Afghanistan: Forced 'virginity tests' leaving scars on Afghan detainees
http://www.dw.com/en/forced-virginity-tests-leaving-scars-on-afghan-detainees/a-19102082
Afghan women and girls accused of so-called moral crimes are forced to endure "virginity tests" by government doctors, says a new report. DW examines the reasons behind this practice and its impact on the detainees.
Forced 'virginity tests' leaving scars on Afghan detainees
Masood Saifullah
08.03.2016
Women in war-ravaged Afghanistan continue to suffer abuse in the hands of not only extremists but also government bodies, revealed a recent study conducted by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
For the report, the commission interviewed 53 detainees aged between 13 and 45 years from 12 different provinces. 48 out of these 53 women, who were accused of committing so-called moral crimes such as adultery, were forced to undergo invasive "virginity tests," vaginal and rectal examinations performed against their will by government doctors, said the report.
"Since gynecological tests are conducted without consent of the victim, it can be considered sexual harassment and human rights violation," said the AIHRC in the report. It also added that such tests violated the spirit of the Afghan constitution as well as international principles.
In most cases, such tests are also conducted in the presence of male guards in detention centers which can leave "deep psychological effects" on women, the study found.