A forum to highlight and discuss the lack of
womens rights in Turkey, both for Turkish Women and Female Tourists
Visiting the country. Special attention on Turkish males attitudes to
women in general, Plus the recent Rachel Lloyd and Mehmet Ocak Case, BY: TOM
LAWRENCE.
There have been no virginity test since 1999.
Following is an article from Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, USA
Kamil
---------
TURKEY: Law permitting virginity test for school girls is rescinded
Thursday, February 28, 2002
Turkey has rescinded a controversial law that authorized virginity tests for high school girls suspected of having premarital sex.
Forced gynecological examinations in schools were common until 1999, when five students who did not want to submit to the test attempted suicide by taking rat poison.
Many people in predominantly Muslim Turkey believe women should not have sex before marriage, but the testing practice drew harsh criticism from human rights and women's groups. The government ordered a halt to the tests after the suicide attempts.
On Tuesday, the government made the ban official by changing a law on punishment in schools, removing ambiguous wording that allowed school administrators to "determine" whether girls were virgins. It is unclear whether any schools have conducted the tests since 1999.
