LONDON (Reuters) – Hundreds of Britons are being urged to
attend what is being branded as Europe’s first
“Masturbate-a-thon,” a leading British reproductive healthcare
charity said on Friday.
Marie Stopes International, which is hosting the event with
HIV/AIDS charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, said it expected
up to 200 people to attend the sponsored masturbation session
in Clerkenwell, central London, on Saturday.
“It is a bit of a publicity stunt but we hope it will raise
awareness,” a Marie Stopes spokeswoman told Reuters.
“We want to get people talking about safer sex,
masturbation and to lift taboos.”
Participants, who have to be over 18, can bring any aids
they need and can take part in four different rooms — a
comfort area, a mixed area, along with men and women only
areas.
However, the rules on the event’s Web site states there can
be no touching of other participants nor are people allowed to
fake orgasms.
“The amount you raise will be determined by how many
minutes you masturbate and/or how many orgasms you achieve,”
the Web site said.
The Marie Stopes spokeswoman said local religious groups
had been initially outraged, but after people had heard what
the event was about, most had approved it.
Police had also given it their approval.
Similar events have been staged in San Francisco for the
last six years raising $25,000 for women’s health initiatives
and HIV prevention. If successful, Marie Stopes said it could
take place elsewhere in mainland Europe next year.
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