Last week, the government decided on a legislative proposal that means virginity controls, virginity certificates, and virginity interventions will be criminalized.
This is a loophole in the legislation that we think is important to close, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (The Moderate Party) at a press conference.
Those who perform a virginity control or intervention are proposed to be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year, and those who issue a virginity certificate can be punished with fines or imprisonment for up to six months.
The controls are performed despite it being impossible to determine whether a girl or woman has had sexual intercourse through a medical examination. However, the consequences of these "examinations" can be significant.
The governing parties believe that one should be punishable even if there is consent from the girl or woman. They assess that the risk is high that the girl or woman has agreed to it due to fear or concern about the consequences of saying no.
The controls can be performed, for example, prior to a marriage. They are carried out by healthcare professionals, relatives, religious leaders, or others with a special position within their own group. The abuses can occur in Sweden, but also in connection with visits abroad.
The number of controls and interventions performed is unknown. The government estimates that the dark figure may be large.
Furthermore, the government wants to tighten legislation on child marriage by making it criminal not to report that a forced or child marriage is to take place. This would, for example, include wedding guests.
The legislative changes are proposed to come into force on December 1, 2025.
