Two Fingered Examination For Indonesian Policewomen!!

[bunkmoreland]

This is a fact and is still ongoing? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/18/female-indonesian-police-recruits-forced-virginity-test . Hope my attempt at linking works.

[Buenchico]

Well it certainly sounds daft (as well, of course, as ridiculous and humiliating) but within my lifetime (when it was widely assumed anyway that a woman would be a virgin until after her marriage) married women weren't allowed to be teachers (or, indeed, to hold positions in many other professions). So a woman who'd no experience of bringing up her own children could teach other people's children but a woman who (after marriage) had brought up her own children was barred from doing so.

So perhaps Indonesia isn't actually that many years behind the UK?

[BlackadderV]

The ban on married women teachers went out with WWII. I had married women teachers and was born in 1949. Are you really that old?

[anotheoldgit]

While I can't see that such an examination is necessarily it is voluntary, and it is no more humiliating than the medical that men also had to undertake, upon joining the armed forces.

There was also the additional humiliation in days past when there were the free from infection (FFI) inspections that took place at regular intervals, these necessitated the whole hut of men to stand by their beds with their trousers and underwear around their feet while the Medical Officers moved among them lifting up one's manhood with a pencil so as to examine one. .

[youngmafbog]

Are we taking offence at another countries way of working?

Perhaps you are familiar with the life and culture of Indonesians and can enlighten us as to why this is a problem there?

[douglas9401]

I see the expression 'fingered by cops' in a totally different light now.

[AB Editor]

Youngmafbog, this is the bit you need apparently:

"While female recruits are also expected to be single and not marry until they have been in the force for a few years, Indonesia’s national police website claims they must also undergo virginity tests in addition to general medical and physical examinations, with the added warning: “So all women who want to become policewomen should keep their virginity.”

The practice contravenes Indonesia’s national police principles as well as international human rights policy, says Human Rights Watch (HRW), which interviewed female police recruits and serving female officers across six cities."

Not sure why you need it though, don't you think it's at least vaguely inhumane? Would you submit to a similarly explorative procedure for the assessment of your sexual purity?

(I do appreciate the notion in your first sentence however - some do get offended by difference when no offence needs to be taken...)

[bunkmoreland]

Thank you for your helpful and reasoned reply Ab Editor. From some of the other comments left,you'd think I had been referencing some custom that was not physically painful or extremely humiliating and did not contravene Indonesia's own police rules! Blackadder,no I'm not that old actually( what would that matter anyway?) I just have the ability to read an article!

[AB Editor]

I think BlackadderV might have been replying to Buenchico, Bunk?

[bunkmoreland]

looking back at the thread again,you're probably correct Ed! Apologies blackadder.