Quebec Physicians Prohibited from Performing Virginity Tests

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The administration of Quebec’s physicians college has prohibited its members from performing any more virginity tests in light of four recent cases in which doctors were asked to conduct the gynecological exams. The College des Medicins mentioned in a statement that it recently provided guidelines outlining its stance on virginity testing, which determines whether a woman has engaged in sexual intercourse. The college has alleged that the procedure is against its code of ethics, and that physicians shall not intervene in their patients’ private lives.

CEO of College Des Medecins, Dr. Charles Bernard, mentioned in a statement that physicians are responsible of evaluating if there is “any problem” that prompted the request, especially when there is a possibility that the patient is in danger of being harmed. Bernard alleged that “if you find there is something going wrong, you can recommend a patient to maybe visit a social worker, a psychologist.” He added that if the physician is very concerned about possible violence, they can even refer the matter to Quebec’s child welfare system. Additionally, the college also threated that if any physician did issue a “virginity certificate,” he or she will face disciplinary charges.

Highlighting the four reported cases of virginity testing, Council for the Status of Women alleged that even though this is not a trend, the demands are coming from religious fundamentalist groups. A representative of Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Shaheen Ashraf, stated that “we should be able to control our own bodies,” she said. “No one else should have the right to even think (along) those lines.”