Share

Virginity testing in SA

Virginity testing was a legal traditional practice in South Africa until just two years ago. When the decision was made to ban it for girls under 16 years, there was an outcry from some community leaders who claimed that virginity testing encourages girls to remain abstinent and that this helps to prevent pregnancy and the spread of HIV.

Virginity testing is usually performed by elderly women who inspect the vaginas of young women for tears. Nowadays, these women could face criminal charges.

How reliable is virginity testing anyway? And is it at all possible to determine whether or not someone is still a virgin?

Medically speaking the concept of an "intact" hymen is a myth, says Prof Elna McIntosch, Health24's sexologist. In some cases the hymen can be stretched or torn by fingers, tampons, sex toys, masturbation, or even at a gynaecological exam.

For others, using tampons or inserting fingers does not interfere with the tissue at all. Anecdotal evidence also supports the idea that it's possible to tear or stretch the hymen during non-sexual strenuous activity (such as horseback riding, gymnastics, or dance) or from trauma directly to the vaginal area. There are also women whose hymen tissue is so flexible that it moves aside during penetration.

If a woman's hymen is stretched or torn, she may experience pain or bleeding that generally lasts for a short period of time. Or, she may not show any "signs" or have any discomfort at all.

Different shapes and sizes
Hymens vary in shape, size, and thickness. Among the multiple possibilities are hymens that surround the entire vaginal entrance, with an open space in the centre (called an annular hymen), and hymens that appear open with a thin line of skin down the middle (a septate hymen).

Most hymens don't fully cover the vaginal entry so that menstrual fluid can leave the body. In rare instances, the hymen can be thick, covering the entire vaginal opening (an imperforate hymen). This kind of hymen may not allow a woman to menstruate, have penetration during sexual activity, or have anything inserted into her vagina. Often, a health care provider can correct this with a simple incision. However, if there's cyclic build-up of the uterine lining, but no menstrual flow, the vagina will fill with blood that can back up into the uterus. A provider may need to be seen immediately.

Mystery of women's bodies
The physiological purpose of the hymen is one of the eternal mysteries of women's bodies. Although it doesn't seem to have a specific function, it's thought that hymen tissue remains as a vestige of vaginal development. Embryologically, it tended to keep germs and dirt out of the vagina.

In infants and children, the hymen can serve a protective purpose by helping to prevent things from being pushed into the vagina; sometimes, a damaged hymen is looked at as an indicator of abuse and incest.

Throughout history, there have been cultures that forbid sexual activity outside of marriage. Some of these have considered an "intact" hymen "proof" of purity. This connection continues to have a psychological and cultural impact today. - (Health24, updated April 2009)

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE