22nd November 2022
To mark this year’s 16 Days of Action, Karma Nirvana is launching an animation on Virginity Testing. The animation forms part of a series Karma Nirvana is developing to raise awareness of Honour Based Abuse related issues.
The video will launch on the 25th November 2022, the first day of #16DaysofAction.
The animation centres on the story of Mo and Mya, twin siblings whose lives take very different paths. While Mo is able to play with friends, explore his identity and go to university, Mya has to conform to family expectations. The animation highlights how the notion of virginity is of significant importance within Mya’s family, which can lead to young girls and women like Mya having a virginity test.
The animation will be an important tool in our campaign to raise awareness of virginity testing and the laws surrounding it.
The video will be available on our website and our YouTube channel from the day of launch.
During the 16 Days of Action, we will also be sharing a social media reel of the animation across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, so please reshare it.
Example of a post to share on social media:
We are proud to support @KNFMHBV animation on #VirginityTesting.
It raises awareness of virginity testing and hymenoplasty highlighting new legislation making it illegal under the Health and Care Act 2022.
#16DaysofAction @ukhomeoffice
Twitter & Instagram
We are proud to support @KarmaNirvanaUK animation on #VirginityTesting.
It raises awareness of virginity testing and hymenoplasty highlighting new legislation making it illegal under the Health and Care Act 2022.
#16DaysofAction @ukhomeoffice
Facebook
As of the 1st July 2022, the UK government has made it illegal to carry out, offer or aid and abet virginity testing or hymenoplasty in any part of the UK under the Health and Care Act 2022. This is because virginity tests breach women’s and girls’ fundamental rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), including the right to be free from torture and inhuman treatment and the right to private and family life.
We believe that every woman deserves the right to decide about her body – free from shame, stigma or discrimination, without pressure to subscribe to ‘gender-based societal norms’, and without fear of harm. This is why we are campaigning to end the practice of virginity testing and hymen repair, in addition to tackling the shame and stigma commonly associated with ‘virginity’. ‘Virginity’ is a deeply embedded social norm without scientific basis.