Isilay Saygin, Turkey minister in charge of female and family affairs, and a woman herself, defended the practice of forced virginity tests that verify girls’ virginity, according to a recent story in the Washington Post.

Stating that she opposes a ban on virginity controls, Saygin argued that these tests were needed to curb young people’s behavior.

The importance of the virginity of an unmarried girl is often misunderstood by people in North America.

To the honor of her family, and to increase her chances of marriage, a girl must diligently maintain her virginity.

“Being a virgin bride signifies a women’s purity and her loyalty to the family,” said sociologist Dilek Cindoglu who has researched virginity testing in Turkey.

The practice of forced virginity tests for teenage girls is still embraced by many Middle Eastern nations.

Many young women voluntarily take the tests because of the pressure they feel in a society where women who are not virgins run the risk of being ostracized.

Historically, women who have lost their virginity before marriage have ran the risk of being beaten or killed.

The actual virginity test checks whether the women’s hymen is still intact.

However, women run the risk of being wrongly accused of premarital sex because the status of the hymen does not conclusively establish virginity.

Recently, five Turkish girls who refused to take the tests tried to kill themselves by taking rat poison and then jumping into a water tank.

However, they survived their suicide attempts and the virginity tests were carried out while they were in their hospital beds.