Perceptions and attitudes of secondary school students in Kwazulu-Natal towards virginity testing

Taylor, Myra; Dlamini, Siyabonga; Sathiparsad, Reshma; Jinabhai, C C; Vries, Hein de

doi:10.4102/hsag.v12i2.247

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Gürsoy claimed the illegality of virginity testing because of individual and social reasons such as proof of premarital virginity, lack of wedding night bleeding, remarriage, trauma, or assessment of premarital sexual activity and named virginity testing as a social problem in Turkey ( Gürsoy & Vural, 2003 ). Requests for virginity certificates and hymen repair among Sweden immigrants ( Juth, Tännsjö, Hansson, & Lynöe, 2013 ) and routine virginity testing in South Africa for cultural reasons ( Khozan, 2013 ; Taylor et al, 2007 ) also confirm the findings of this study. African girls are reported to be willing to undergo virginity testing to maintain cultural values, but this and other studies have shown testing to be obligatory because of social pressures, which seem to be caused by differences in beliefs and cultural values among these societies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…The results of the current study regarding the lack of instructions related to virginity testing as a challenge correlate with the need for guidelines of virginity and hymen repair certification in Sweden ( Juth & Lynöe, 2015 ). Some studies, however, have emphasized the inadequacy of the guidelines while mentioning the inefficiency of the regulations, such as outlawing virginity testing in Turkey ( Gürsoy & Vural, 2003 ) and banning testing girls under 16 years in Africa ( Khozan, 2013 ; Taylor et al, 2007 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Virginity Testing Beyond a Medical Examination

Robatjazi¹,

Simbar²,

Nahidi³

et al. 2015

GJHS

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Apart from religious values, virginity is important in different communities because of its prominent role in reducing sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies. Even though virginity testing has been proclaimed an example of violence against women by the World Health Organization, it is still conducted in many countries, including Iran. 16 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 32 to 60 years to elucidate the perceptions and experiences of Iranian examiners of virginity testing.The perception and experience of examiners were reflected in five main themes. The result of this study indicated that virginity testing is more than a medical examination, considering the cultural factors involved and its overt and covert consequences. In Iran, testing is performed for both formal and informal reasons, and examiners view such testing with ambiguity about the accuracy and certainty of the diagnosis and uncertainty about ethics and reproductive rights. Examiners are affected by the overt and covert consequences of virginity testing, beliefs and cultural values underlying virginity testing, and informal and formal reasons for virginity testing.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virginity Testing Beyond a Medical Examination

Robatjazi¹,

Simbar²,

Nahidi³

et al. 2015

GJHS

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“…Other studies also assess similarities and differences of outcomes of socio-cognition models and outline similarities and novelties, for instance, concerning smoking 70,71 or concerning HIV prevention. [72][73][74]…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychosocial determinants of cigarette smoking among university students in Jordan

Farajat

Hoving

Vries

2011

J Devel Orig Health Dis

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The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of cigarette use and water pipe smoking in Jordanian university students and to analyze differences in determinants between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 400 students (18-24 years, 51% males). Smokers were compared with non-smokers on several smoking-related determinants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, χ 2 test and binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence rates of cigarette use and water pipe smoking were 25.9% and 23.3%, respectively. Cigarette smokers differed significantly from non-smokers on almost all of the assessed determinants. The I-Change model explained 85% of the total variance of cigarette-smoking behavior. Cigarette smoking was determined by being male and older, having more depressive symptoms, having less Muslim identity, being more emancipated, perceiving more pros of smoking, having more modeling from peers and having lower self-efficacy. The popularity of cigarette use and water pipe smoking among Jordanian students necessitates health promotion interventions that motivate students not to engage in smoking behaviors by clearly outlining the outcomes of smoking and the healthier alternatives, how to cope with social influences and difficult situations in order to increase self-efficacy.

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“…In most other places, virginity testing is performed on women only. The South African Human Rights Commission claims that virginity testing promotes sexism,17 and Taylor et al 18 write: ‘The focus on women as opposed to acknowledging the co-responsibility of men, discriminates against women and reinforces the stereotypical perspective of female responsibility’. An entrenched characteristic of misogyny through the ages has been the inclination to regard women as tempters of men and as being responsible for leading men into sexual ‘wrongdoing’.…”

Section: Social Harmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why physicians ought not to perform virginity tests

Behrens

2015

J Med Ethics

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In this article I argue that it is not morally justified for physicians to perform virginity tests. First, I contend that, on the basis of the principle of non-maleficence, physicians should not perform virginity tests, because of the potential harms to those who are tested that can result from such tests. Second, I highlight some of the social harms that the practice causes, and argue that physicians ought not to be complicit in causing these harms. Third, I argue that physicians ought not to perform virginity tests on the grounds that testing for virginity is scientifically impossible, and physicians are morally obliged to practise according to scientific principles. Finally, I contend that an ethically sound response to virginity testing requires that the medical profession as a whole should follow the example of the Quebec College of Physicians in declaring this practice by physicians as unethical.

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Perceptions and attitudes of secondary school students in Kwazulu-Natal towards virginity testing

Abstract: This study describes the prevalence of virginity testing (VT) amongst rural secondary school students in KwaZuluNatal (KZN), compares the attitudes of students of both sexes to VT, the

Cited by 10 publications

References 5 publications

Virginity Testing Beyond a Medical Examination

Virginity Testing Beyond a Medical Examination

Psychosocial determinants of cigarette smoking among university students in Jordan

Why physicians ought not to perform virginity tests

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