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!
About Her Bad Mother
Every person I’ve mentioned this to is in complete shock and disbelief as am I. This needs to STOP NOW.
This whole thing is disgusting and frightening. It feels more like an excerpt from a sci-fi novel than a real thing happening in Canadian hospitals. Shameful, to say the least.
this is awful. I would give consent if asked but really a woman should have the right to be asked!
Stop, idiots.
This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever read about.
I equate this to having a urethral examination whilst having an operation; it is unacceptable policy and I unconditionally support action against it.
Holy crap. I have never even thought something like that could happen. I definitely support you.
If you’re doing it without my CONSENT, it’s no better than rape. I’m absolutely astounded that *I* have to be cynical enough and have the wherewithal to tell my doctor up front that she – nor anyone else, for that matter – does NOT have my permission to do anything to my body other than what I’m there for.
Disgusting and deplorable.
Horrifying. Never heard of this happening. Must stop immediately.
This needs to be made illegal immediately!!
This is appalling but not surprising. Women’s bodies have yet to become truly our own. This practice must end. Consent is not such a hard thing to get.
WHAT! I can’t believe it! DISGUSTING to say the least!
This is terrible and unacceptable. I am disgusted.
I hope you all realize that this refers to gyne surgery? Pretty near every gyne surgery includes a pelvic exam – makes sense that they examine the area before putting sharp metal objects in your vagina. Most teaching hospitals use students or residents as their surgery assistants so they often do this part. Oh -and they would never let a group of students do this – this just doesn’t make sense – surgical time is valuable, no surgeon is going to let a bunch of students basically assault their unconcious patient. I’ve actually been inside the operating room and I’m pretty sure this article is off base. I’d reserve judgement until I get more info because it sounds fishy….just my two cents
How disgusting and wrong. I thought you were better than that, Canada.
That is Disgusting! It is a total violation of a woman.
This is vile. What is the medical community thinking? An unconscious woman is fair game? Not a chance. Count me as a woman who doesn’t want to be anyone’s experiment.
Lack of consent means no consent, period. If you wanna prod, get the nod.
This is horrifying and vile!!! I cannot believe this happens !!! This CANNOT happen and must be stopped
I cannot believe this practice occurs in today’s Canadian medical world. I cannot even begin to go into how deplorable a practice it is. I was shocked when I read it. It must stop TODAY!
This is unacceptable and must STOP immediately!
Utterly disgusted. Utterly. And good for you for taking this one.
Signed, friend a few hours south of Canada with a vagina that also would not welcome a probe without consent.
I can’t believe that this sort of thing is condoned by medical professionals. Yes, students need to learn, but there is absolutely no justification for violating an unknowing, unconscious woman’s body.
Stop this practice, please. I’m a Canadian woman and am saying NO. Which means NO. Which means if anyone touches me or my fellow Canadian women without our consent (most of whom are also saying no), med student or whomever, it’s rape.
I am stunned, and horrified. NO.
When I read this a couple of days ago I thought “there must be some mistake, there must be some explanation. In a few days I’ll read an update that something was mistaken or out of context.” BUT NO!! Instead I find out that this actually happens!! In what f***ed up universe is this allowed to happen. Stop it right now.
Yet again, the medical community assaults women in the name of education, teaching and exploration. Men would NEVER stand or sit for a prostate exam while under sedation without consent. It is time for women to stand up to their doctors and the powers that be and demand they be treated with dignity and respect.
This happened to my best friend. I was outraged and horrified then and am outraged and horrified now to learn this is common practice. We deserve better from our Doctors!
If you can’t ask for consent, there is a reason you are hiding it. Absolutely disgusting.
absolutely not. absolutely not. this is violation. stop this unethical practice.
In no way should this be legal. It’s a horrible violation of the women who did not consent to this practice. We all know this practice must stop immediately. Get consent. It’s as simple as that.
This practice is an abomination. Stop it! Don’t touch things that don’t belong to you without asking first!
CMA: How could this NOT be rape, plain and simple. The act of consenting to an unrelated medical procedure does not imply any sort of consent for a pelvic exam. Wake up, Canada! You cannot condemn inhumane treatment of women in Afghanistan, the Balkans, or anywhere else until you stop routine violation of your own wives, mothers and daughters.
I am so disturbed by this. When women are in the vulnerable position of being aneasthetised, most of us are worried and anxious, many of us are in pain or gravely ill, all of us are human beings. We entrust our bodies to the care of professionals who we expect to treat us ethically. It is horrifying to think that a violation like this could occur at all, let alone that it is routine. Routine, sanctioned digital rape of the most vulnerable.
This is absolutely SHOCKING and must stop!
This is awful, it has to stop!
This disgusts me and I’m completely opposed to this practice.
This is truly disturbing. What a total violation. If I were a student, I would refuse to do the procedure. Period!
Cathy
Absolutely horrendous that such practices could take place.
I’m wondering if nonconsentual rectal exams are performed on unconscious male patients?
Thank you for bringing this to light.
How can this EVER have been considered ethical? I’m one of those women who would probably sign the consent form if it helped with teaching, but really? Going ahead without consent is not acceptable, and consent is in NO way implied when we agree to be drugged to sleep for surgery!
I sincerely hope that this practice, while allowed, doesn’t happen very often… in any case, there should be laws regarding consent for pelvic exams. Shouldn’t even be an issue.
A total violation of human rights.
Unacceptable. Absolutely. And unnecessary (I was perfectly willing to have a student m/w examine me, conscious, after I was asked!)
I feel violated just knowing this exists. Do I have to wonder now where hands have been when I had my appandix removed? I am appalled, particularly, that any women being educated in the medical profession wouldn’t refuse to violate another woman’s body! There are those women who would give consent if asked. While I was in labor with one of my children, I agreed to let a practicing nurse attend me. However, the idea of being unconcious and unknowing makes me sick to my stomach. I wouldn’t be impressed with my husband if he tried to fool around with me in my sleep, why would I let a stranger?!
If asked before surgery, I too would agree, as I believe strongly in teaching medicine. However, if I weren’t asked, I would be HORRIFIED.
And that’s what I am. HORRIFIED. This practice of unnecessary pelvic exams without explicit consent must end.
I am absolutely horrified. Surely this can’t be legal?
I thought this had to be a joke at first. This has to stop. Now.
Ugh Ugh Ugh. Needs to be stopped right now.
Total invasion of privacy and personal rights!
This makes me physically ill. It has to stop. It should have never been allowed and I don’t understand how ANYONE thought it was okay.
This is appalling!