The Real Moral Crime: Humiliating Virginity Tests

In Afghanistan, women who fail to bleed on their wedding night, are seen walking with men, or anger their families—all could be subjected to virginity tests.

Virtually all the women and girls arrested for “moral crimes” in Afghanistan were subjected to virginity tests, Human Rights Watch says.

Doctors—often under heavy official and social pressure—conduct the test by inspecting the hymen or by the “2-finger test” to judge vaginal laxity; the tests have no scientific credibility.
 
Despite official attempts to ban the practice, persuading the country’s local judges, prosecutors, and police to abandon the tests has proven difficult.
 
Undark