Helpline to solve sex-related problems hooks youngsters

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As urban life gets more complex and problematic, the dishing out of solutions become more simple. And Gen Y prefers help that’s just a call away, even when it’s related to matters of the heart or physical intimacy. Delhi youngsters took the lead on other states and registered the largest number of calls to a sex helpline. There’s no shying away for the capital’s young and inquisitive brigade, especially about the three-letter word.
It is surprising that Delhi youngsters, who are considered tech freaks instead of looking for their sexual and reproductive health related queries on the net are calling up a helpline number, 1800 –16555 that was started in 2008 by the National Population Stablisation Fund (Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh).
While the service was to cater to queries from Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh as they are “high fertility states”, after an analysis it was found that the maximum number of calls (22 per cent) have been made from Delhi. The authorities are surprised. Dr Amarjit Singh, Executive Director, JSK, says that though no direct publicity has been made about the call, people in Delhi seem much aware about it. “Most callers belong to the age group of 16 to 30 and newly married people (26-30) dominate the number,” says Dr Singh, also adding that the male female ratio of the callers is 70:30.
Interestingly, 33 per cent calls are related to contraceptive pills, its usage, the choices available in it and other queries related to it. Another popular query is on the period when a woman can conceive. The toll-free helpline has a bank of more than 500 frequently asked questions developed by Maulana Azad Medical College and Lady Hardinge Medical College.
Youngsters in the capital laud the helpline and say that Google results are not trustworthy and thus the helpline became a hit among youngsters, who know about it.
Ashu Kansal, a 23-year-old software professional says that the expert guidelines one gets from this helpline is the biggest advantage. “One would not get a genuine answer from anywhere else, that too when one doesn’t want to disclose one’s identity,” says Ashu.
However, Anup Roy, a business executive with a Noida-based company, who claims to be a shy person says that he would never take the help of this helpline. “I wouldn’t be able to talk about sex. I would rather search on the net,” he says, adding that youngsters who really want to explore things would call such a helpline.
Agrees 21-year-old Bharat Joshi, a final year B.Com student. “I believe the youngsters who are aware of such services call for fun. Even we have done it many times, not on this particular number, but other such services available,” he says.