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Police chief urged to abolish virginity test
An activist has urged National Police chief Sutarman to immediately issue a regulation to abolish virginity tests for female police applicants
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n activist has urged National Police chief Sutarman to immediately issue a regulation to abolish virginity tests for female police applicants.
'There is a need to formally abolish virginity tests during the screening of female police applicants to show progress within the National Police. This measure will also protect women from discrimination,' National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) chairperson Yuniyanti Chuzaifah said as quoted by Antara news agency in Semarang on Tuesday.
She made the comments in response to ongoing polemics on virginity tests in the health examination procedure during the recruitment of female police officers.
Yuniyanti said virginity tests were no longer relevant for female police applicants. Moreover, she said, the National Police had stated that such tests did not determine whether a female candidate would pass the National Police recruitment process.
'Therefore, Komnas Perempuan urges the National Police chief to issue a written regulation on the abolition of the virginity test. Then, debate on the issue should stop,' she said.
The women's rights activist went on to say many women had lost their virginity in sexual assault.
'How can she lose her right to become a female police officer because of a virginity test while a male applicant is not subject to the same test? That's discriminatory,' said Yuniyanti.
Earlier, the National Police's medical and health center head, Arthur Tampi, asserted that no female police applicant failed the recruitment process solely because she was no longer a virgin.
'An applicant may get fewer points if her hymen is not intact; still, she can pass the recruitment process,' he said in Jakarta on Friday.
Arthur said health and medical tests, including the virginity test, were required to make sure applicants could take part in all police educational activities.
The virginity test is carried out based on National Police Regulation No.5/2009 on health examination guidelines for police candidates.
Article 36 of the regulation stipulates that a female police officer cadet must undergo an obstetric and gynecology examination. (ebf)(+++)
