Harnisha Desai
Gujarat
Yes, absolutely this exists! A few castes practice virginity tests in various forms. Some test a girl’s virginity or even to punish a girl whose virginity is questionable! This is the story of a Malu (name changed) who belongs to a caste that follows this tradition and resides in Gujarat and is spread across the state.
Malu was born into the traditional family of this caste and her family was conservative. The nightmare started during her school days. She was one of the brilliant students in science and also the state topper. During her 12th exams, she was leaving the campus and it started raining heavily. As there was no other transport available she accepted the help offered by one of her classmates to drop her home.
A few days later some people reached out to her father complaining about her “affair” with the classmate. Malu was shocked and denied these allegations. Her father thrashed her badly and her community member attacked the boy. He was severely injured. But this was just the beginning of the nightmare.
Again, village people started gossiping that Malu had lost her virginity. “She is whore who lost her virginity before marriage with some stranger and that too at a very young age,” people said and the gossip spread like a wildfire. One day her community members came to her father and demanded a death punishment for Malu. “She is was a black spot on the family and doesn’t deserve to live anymore,” said villagers who insisted to follow the “caste rule”.
The Horror
As per the caste rules, the woman who loses her virginity to a stranger or has intercourse without marriage is tied by spreading her legs wide apart with her hands also tied and her mouth stuffed with cloth balls thereafter. Then a wood log is inserted into her private parts. She is left in the room to die slow death as inserting that wood-log into her vagina leads to internal bleeding and multiple organ failure. A person dies a slow and very painful death.
After villagers pressurized him, Malu’s father got furious with his daughter who he said had brought “disrepute” to the caste and family. He decided to punish her. He tied his daughter with rope and inserted a wood log into her private part and left her to die. Malu cried for help and kept bleeding after being there in a helpless state. She was left all alone and was trying hard to set herself free.
She somehow freed herself though she was somewhat unconscious and escaped through the window which led to staircases towards the neighbour’s terrace. She managed to jump and run away. She cleaned and treated herself with basic first aid with the help of some sympathizers and immediately left the native place. After travelling for two days she reached a city and approached an NGO working for women and got her treatment.
Her Path
Malu decided to work with the same NGO and help other women. Today she is unwilling to speak about the past but she has not forgotten the pain and the trauma. The fear and nightmare still haunt her. She can’t even think of going back to the family. She still needs treatment for the injury caused because of the inhuman punishment she got from her father. There are a lot of internal problems and infections she suffers even after eight years of punishment.
Malu will never be able to give birth nor will she enjoy physical intercourse. She will not marry. But she has her goals very clear. She wants to fight for other girls who are suffering because of such heinous traditions. She wants to save them from suffering and humiliation. She wants to be their pillar to regain faith in life.
World Scenario
In 2018 UN Human Rights, UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO) in a statement asked for ending virginity test practices.
“Virginity testing — a gynecological examination conducted under the belief that it determines whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse — must end” said these organizations in a global call to eliminate violence against women and girls.
Virginity testing is a long-standing tradition that has been documented in at least 20 countries spanning all regions of the world. Women and girls are subjected, and often forced, to undergo virginity testing for various reasons. These include requests from parents or potential partners to establish marriage eligibility or from employers for employment eligibility. It is mostly performed by doctors, police officers, or community leaders on women and girls in order to assess their virtue, honour or social value. In some regions, it is common practice for health professionals to perform virginity testing on victims of rape, supposedly to ascertain whether or not rape occurred, the statement added.
Virginity testing is often performed by inspecting the hymen for tears or its size of opening, and/or inserting fingers into the vagina (the “two-finger” test). Both techniques are practiced under the belief that the appearance of the female genitalia can indicate a girl’s or woman’s history of sexual activity. WHO states that there is no evidence that either method can prove whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse or not.
Gender Discrimination
The term “virginity” is not a medical or scientific term. Rather, the concept of “virginity” is a social, cultural and religious construct – one that reflects gender discrimination against women and girls, the world organizations added.
The social expectation that girls and women should remain “virgins” (i.e. without having sexual intercourse) is based on stereotyped notions that female sexuality should be curtailed within marriage. This notion is harmful to women and girls globally.
Because of virginity tests many women suffer from adverse short- and long-term physical, psychological and social consequences including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. In extreme cases, women or girls may attempt suicide or be killed in the name of “honour”.
( Harnisha Desai is a student of TYBAJMC at Vishwakarma University)
Pic curtesy: WHO (World Health Organisation)
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