2024-04-16 11:51:16
There are parents in Luxembourg who still force their daughters, minors and even adults, to prove their virginity annually, under coercion and reprisals, if they refuse. Out of fear, the young women end up doing it, although with much anger. And there are still obstetrician-gynecologists who agree to carry out the examination and provide this “purity” certificate.
To put an end to this “archaic”, “shocking” practice that causes “great trauma” in young women, doctors must be prohibited from issuing virginity certificates, professor Sandra Dessi argued in statements to Contacto, last May. This teacher, together with the social worker from a high school in the country, Enji Ismaili, are the authors of the petition “For the ban on virginity certificates”, launched in May and which gathered more than 4500 signatures, those necessary to go to public debate in the Parliament.
“Recurring cases”
The petition obtained a total of 5,224 signatures and on April 17th, at 4 pm, the two petitioners will debate their arguments with the Minister of Health, Martine Deprez, and the area’s deputies in the Chamber of Deputies.
The petition emerged as an “urgent need” after Sandra Dessi and Enji Ismaili received several requests for help from young people, minors and even adults, who were being pressured by their parents or siblings to take the exam and obtain a virginity certificate. A certificate that was required of them at home annually.
In addition to being “discriminatory”, this certificate is “useless”, claimed Sandra Dessi, in one of the previous interviews with Contacto. “The gynecological examination is not capable of fully proving the young woman’s virginity.”
Daughters forced to be virgins to save family honor
After the petition was launched and published in the press, more cases came to the attention of the petitioners. After all, parents’ demands on young women for these certificates are “recurring cases”, said Sandra Dessi.
The discussion on the ban on virginity certificates has been “launched” and the debate in Parliament is a “very important” step, admitted the teacher in another interview with Contacto. But the battle is not yet won. “Until a law is approved, we cannot claim victory”, she emphasizes.
A victory that may not take long to be celebrated as the petition caught the attention of the previous and current Executive.
Government promises to move forward with law
The Government of Luc Frieden agrees with the position of the two petitioners and even intends to move forward with a law that prohibits doctors from issuing virginity certificates, as reported by Rádio Latina.
The intention is expressed in the government coalition agreement. “The Government will ban virginity certificates. This ban will reinforce a woman’s fundamental right to decide for herself about her body and sexuality. It also aims to protect the dignity of women and fight against sexual discrimination”, says the document.
Government will investigate evidence of virginity
As Sandra Dessi mentioned to Contacto, the future law “will have to be accompanied by an awareness campaign in schools”. Thus, “if, in the future, girls reveal themselves against this practice, the law could be their shield”.
Currently, in countries such as France and Great Britain, laws prohibiting this are already in force.
2024-04-16 11:51:16