Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has called on Ghanaian women who are coerced by their partners into engaging in oral and anal sex, and using sex toys to make a complaint to the police.

During the parliamentary discussion on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill on Wednesday, she emphasized that such acts, regardless of the genders involved, are illegal under the anti-LGBTQ bill and will be treated as criminal offenses.

Expressing concern over reports of wives facing divorce threats from their husbands for refusing to participate in these sexual activities, the lawmaker emphasized the importance of women knowing their rights and seeking legal assistance when faced with such coercive situations.

“For the avoidance of doubt and the information of all Ghanaians, oral sex, anal regardless of whether it is between woman and man, man and man or woman and woman is illegal under our law and so if there is anybody who is practising oral sex or anal sex please note that what you are doing is against the existing law of this country.

Addressing her colleagues on July 5, she insisted underscored the significance of the proposed bill in addressing such issues.

“And so I will urge any woman or young girl being subjected to any of such practice under the guise of heterosexual sex to know that what they are being asked to do is against and law and must seek help from the police. Anal sex is unnatural carnal knowledge, use of sex toys is unnatural carnal knowledge.”

Per Section 104 of the Criminal Code of Ghana "unnatural carnal knowledge is sexual intercourse with a person in an unnatural manner or with an animal.”

The second reading of the bill hit a snug as two lawsuits have been filed against it —one at the High Court and the other at the Supreme Court.

As a result, Parliament has decided to take a cautious approach and slow down the decision-making process regarding the bill.

But today, the second reading of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill went through, and the consideration stage will follow before a third reading to signal passage.

The proposed anti-LGBTQ bill presented to Parliament in 2021 as a private bill by some MPs has been a subject of intense debate in Ghana, sparking discussions both domestically and internationally.

The bill seeks to criminalise activities related to homosexuality and increase penalties for those involved.