Virginity testing at Turkish schools

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- A lawyer and the head of an education union in Turkey have objected to virginity testing incidents at two universities in Istanbul.

Lawyer Yasemin Oz and Zubeyde Kilic, president of the Education and Science Workers Union, said virginity testing at schools unfairly victimizes female students, Bianet reported Friday.

Their statements came after revelations of two incidents of forced virginity testing at Istanbul universities. In the first incident, a father was forced to obtain virginity tests from two hospitals for his daughter, identified as C.G., after the principal of the student's dormitory accused her of engaging in sexual activities. The father said he plans to file a legal complaint.

The second incident occurred during a District Education Board official's visit to an Istanbul university. Bianet reported 30 female students were picked at random by the official and forced to answer questions about drinking, sexual activity and pregnancy in their dormitories.

Oz said the victims of the incidents should file criminal complaints against the officials.

"Unfortunately, in these kinds of crimes, complaints are required," Oz said. "Therefore there needs to be complaints. On the other hand, both the society and the police are still taking the old Penal Code into consideration. According to the law, forcing virginity tests is illegal. The government is not trying to make sure if the new revisions are being implemented."