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Related Experiment Videos

Virginity Testing Beyond a Medical Examination.

Mehri Robatjazi1, Masoumeh Simbar, Fatemeh Nahidi

  • 1Department of Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran. robatjazimehri@gmail.com.

Global Journal of Health Science
|March 2, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Virginity testing in Iran, despite being recognized as violence against women, continues due to cultural factors. Examiners express ambiguity regarding its accuracy, ethics, and reproductive rights, highlighting its complex consequences.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Sociology
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Virginity holds cultural significance beyond religious values, influencing community health by potentially reducing sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies.
  • The World Health Organization identifies virginity testing as a form of violence against women, yet it persists in various countries, including Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the perceptions and experiences of Iranian virginity testing examiners.
  • To understand the multifaceted nature of virginity testing within the Iranian cultural context.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted 16 in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
  • Participants were examiners aged 32 to 60 years.

Main Results:

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  • Examiners' perceptions and experiences formed five main themes.
  • Virginity testing is perceived as more than a medical procedure, encompassing cultural factors and significant consequences.
  • Examiners exhibit ambiguity regarding diagnostic accuracy, ethical considerations, and reproductive rights.
  • Examiners are influenced by cultural beliefs, the consequences of testing, and the reasons for its performance.

Conclusions:

  • Virginity testing in Iran is deeply intertwined with cultural values and has profound effects on examiners.
  • The practice highlights ethical dilemmas and uncertainties surrounding reproductive rights and medical certainty.