Anal sex

The word anal comes from anus which means the rectal opening. Anal sex is all sexual activity in which the anus and rectum are stimulated. Anal intercourse means to place the penis in the rectum. The skin and mucous membrane in the rectal opening is thin and tears easily; it can get damaged if due care is not taken. High standards of hygiene must be kept to avoid infection. If a man has anal intercourse with a woman, it is very important that the penis is not then placed in the vagina, in order to avoid transmitting tiny bacteria-rich pieces of excrement into it. Anal sex is just as intimate as sexual intercourse and can also lead to sexually transmitted diseases. It is never appropriate to make someone carry out sex acts they don’t want to – this also applies within marriage.