Thousands of STIs go undiagnosed each year due to mild or absent symptoms and a lack of testing. (Tony Phillips/AAP PHOTOS)Thousands of STIs go undiagnosed each year due to mild or absent symptoms and a lack of testing. (Tony Phillips/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAPShame, stigma and outdated sentiments about women's sexual wellness are contributing to a growing crisis around increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections and a decline in testing. Analysis by the Kirby Institute released in September found just 16 per cent of Australians aged 16 to 49 had ever been tested for an STI, showing significant sexual health gaps. "A major factor is linked to women's sexual activity and the sentiment that if you catch a disease, it's because you are a dirty s*** - but you haven't done anything wrong if you get an STI."