A couple who sought assurance about their 15-year-old daughter’s well-being upon discovering she had a boyfriend have faced legal consequences for trying to coerce her into undergoing a virginity test conducted by a gynecologist.
The girl, whose identity is protected, testified in court that her father had physically assaulted her in March 2025 after learning about her relationship and then insisted on the examination.
Prosecutor Sarah Huet disclosed that the girl’s mother received a suspended three-month prison sentence for encouraging the minor to undergo the test, while the father faced charges for the same offense and for neglecting his parental duties, endangering the child’s welfare.
The father, a professional boxer, also faced charges of non-injurious violence and was given a six-month suspended sentence with probation. He claimed the test was a routine medical procedure to ensure the girl’s well-being.
The mother defended her husband, explaining that his outburst stemmed from feeling betrayed by their daughter’s secrecy despite their trust in her.
Regarding the virginity test, Prosecutor Huet emphasized that mere intention sufficed, and resorting to violence did not constitute acceptable parental discipline.
Upon learning of the planned test, the teenager reportedly suffered a panic attack and fainted.
In France, verifying virginity through medical tests is illegal, and the gynecologist declined to perform the procedure when contacted by the parents.
French President Emmanuel Macron had condemned virginity tests in 2020 as part of efforts against what he labeled as “Islamist separatism,” emphasizing the Republic’s rejection of such requirements for marriage.
Echoing Macron’s stance, the World Health Organization criticized virginity testing as unscientific, a violation of human rights, and potentially harmful to those subjected to it.
A coalition of French medical practitioners condemned the practice as archaic, regressive, and blatantly sexist, highlighting the societal concern over the persistence of virginity expectations in the modern era.
