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strong>Nov. 18, Online

'€œVirginity tests'€ applied to female applicants to the National Police are discriminatory and degrading, a New York-based human rights advocacy group has said.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that based on its documented research, applicants who '€œfailed'€ were not necessarily expelled from the force, but all of the women interviewed described the test as painful and traumatic. The finding was revealed during interviews with female police and police applicants in six Indonesian cities who had undergone the test, two of them in 2014.

The HRW said policewomen had raised the issue with senior police officials, who had at times claimed the practice had been discontinued. The test is listed as a requirement for female applicants on the official police recruitment website, however, and HRW interviews suggest that it is still being widely applied.

Your comments:

I find it weird that a test like this is carried out within the police department, or anywhere else for that matter.

Years ago when I was in first grade of high school, my friend told me that she underwent a virginity test as part of an entrance test for Taruna Nusantara high school, an elite high school run by the military.

I can'€™t begin to imagine how traumatic that must be for an adoles-cent girl.

Rei Rei

This has made international news prior to this.

It was the subject of public debate some years ago; it was criticized by leading Indonesian democrats to the point that it was claimed to have ceased.

Specifically, it was stated to Human Rights Watch by Sri Rumiate, the National Police'€™s high commissioner, that, in 2010, Brig. Gen. Sigit Sudarmanto (then head of police personnel) had agreed to abolish virginity tests.

A police general at the medical center claimed the test was no longer applied. It is obvious that elements of the National Police still have little regard for the law or the truth.

Moreover, Indonesia is a signatory to and has ratified both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture.

Under both these treaties, '€œvirginity tests'€ are identified as a violation of human rights, particularly the prohibition against '€œcruel, inhuman or degrading treatment'€ under Article 7 of the Convention against Torture.

Noones

It was previously claimed to have been banned and is known to be against human rights.

It seems like now is a good opportunity to prosecute whoever is lying and breaking the law in this case.

X Simaging

Why is this '€œvirginity test'€ even a thing? How deranged do you have to be to come up with a regulation like this?

Mayora

It'€™s basically called '€œabusing your authority'€ really. I think an investigation should be made into whoever even thought of this ridiculous idea.

It'€™s even worse that supposedly intelligent doctors would agree to conduct these tests.

Jones

Virginity tests for policewomen, is that really necessary? What for? Is it so they'€™ll perform better while chasing a robber or a thief?

Before we start on the the policewomen, how about the rest of the Indonesian police?

Almost all police officers in Indonesia are fat, so how can they catch villains? It'€™s a mystery'€¦ One more thing, don'€™t send a woman to do a man'€™s job.

Trio Aprilianto

When such a ridiculous scheme or rule pops up, one needs to be rational.

Religion has nothing to do with such an insulting test or with so-called religious fanaticism.

One must be careful not to mix oranges with apples, if the police practice such a degrading test, then one should criticize the police, not attack religion, ethnicity or color. It'€™s wrong and deserves condemnation. Leave religion out of it.

Wadata

Unfortunately in our beloved country Indonesia, this kind of disgusting practice is nothing new.

We Indonesian women are subjected to abuse in our everyday life. Sadly there'€™s nothing shocking about it.

Snap

This is absolutely horrific. What does sexual experience or lack thereof have to do with the performance of a police officer?

Nothing! Let'€™s get out of the middle ages and join the 21st century, shall we?

Deedee S

I honestly am having trouble believing this actually happens.

Nate

Since they'€™re doing virginity tests on the girls, how about they do stupidity tests on the senior officers who allow this kind of thing to continue?

Hello General Sutarman. Are you going to immediately ban this practice from all parts of the Indonesian Police?

Terry McAsee