New York State lawmakers want to prohibit licensed medical practitioners from performing virginity examinations on women.
This week, Assembly Member Michaelle Solages introduced A8742 to ban hymen examinations to determine if a woman is a virgin. State Senator Roxanne Persaud also introduced S06879 as a companion bill. A number of lawmakers support the legislation.
In their memorandum, the Assembly Member Solages and Sen. Persaud noted that virginity examinations are common and widespread in the United States. To ascertain if a girl or a woman is a virgin, a doctor will insert two fingers or a speculum into the vagina to look for the hymen or to measure the elasticity of the vaginal walls.
A violation of girls and women’s human rights
“These examinations are not only a violation of women’s and girls’ human rights, but in cases of rape can cause additional pain and mimic the original act of sexual violence, leading to re-experience, re-traumatization and re-victimization,” according to the lawmakers in their memorandum.
