Indonesian Army suggests it will end mandatory “virginity testing” of female recruits
GHRTV2
The Indonesian army has suggested that it will end mandatory “virginity tests” which female recruits have been subjected to for decades. In some cases, the test was also carried out on prospective wives of military officers. During these examinations, a doctor checks whether a woman’s hymen is still intact. Those considered not to be virgins are not recruited. Women who have done the test have called it traumatic and derogatory. The army chief of staff, General Andika Perkasa, suggested that the practice would be eliminated and that women would be subjected to the same tests as men. It has been reported that the Indonesian navy and air force will follow this approach as well. International human rights organisations, such as Human Rights Watch, have welcomed the decision to eliminate the invasive test.
