I will be informing you about the impact of controlling
female sexuality in the context of AIDS pandemic. Since the mid 90s virginity
testing has grown significantly in South Africa.
After the 1994 elections HIV started showing
its existence and visibility especially in the Kwazulu Natal areas. South
Africa though does not practice virginity testing as much as other countries do
in the African continent e.g. I Uganda girls are encouraged to take part in the
virginity testing by being awarded when they pass virginity testing. It is
often taken very seriously in some African countries.
There was a program years ago in central Durban
where a woman who owed businesses of more than 21 franchises had employed female
virgins only. When she was interviewed the business owner who is also Zulu said
that she does not believe that she is crossing any lines or being
discriminating or unconstitutional to anyone, instead she is helping the
government reduce the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy.
Furthermore in Zimbabwe the article states that
some Shona chiefs use virginity testing as a means of generating income as most
families who take part in this process are expected to pay about R5 to have
their girls tested and to have them publicly declared as clean should they pass
the testing. Should it happen that the
girl fails to test positive the father will be charged and will be expected to
pay the chief. These payments are
usually in a form of livestock like goats and sheep.
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