In addition to being very pleasant and exciting, mutual masturbation is a natural progression in becoming a sexually mature adult, allowing you to enjoy and learn intimacy between two people. Many feel that mutual masturbation with a close friend strengthened their bond and that it allowed them to see how another person reacts to sexual feelings and pleasure. It allows one to explore and learn what touches and caresses are pleasing to your partner, and to learn more about your partner's body. Many adults (but not all), especially males, recall experimenting sexually with a friend by engaging in masturbation together, sometimes just masturbating together and other times engaging in mutual touching and mutual masturbation. Mutual masturbation with the same sex does *NOT*, by any means, indicate that one is homosexual or has homosexual attractions.

Specific Risks:

Transferring body fluids, including sperm, from one partner's genitals to the other person's genitals, can result in pregnancy (when male to female), or the passing of a serious sexually transmitted disease like Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Herpes, AIDS, HPV, Hepatitis, Trichomoniasis, Pubic Lice (crabs), or Scabies. The best protection is knowing your partner, knowing their sexual history, being tested for STD's before petting, not sharing sex toys (like vibrators, dildos, etc.) without washing them first (or not sharing them at all), and making sure that no semen is on your fingers or hand when it contacts the vulva and/or vagina. Mutual masturbation and heavy petting with many different partners dramatically increases the risk of STD's.