New campaign to end non-consensual pelvic exams

Care2.com, an online community and Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) dedicated to healthy, green lifestyle news and causes, has launched a campaign to end non-consensual pelvic exams. The campaign comes after it was publicly revealed that some women in North America are being violated while under anesthesia in the name of education.

Canadian doctors Sara Weinberg and her brother Daniel are blowing the whistle on this outrageous practice. Daniel first brought this to Sara’s attention when he refused to perform an exam on an unconscious woman deeming it unethical. From this point, they both set in motion an awareness campaign discovering most students had examined women without their consent.

Outraged women are speaking out on Care2.com with a mix of emotions and 97% of Care2 readers have voted a resounding NO!, believing that doctors should not be able to give pelvic exams without consent. 

Apparently, in Canada the practice is not illegal as it is in the United States and United Kingdom. At Your Cervix, an unfinished documentary will show the unethical practice is also pervasive in the United States.

At Your Cervix and GTA (gynecological teaching associates) are proactively tackling the issue and working to create a new generation of gynecological education and health professionals. To support their efforts visit Atyourcervixmovie.com to learn about their upcoming fundraising campaign: "End the Horror Stories."

Amy Jo Goddard, the director, producer and co-writer of At Your Cervix, told Relaxnews that the film is currently on hold and "We hope to get into the editing room later this year and to release in 2011."

Sources:

Care2 Campaign

(www.care2.com)

At Your Cervix trailer

(www.atyourcervixmovie.com)

Article about the practice at Canadian national daily The Globe and Mail

(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/time-to-end-pelvic-exams-done-without-consent/article1447337/)