In our report last week on anal sex dangers, we noted that neither heterosexual anal intercourse or man to man anal intercourse is a healthy sexual activity. Anal intercourse, according to the report, will not only spreads HIV faster from person to person, it is also a major factor of fecal incontinence and many other Sexually Transmitted Infections. To catch-up, visit: https://www.citizencomfort.com/2022/02/23/anal-sex-dangers/
Medical experts have further confirmed that anal sex causes more health problems. The Medical Institute for Sexual Health declares that anal intercourse may cause anal cancer through the spread of Human Papillomavirus (HPV- the main cause of anal cancer) to the anus / rectum area. Anal sex is considered a high-risk sexual practice because of the vulnerability of the anus and rectum. The anal and rectal tissues are delicate and do not provide lubrication like the vagina does, and can easily tear to permit disease transmission,
Anal Sex Taboo & Stereotype
The cultural taboo nature of anal sex makes it less attractive to discussion. There is less literature on the subject and less planned health campaign against the practice. Government and health agencies often direct the campaign to prevent HIV and STIs to unsafe vaginal sex, whereas the few studies available on the subject link HIV & STIs sufferers more to anal sex. For example, Kristen L. Hess et al in a group study titled ‘Prevalence and Correlate of Heterosexual Anal Intercourse among Men and Women, 20 US Cities’ published in national Library of Medicine asserted that heterosexual anal intercourse (HAI) was high among STI clinic attendees.
Another study, ‘Heterosexual Anal Intercourse: Prevalence, Cultural Factors, and HIV Infection and Other Health Risks’ by Daniel T Halperin published in AIDS Patient Care and STDs asserted that anal intercourse is a highly predictive risk factor for seroconversion, that is window period between exposure to infection. Yet, most AIDS prevention messages targeted at heterosexuals, presumably influenced by cultural taboos against acknowledging anal sexual practice, continue to emphasize vaginal and oral sex transmission.
The study further stated that health risks of anal sex appear to be severely underestimated by a substantial proportion of sexually active women and men in North and Latin America as well as parts of South Asia, Africa, and other regions. Adding that heterosexuals reported rates of condom use are universally lower for anal than for vaginal intercourse.
Wikipedia analysis on anal sex noted an erroneous understanding or lack of knowledge of men and women on the subject of anal sex. According to the analysis, people view anal sex as not “real sex” because it does not lead to loss of virginity or pregnancy and therefore less risky than vaginal intercourse. This is not true because it is in fact riskier and more susceptible to STIs & HIV. The analysis reported that it may be because of these views that condom use with anal sex is often reported to be low and inconsistent across all groups in various countries
Why do men and women engage in anal sex despite all the associated risks?
We cannot continue to live in denial on the anal sex subject matter. Yes, the popular route to sexual satisfaction is through the vagina intercourse, however, some people have devised several means to that destination, one of which is through the anus.
A report by United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that 44 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women have had anal sex at least once in their lifetime. Another report by WebMD, found, in 2015, that as many as five to 10 per cent of sexually active women engage in receptive anal sex.
Reasons advanced for anal sex, in anal sex studies, range from the ridiculous to the preposterous. They simply stand logic on the head. Let’s review some of the reasons.
–Preservation of Virginity: The woman is afraid to lose her hymen before marriage but she is not afraid to satisfy her libido through the anus. She wants to deceitfully present herself to her husband as a decent woman who has not ‘known’ any man, whereas she knew but from the back.
–Prevention of Pregnancy: When did anal intercourse become a contraception? Yes, it’s true that conception cannot happen through anal sex, but it’s not even 100% conception proof because semen can mistakenly slide from the buttocks to the vagina in the heat of sexual ecstasy. In any case, what happens to condoms?
–Substitute for Vaginal Intercourse During Menstruation: What! It is menstruation not “issue of blood”. If the menstruation makes vagina sex unclean, how clean is anal sex? It’s not indefinite periods, five days max. How does abstinence for five days in one month looks like its forever?
Anal Pornography: How about this? Some men claimed the eroticization of buttocks in pictures, motions and prints led to significant interest in or obsession with anal sex. But selectivity theory says human beings have capacity to choose in line with what they want.
Urge to Satisfy Partner/ Fear of Loosing Partner: Either as insertive partner or the receptive partner, couple claim they grudgingly engage in anal sex to satisfy partner for fear of separation. But as long as you keep doing what you hate to do, you will continue to remain sad in the relationship. And it will not be too long that you would to call time on such relationship.
Curiosity and Desire for Something New/ Variety: Heterosexual sex partners claim they wanted to experience sex in a new dimension. So, they go for anal even with the attendant health risks. But have they actually exhausted the varieties in penis-in-vagina sex?
Trade by Batter: This is quid pro quo. Here the receptive partner engages in anal sex in exchange for drugs or money. It’s prostitution in another dimension
Rape from the Back: This is no consent anal sex. It’s coercion. Usually, a show of strength from the stronger vessel on the weaker vessel. It is brutality to humanity of which children are most times the victims.
Drugs & Alcohol: This would appear as the base factor for all the reasons advanced for anal sex. Substance abuse makes the abuser irrational in all ways including sexual activity.
None of these factors of anal sex is bigger than the health risks involved. And for pregnant women, medical journals and experts say anal sex is a no go area.
Source: Dare Agbeluyi, Chief Publisher.
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