Dear Nether-Probers: We, The Undersigned, Say STOP IT.

The letter below is an open letter concerning the practice of non-consensual pelvic exams, about which you can learn more at yesterday's angry rant. Please leave a comment in support, as a virtual signature, and we'll circulate this everywhere and make a big stinky fuss until these policies get changed.

Dear Canadian Medical Association, Doctors of Canada, Ob-Gyns of Canada, Medical Students of Canada, Federal Minister of Health And Anybody Else Who Has Anything To Do With The Policy Or Practice Of Non-Consensual Pelvic Exams Performed On Women During Surgery:

A recent article in the Globe and Mail reports that that it is common and accepted practice in Canadian teaching hospitals for medical students to practice pelvic exams on anesthetized women undergoing surgery. No consent is sought from these women, and no consent is given.

This is deplorable. This is unacceptable. Non-consensual interference with another person's body in anything other than life-saving or life- or health-preserving circumstances is wrong. And for many women, interference with the sexual and reproductive parts of the body is interference of a particularly problematic kind. Many of us would experience this as violation. This is violation. If you do not have our permission to use our bodies for your own purposes, you must not so use them. 

We demand that this practice be stopped immediately. We demand that the Canadian Medical Association and the boards of all Canadian teaching hospitals and medical schools change their policies and regulations regarding this practice, such that no pelvic examinations for the purposes of medical training are ever performed without the woman's express consent. We demand that the relevant Canadian laws be amended, if necessary, to reflect this, that they reflect every woman's - every person's - right to authority over their own body.

We never said yes to this. We are now saying loudly, NO.

And no means no.

Signed,

Women of Canada, their loved ones, friends and supporters.

Read more about the issue at Canada Moms Blog, where a few writers are giving their personal accounts of how this affects them. Also check out this post at BlogHer, which summarizes some of the discussion so far. And, of course, my rant from yesterday. If you've written about this, please leave a link in the comments. And if you tweet about this, please hashtag it #noconsent, so that we can follow it and get more online discussion going.

And please - leave a note of support below. This will function as a petition of sorts. Thank you!

Comments

[Renee]

This practice is deplorable, absolutely deplorable. Sounds like rape to me.

[Maria @BOREDmommy]

This is BEYOND HORRIFYING.

[Patois]

I'm totally shocked. Unbelievable.

[bananaramafoFin]

CMA,
PLEASE stop this practice!! Just ask first!!

[Lotus]

HO.LEE.SHIT.WHAT.THE.FUCK.

There is no way in hell this is okay, on any level. I'm not Canadian, but I'm saying NO for all of Canada!

No Hay-Hay exploration without authorization!!!

[Mama in the City]

WOW. What the heck! Of course this sounds deplorable but I have to say that I work as an OB RN and I go in the OR with women under general anesthetic while in a teaching hospitals. I have never seen this happen, not even close.

Of course it sounds outrageous but at the same time I would like more information about this actually happening. I wonder if this is just an outdated policy that no longer actually occurs in practice?

[Stimey]

Oh dear lord. That is shocking. Shocking.

[wife mom maniac]

Time to put this debacle to an end

[Newfiehun]

Had the article in the Globe and Mail said that men were being given prostate exams while under anesthesia, and without previous consent, there would be massive public outcry and law suits up the ... well, you know.
The fact that the CMA can admit to this with such impunity is frightening and disgusting.

[mapsgirl.blogspot.com]

I really hope that didn't happen to me. Please make ti STOP!!!

[Heather]

Absolutely not! I'd be happy to donate a little hoo-hoo probing action in the name of science, but for the love of all that is good and holy, the least you could do is give me a consent form! Skeevy.

[TheFeministBreeder]

Things like this happen all the time in American hospitals - doctors performing things on women without their knowledge and consent (or informed consent). It happens most often during labor, and it's called Birth Rape. It's also 100% illegal (an unethical), and constitutes criminal battery. Many people refuse to believe that Birth Rape exists, therefore it's quietly swept under the rug. Dr. Rixa Freeze included the subject of Birth Rape in her doctoral dissertation and it's a sobering read. If we care about women being raped in Canadian hospitals, we better start caring about women being raped right here in American hospitals, or anywhere in the world, as well.

[CrystalC2B]

I think I seriously threw up a little in my mouth when I read the article.

I would say it's unbelievable but sadly, I have been under the care of several doctors who I could see being a'ok with this practice!

So yeah, DROP the speculum and back up off the surgery table!

[Anna]

Wow, what a violation! Yes, that needs to stop!

[Alexis]

I would give consent if asked before the surgery, in fact have given consent for a medical student to give me a pelvic exam at my GP's office. (It's a teaching practise.) But non-consensual? Just. Not. Right.

[lynn Sewards-Best]

time to stop this practice in te Hospitals!

[Julie @ The Mom Slant]

This is wrong. Women under general anesthesia who are given no say in procedures applied to their bodies for the sole purpose of education - not in any way related to their own health - is WRONG.

[Lisa]

Unacceptable behaviour in any country, for any reason. No more procedures of any kind on unconsenting women.

[Annie @ PhD in Parenting]

This is awful. Disgusting. Unethical.

[Jacki]

This is in no way acceptable without IMPLICIT consent.

[kgirl]

BEYOND reprehensible. Barbaric. Unethical. Rape. This must end.

[Dawn]

How is this supposed to be any different than giving a woman roofies and then fingering her? Because it's in a hospital? Don't think so.

[Al_Pal]

Awful! Consent MUST be given before any sort of probing!!!

[MZ]

This disgusts and frightens me. It's medical rape. Make this illegal. Whether the woman is awake or asleep, whether it's a random person or a doctor, with a penis or a medical instrument, rape is rape.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=71206783]

This is disgusting... and it needs to stop.