Roger-Luc Chayer (Image: Generated by AI – Gay Globe)
A few years ago, in some countries and jurisdictions, homosexuals were persecuted, and to verify their sexual orientation, they were subjected to anal tests. This procedure falsely claimed to be able to identify homosexuals, bisexuals, and even pedophiles. Even today, in several countries, men and adolescents accused of homosexuality are subjected to anal tests.
In 2021, Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organization that monitors human rights abuses worldwide, published a statement regarding a wave of arrests targeting homosexuals: Since February 2021, Cameroonian security forces have arbitrarily arrested, beaten, or threatened at least 24 people, including a 17-year-old adolescent, for alleged consensual same-sex sexual activity or gender non-conformity, Human Rights Watch said. At least one of these individuals was forcibly subjected to an HIV test and an anal examination.
In May 2020, the police arrested 53 people, mostly LGBT individuals, during a gathering at a hotel in Bafoussam organized by an HIV/AIDS organization and accused them of homosexuality. At least six of them, including three adolescents aged 15 to 17, were subjected to forced anal examinations and HIV tests.
What is an « anal test »?
An anal test is an intrusive and degrading practice used in some countries to attempt to identify a person’s sexual orientation, particularly to accuse someone of homosexuality. This method is based on the false and discredited idea that an examination of the anus could reveal evidence of anal sex. In reality, this practice has no scientific basis and is widely denounced by medical experts and human rights defenders as a form of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
The anal test, an invasive and pseudoscientific practice, typically involves subjecting a person to a forced medical examination of the anus. This procedure is performed by a doctor or another health professional, often under pressure from authorities. The examiner claims to check the physical condition of the anus, looking for characteristics supposedly indicating anal sex, such as alleged « elasticity » or « lesions. »
The accused person is often forcibly undressed, humiliated, and deprived of any possibility of consent. These tests are frequently accompanied by psychological intimidation and physical violence.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine
The U.S. National Library of Medicine published a very interesting report on anal tests, using Tanzania as an example. The report described anal tests carried out by the authorities in that country in 2016 during a large-scale crackdown on homosexuals: In clinical care, anal examinations are routinely performed for specific indications and to answer carefully formulated diagnostic questions. They provide necessary information for the evaluation and treatment of common conditions, such as prostate cancer, anal fissures and fistulas, hemorrhoids, and gastrointestinal bleeding. In stark contrast, forced anal examinations intentionally inflict significant physical and/or mental pain and suffering at the behest of the state as a form of punishment, which meets the United Nations (UN) definition of torture. During the examination, individuals may be stripped, compelled to assume humiliating positions, and examined in front of others, without consent or under coercion. The exam itself may consist of the forceful insertion of fingers, tubes, funnels, or other objects into the anus and rectum, and can result in physical and/or emotional trauma.
We believe that the global medical community should actively support individuals targeted by forced anal examinations and collaborate with colleagues and professional organizations in countries where these exams are practiced to end their use. Normative agencies, including the World Health Organization, should condemn forced anal examinations and call for a global ban, publicly declaring that these exams amount to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. It is time to unite in action and put an end to this egregious practice.
A Common Practice Worldwide
Unfortunately, this practice, which constitutes torture, is still carried out in many countries around the world. There is no precise data on the exact number of countries where these tests are practiced, as such acts are often carried out covertly or under the pressure of local authorities.
Reports from organizations such as Human Rights Watch, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and United Nations experts have documented these practices in several African countries (including Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia), the Middle East, and parts of Asia.
It is important to denounce these behaviors, and governments must be made aware of the need to condemn such acts.