Virginity testing in Indonesia

In Indonesia, virginity tests are performed as a requirement for joining the police and military force. Tests have been performed since 1965.[1] It has since been condemned internationally and domestically by news outlets and human rights organisations.

The 1999 human rights law in Indonesia[2] bans discrimination against women[3].The UN Human Rights Office called for ban of virginity testing, viewing the practice to be medically unnecessary, often times painful, humiliating, and traumatic.[4] Despite international pressure, Jokowi's government has not initiated legislation to end virginity testing.

Virginity testing in different fields

Police

Chief Police Regulation No. 5/2009 outlines the Guidelines for Police Candidates. Article 36 requires female applicants to an "obstetrics and gynecology" examination, without specifying further.[3]. Tests are conducted by the Police Medical and Health Center (Pusat Kedokteran dan Kesehatan) using the "two-finger test" [3]. The Indonesian National Police jobs website stated in 2014, that, "In addition to the medical and physical tests, women who want to be policewomen must also undergo virginity tests. So all women who want to become policewomen should keep their virginity."[3]

Military

The Indonesian National Armed Forces also conduct this practice, as confirmed by its deputy head of the Health Center, Andriani. The test isn't only required for female applicants, but also for the fiancees of its personnel. They carry out the test to "ensure the health of the body and the spirit of these women."[5] High-ranking officials have deemed the test to be relevant, as it measures "the personality and mentality of the person," and linked non-virgin women to bad habits, as opposed to military personnel who are supposed to "protect the nation."[6]

Schools

Several attempts have been made to make virginity testing compulsory in school applications across Indonesia. In 2010, the Regional Representative Council of Jambi made a recommendation to conduct virginity test to students upon enrolling in junior high school and high school. The same recommendation was made by the Regional Representative Council of Jember in 2015. In 2013, the Education Agency of Prabumulih, West Sumatra, recommended to conduct virginity testing to high school students, even incorporating it to the regional budget plan.[7]

Sports

In December 2019, an Indonesian gymnast from East Java was cancelled from competing in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines due to virginity rumor.[8] The controversy sparked protests from Indonesian activists and various women rights organizations.[9]

Media coverage

The Jakarta Post, first reported in 21 August 2013 about the planned virginity tests in Sumatra[10]. The story was picked up by western outlets such as the Guardian and Huffington Post[11][12] The plans were cancelled after protests.

The Human Rights Watch first reported on Nov 17, 2014 about "painful and traumatic" virginity as a requirements for Indonesia's National Police[3] and released a video of the women interviewed[13]. This sparked an international outcry with extensive coverage.[14] One day later Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, (minister for politics, law, and security) confirmed that virginity test have long been mandatory for applicants of the military, namely the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).[15][16] Three days later, the head of the National Police, Moechgiyarto defended the test stating the women have to live up to high moral standards and would not accept candidates if they turn out to be a "prostitutes".[17]

Response

Doctors in Indonesia have stated that virginity testing doesn't have scientific basis. So when they are demanded to do virginity testing, they only describe the condition of the hymen. Doctors in Indonesia are not legally and medically allowed to judge what has happened to the hymen.[5]

In May 2015, the European Commission declared it as an "discriminatory and degrading practice".[18], supporting the Indonesian health minister Nila Moeloek, who has publicly opposed the tests, having ‘doubts on the necessity, accuracy and merits of such tests as a requirement to recruit young policewomen’.

In 2017, an Indonesian judge, Binsar Gultom, published a book that suggested virginity testing procedure to soon-to-be-married couples, insisting that it could lower the nation's divorce rate. The book recommended "preventive and repressive measures from the government" to non-virgin fiancees.[19]

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References
  1. "Dispatches: Indonesia 'Virginity Tests' Run Amok". Human Rights Watch. 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  2. Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Indonesia: Law No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights". Refworld. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  3. "Indonesia: 'Virginity Tests' for Female Police". Human Rights Watch. 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  4. "'Virginity testing': a human rights violation, with no scientific basis - UN". UN News. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  5. "'Tes Keperawanan' Dinilai Tak Ilmiah, tapi Masih Ada di Indonesia". kumparan (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  6. "TNI anggap tes keperawanan 'relevan'". BBC News Indonesia (in Indonesian). 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  7. Media, Kompas Cyber. "Tak Hanya SEA Games, Berikut 5 Isu Tes Keperawanan yang Pernah Terjadi Halaman all". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  8. Berutu, Sachril Agustin. "Aktivis Menilai Tes Keperawanan Adalah Budaya Patriarki". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  9. Jannah, Selfie Miftahul. "Kasus Pemulangan Atlet SA, Aktivis: Keperawanan Bukan Urusan Negara". tirto.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  10. Post, The Jakarta. "Virginity test plan sparks controversy". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  11. Hodal, Kate; Bangkok (2013-08-21). "Female students in Indonesia may be forced to undergo 'virginity tests'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  12. "HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media". consent.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  13. "'Virginity Tests' for Female Police in Indonesia". YouTube.
  14. "Virginity tests on Indonesia police condemned". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  15. "Soal Tes Keperawanan Polwan, Menko Polhukam Tedjo: Sesuai Kebutuhan Saja". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  16. "Indonesian Women's Rights Under Siege". Human Rights Watch. 2014-11-25. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  17. Post, The Jakarta. "Virginity test to confirm cadets' morality: Police". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  18. "Answer to Question No E-009916/14". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  19. "Usulkan tes keperawanan, Binsar Gultom 'perlu diuji kapabilitasnya sebagai hakim'". BBC News Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-11.
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