Virginity test

A virginity test is the practice and process of determining whether a woman (or girl) is a virgin; i.e., to determine that she has never engaged in, or been subjected to, vaginal intercourse. The test typically involves a check for the presence of an intact hymen, typically on the flawed assumption that it can only be, and will always be torn as a result of vaginal intercourse. It has been practiced since ancient times but its recent use in the United Kingdom dates back to the 1970s. It is still legal for doctors in the United States to perform virginity tests.

Virginity testing is widely considered controversial, because of its implications for the tested women (and girls), because it is viewed as unethical, and because a number of such tests are widely considered to be unscientific. In cases of suspected rape or child sexual abuse, a detailed examination of the hymen may be performed, but the condition of the hymen alone is often inconclusive.

In October 2018, the UN Human Rights, UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO) called for the ban of virginity testing as it is a painful, humiliating and a traumatic practice that constitutes violence against women.