Virginity test
Encyclopedia
A virginity test is the practice and process of determining whether a female is a virgin, ie., whether she has engaged in sexual intercourse
. The test involves an inspection of a female's hymen
, on the assumption that her hymen can only be torn as a result of sexual intercourse.
Virginity testing is a very controversial practice, both because of its implications for tested girls and because it is not necessarily accurate. It is considered a violation of human rights
by Amnesty International
and is illegal in many countries.
, which was verified by either a physical examination (usually by a physician, who would provide a certificate of virginity) or by a "proof of blood," which refers to vaginal bleeding that results from the tearing of the hymen. The physical examination would normally be undertaken before the marriage ceremony, while the "proof by blood" involves an inspection for signs of bleeding as part of the consummation of marriage, after the ceremony.
On 23 March 2011 Amnesty International protested to the Egypt
ian government over alleged forced virginity testing of women protestors. Egypt admitted its military forces had performed virginity tests on women detained during the 2011 Egyptian revolution
. It said the tests were carried out in order to refute claims that the women had been raped while in detention. Amnesty International
described the virginity tests as "nothing less than torture."
Virginity testing was also used on women entering Britain on a so-called fiancee visa. This practice was exposed by The Guardian
in 1979 and the policy was quickly changed. In January 1979, a woman was required by English immigration officers to undergo a virginity test when she arrived in London claiming that she was there to marry. Such a visit did not require a visa, but as proof of her bone fides, she was required to submit to the test.
Examinations to test for previous sexual activity are commonly performed in India on rape victims. Human Rights Watch
criticized the test as "degrading and unscientific” and a second assault on traumatized women, and raised concerns about Indian courts bringing views of rape victims' general moral character into their rulings. In June 2009, a Indian State government organised a mass wedding for poor couples, but required the brides to undergo virginity tests. The tests were described as "shameful and humiliating".
Virginity testing has also been criticised for not being a reliable indicator of a female having actually engaging in sexual intercourse, and also because the tearing of the hymen may have been the result of an involuntary sex act, such as rape
.
situated just inside the vulva
which can partially occlude the entrance to the vaginal canal. It is flexible and can be stretched or torn during first engagement in vaginal intercourse. However, a hymen may also be broken during physical activity or the use of a tampon
, menstrual cup
or dildo
, or during some medical examinations. Many women possess such thin, fragile hymens, easily stretched and already perforated at birth, that the hymen can be broken in childhood without the girl even being aware of it, often through athletic activities. A slip while riding a bicycle
may on occasion result in the bicycle's saddle-horn entering the introitus just far enough to break the hymen.
There is a common belief that some women are born without a hymen, but some doubt has been cast on this by a recent study. It is likely that almost all women are born with a hymen, but not necessarily ones that will experience a measurable change during first experience of vaginal intercourse.
In the majority of women, the hymen is sufficiently vestigial as to pose no obstruction to the entryway of the vagina. In rare cases, a woman's hymen may need to be opened, in a surgical procedure
known as hymenotomy
, because of an imperforate hymen that prevents the release of menstrual discharge.
A female can undergo a surgical procedure, called hymenorrhaphy
or hymenoplasty, to repair or replace a torn hymen, to pass a virginity test.
In virginity tests, the presence of a hymen is often used to determine if a woman is a virgin. Another form of virginity tests involves testing for laxity of vaginal muscles with fingers (the "two-finger test"). A doctor performs the test by inserting a finger into the female's vagina to check the level of vaginal laxity, which is used to determine if she is "habituated to sexual intercourse." However, the usefulness of these criteria has been questioned by medical authorities and opponents of virginity testing because vaginal laxity and the absence of a hymen can both be caused by other factors, and the "two finger test" is based on subjective observation.
Among the Bantu of South Africa, virginity testing or even the suturing of the labia majora
(called infibulation
) has been commonplace. Traditionally, Kenuzi girls (of the Sudan
) are married before puberty by adult men who inspect them manually
for virginity.
and teenage pregnancy
are examples of reasons given by proponents of virginity testing. In 2004, a Zimbabwe
an village chief, Naboth Makoni, stated that he would adopt a plan to enforce virginity tests as a way of protecting his people against HIV. He explained that he focuses on girls because he believes they are easier to control than boys. In South Africa, where virginity testing is banned, the Zulu tribe believes that the practice prevents the spread of HIV and teenage pregnancy. A woman interviewed by the Washington Post stated that "[Virginity testing] is important so that young girls become scared of boys. Because what happens is first the boy strips you of your virginity, and the next thing you know is you are pregnant and you have HIV."
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
. The test involves an inspection of a female's hymen
Hymen
The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia. The size of the hymenal opening increases with age. Although an often practiced method, it is not possible to confirm with certainty that a girl or woman is a...
, on the assumption that her hymen can only be torn as a result of sexual intercourse.
Virginity testing is a very controversial practice, both because of its implications for tested girls and because it is not necessarily accurate. It is considered a violation of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and is illegal in many countries.
Reasons
Some cultures require proof of a bride's virginity prior to her marriage. This has traditionally been tested by the presence of an intact hymenHymen
The hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia. The size of the hymenal opening increases with age. Although an often practiced method, it is not possible to confirm with certainty that a girl or woman is a...
, which was verified by either a physical examination (usually by a physician, who would provide a certificate of virginity) or by a "proof of blood," which refers to vaginal bleeding that results from the tearing of the hymen. The physical examination would normally be undertaken before the marriage ceremony, while the "proof by blood" involves an inspection for signs of bleeding as part of the consummation of marriage, after the ceremony.
Criticism
Requiring a female to undergo a virginity test has been criticised, especially when it is performed on behalf of a government.On 23 March 2011 Amnesty International protested to the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian government over alleged forced virginity testing of women protestors. Egypt admitted its military forces had performed virginity tests on women detained during the 2011 Egyptian revolution
2011 Egyptian revolution
The 2011 Egyptian revolution took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of November 2011. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil...
. It said the tests were carried out in order to refute claims that the women had been raped while in detention. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
described the virginity tests as "nothing less than torture."
Virginity testing was also used on women entering Britain on a so-called fiancee visa. This practice was exposed by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in 1979 and the policy was quickly changed. In January 1979, a woman was required by English immigration officers to undergo a virginity test when she arrived in London claiming that she was there to marry. Such a visit did not require a visa, but as proof of her bone fides, she was required to submit to the test.
Examinations to test for previous sexual activity are commonly performed in India on rape victims. Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
criticized the test as "degrading and unscientific” and a second assault on traumatized women, and raised concerns about Indian courts bringing views of rape victims' general moral character into their rulings. In June 2009, a Indian State government organised a mass wedding for poor couples, but required the brides to undergo virginity tests. The tests were described as "shameful and humiliating".
Virginity testing has also been criticised for not being a reliable indicator of a female having actually engaging in sexual intercourse, and also because the tearing of the hymen may have been the result of an involuntary sex act, such as rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
.
Reliability
Some researchers note that the presence or absence of a hymen is not a reliable indicator of whether or not a female has been vaginally penetrated. The hymen is a thin film of membraneMucous membrane
The mucous membranes are linings of mostly endodermal origin, covered in epithelium, which are involved in absorption and secretion. They line cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs...
situated just inside the vulva
Vulva
The vulva consists of the external genital organs of the female mammal. This article deals with the vulva of the human being, although the structures are similar for other mammals....
which can partially occlude the entrance to the vaginal canal. It is flexible and can be stretched or torn during first engagement in vaginal intercourse. However, a hymen may also be broken during physical activity or the use of a tampon
Tampon
A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...
, menstrual cup
Menstrual cup
A menstrual cup is a type of cup or barrier worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. Unlike tampons and pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it...
or dildo
Dildo
A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :...
, or during some medical examinations. Many women possess such thin, fragile hymens, easily stretched and already perforated at birth, that the hymen can be broken in childhood without the girl even being aware of it, often through athletic activities. A slip while riding a bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
may on occasion result in the bicycle's saddle-horn entering the introitus just far enough to break the hymen.
There is a common belief that some women are born without a hymen, but some doubt has been cast on this by a recent study. It is likely that almost all women are born with a hymen, but not necessarily ones that will experience a measurable change during first experience of vaginal intercourse.
In the majority of women, the hymen is sufficiently vestigial as to pose no obstruction to the entryway of the vagina. In rare cases, a woman's hymen may need to be opened, in a surgical procedure
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
known as hymenotomy
Hymenotomy
A hymenotomy is a minor medical procedure involving the surgical removal or opening of the hymen. It is often performed on patients with imperforate hymens or septate hymens, or other situations where the hymen is unusually thick or rigid. In the case of a female with a hymen without any opening,...
, because of an imperforate hymen that prevents the release of menstrual discharge.
A female can undergo a surgical procedure, called hymenorrhaphy
Hymenorrhaphy
Hymenorrhaphy or hymenoplasty or hymen reconstruction surgery is the surgical restoration of the hymen. The term comes from the Greek words hymen meaning membrane, and raphe meaning suture...
or hymenoplasty, to repair or replace a torn hymen, to pass a virginity test.
Testing process
The process of virginity testing varies by region. In areas where medical doctors are readily available, such as Turkey before the country banned the practice, the tests will often be given in a doctor's office. However, in countries where doctors are not available, testers will often be older, respectable women, or whoever can be trusted to search for a hymen. This is common among African tribes that perform the test.In virginity tests, the presence of a hymen is often used to determine if a woman is a virgin. Another form of virginity tests involves testing for laxity of vaginal muscles with fingers (the "two-finger test"). A doctor performs the test by inserting a finger into the female's vagina to check the level of vaginal laxity, which is used to determine if she is "habituated to sexual intercourse." However, the usefulness of these criteria has been questioned by medical authorities and opponents of virginity testing because vaginal laxity and the absence of a hymen can both be caused by other factors, and the "two finger test" is based on subjective observation.
Among the Bantu of South Africa, virginity testing or even the suturing of the labia majora
Labia majora
The labia majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds that extend downward and backward from the mons pubis to the perineum and form the lateral boundaries of the pudendal cleft, which contains the labia minora, interlabial sulci, clitoral hood, clitoral glans, frenulum clitoridis, the...
(called infibulation
Infibulation
Infibulation is the surgical modification or mutilation of the genitals in males and females, particularly the foreskin, labia minora and labia majora...
) has been commonplace. Traditionally, Kenuzi girls (of the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
) are married before puberty by adult men who inspect them manually
Fingering (sexual act)
Fingering is the manual manipulation of the clitoris, vulva, vagina, or anus for the purpose of sexual arousal and stimulation. It may constitute the entire sexual encounter or it may be part of mutual masturbation, foreplay or other sexual activities. To "finger oneself" is to masturbate in this...
for virginity.
Prevention of disease and pregnancy
Preventing the spread of HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
are examples of reasons given by proponents of virginity testing. In 2004, a Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an village chief, Naboth Makoni, stated that he would adopt a plan to enforce virginity tests as a way of protecting his people against HIV. He explained that he focuses on girls because he believes they are easier to control than boys. In South Africa, where virginity testing is banned, the Zulu tribe believes that the practice prevents the spread of HIV and teenage pregnancy. A woman interviewed by the Washington Post stated that "[Virginity testing] is important so that young girls become scared of boys. Because what happens is first the boy strips you of your virginity, and the next thing you know is you are pregnant and you have HIV."