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Virginity Testing

Virginity Testing ABSTRACT Virginity testing is a human rights violation involving an examination of the female genitalia, often by a healthcare professional, intended to correlate the appearance of the hymen in women or girls with previous sexual intercourse. Virginity testing examinations are conducted under a variety of circumstances and settings: before marriage to establish virginity, to disprove or prove an allegation of sexual violence, to legally assess the allegation of a woman or girl not being a virgin in the absence of bleeding on her wedding night, and to intimidate political activists and detainees. Despite the United Nations Human Rights Office, United Nations Women, and World Health Organization calling for a ban on this practice, it remains common practice in various regions around the world. It is the position of the International Association of Forensic Nurses that virginity testing cannot accurately determine if consensual sexual activity or sexual abuse has occurred and can result in significant physical, psychological, and social consequences. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Forensic Nursing Wolters Kluwer Health

Virginity Testing

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Journal of Forensic Nursing , Volume 18 (4) – Oct 26, 2022
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Publisher
Wolters Kluwer Health
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 International Association of Forensic Nurses
ISSN
1556-3693
eISSN
1939-3938
DOI
10.1097/jfn.0000000000000404
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

ABSTRACT Virginity testing is a human rights violation involving an examination of the female genitalia, often by a healthcare professional, intended to correlate the appearance of the hymen in women or girls with previous sexual intercourse. Virginity testing examinations are conducted under a variety of circumstances and settings: before marriage to establish virginity, to disprove or prove an allegation of sexual violence, to legally assess the allegation of a woman or girl not being a virgin in the absence of bleeding on her wedding night, and to intimidate political activists and detainees. Despite the United Nations Human Rights Office, United Nations Women, and World Health Organization calling for a ban on this practice, it remains common practice in various regions around the world. It is the position of the International Association of Forensic Nurses that virginity testing cannot accurately determine if consensual sexual activity or sexual abuse has occurred and can result in significant physical, psychological, and social consequences.

Journal

Journal of Forensic Nursing – Wolters Kluwer Health

Published: Oct 26, 2022

References

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