Virginity Tests For Female Police Recruits In Indonesia

As part of the application process, female police recruits in Indonesia are subjected to a "two finger virginity test."

Not only is this discriminatory, it's degrading, and the procedure is not even performed in private.

Only in a Muslim country.

Human Rights Watch interviews some of the traumatized applicants in this video.

Protests In Lebanon Against Forced Anal Tests On Suspected Gays

The Arab Muslim world seems to have a fascination with inspecting human orifices. Egypt conducts virginity tests, although they recently banned it for female detainees in military detention centers only. And in Iraq, court ordered virginity tests are becoming commonplace. Now in Lebanon, a country that one would consider a tad more enlightened than, say, Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, people are protesting the practice of forced anal "tests" on men officials believe might be homosexuals. Apparently, they haul men off to jail to determine if they are gay or not, which is what happened to 36 men after a raid at a "gay venue" on July 28. This, in turn, led to the demonstrations in Beirut.

Lebanon-based HELEM, considered the Arab world's leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights group, called for the rally under the slogan: “Stand up against the tests of shame, vaginal or anal.”

It also voiced solidarity with women subjected to so-called “virginity tests.”

“We’re here because we want a clear statement from the ministry of justice that these kind of tests should be completely abolished and punished by the law,” said participant George Azzi.

“The syndicate of doctors has declared these tests are irrelevant scientifically and it’s illegal for doctors to do these tests, but that doesn't mean police can't still request it,” he said.

Not only are the men being subjected to the involuntary testing, allegedly they are also being forced to pay for it- if one of the signs at the demonstration can be trusted:

“The cost of forensic rape: 125,000 Lebanese lira”

That's around $85.00 for having their rights violated. And then, if they are proved to be gay, they can be sentenced for up to a year in jail. I guess they can thank Allah they don't live in Iran where they would be hanged for that "offense".

There was a cross section of people at the protest- from gays and lesbians to heterosexuals who were there in solidarity- holding signs and banners, including:

“United to abolish the tests of shame”, and “Honorable minister, before you test my anus, at least take me out to dinner.”

Egyptian Court Bans 'Forced Virginity Tests' Only In Miltary Prisons

Back in March, 2011, at the height of the 'Arab Spring' protests in Egypt, 18 female protesters who were arrested in Tahrir Square and then detained in a military prison, were allegedly tortured and forced to undergo ' virginity tests'. 

According to Amnesty International:

20-year-old Salwa Hosseini told Amnesty International that after she was arrested and taken to a military prison in Heikstep, she was made, with the other women, to take off all her clothes to be searched by a female prison guard, in a room with two open doors and a window. During the strip search, Salwa Hosseini said male soldiers were looking into the room and taking pictures of the naked women.  

The women were then subjected to ‘virginity tests’ in a different room by a man in a white coat. They were threatened that “those not found to be virgins” would be charged with prostitution. According to information received by Amnesty International, one woman who said she was a virgin but whose test supposedly proved otherwise was beaten and given electric shocks.

“Women and girls must be able to express their views on the future of Egypt and protest against the government without being detained, tortured, or subjected to profoundly degrading and discriminatory treatment,” said Amnesty International.

“The army officers tried to further humiliate the women by allowing men to watch and photograph what was happening, with the implicit threat that the women could be at further risk of harm if the photographs were made public.”

One of those detainees, Samira Ibrahim (25), filed suit against the military-led government and won.  Virginity tests are now verboten.

“The court orders that the execution of the procedure of virginity tests on girls inside military prisons be stopped,” said judge Aly Fekry, head of Cairo Administrative court. Hundreds of activists inside the courtroom cheered after the ruling was read out.

Note, this only applies to temporary detainees in military prisons, otherwise it's fair game, since virginity tests are cool in Islam. I suppose one can't expect too much change, even from a civilian court.