Virginity does not generate much dispute regarding its definition. Most will agree that virginity is the state of not having ever engaged in sexual intercourse. However, there are varying descriptions of what is considered human sexual intercourse. In the broadest sense, it can be defined as an instance wherein any corporal extremity penetrates a bodily orifice. Penetration when involving heterosexual individuals always carries the possibility of resulting in pregnancy. Given this backdrop then, if a woman is pregnant but neither artificial insemination nor immaculate conception occurred, can she still be a virgin?
Apparently, the response is “yes” according to Thu, a third-year student currently studying at Ha Noi University. In the article “Pha thai hai lan van con trinh” (“Underwent abortion twice but still a virgin”) that was published in multiple news sources in February 2011, Thu could not believe that she was pregnant because she and her partner only “touched” (“so so”) on the outside. Thu was not prepared to be a mother and hence opted for a medical abortion (versus a surgical abortion since Thu desired to keep her hymen, and thus her virginity, in tact). Needless to say, based on the article’s title, Thu subsequently “touched,” aborted, and maintained her virginity again.
Are occurrences such as Thu’s very common? In terms of becoming pregnant from “touching,” then the cases are limited. However, in terms of young, unmarried women undergoing an elective abortion because of an unwanted pregnancy, then the statistics are shocking. According to data from UNFPA, the Guttmacher Institute, WHO, and the Reproductive Health Matters Journal, there are approximately one million induced abortions every year in Vietnam. Moreover, this rate has been increasing from about 2.5 abortions per woman in 1995 to about 2.8 recently, with a higher rate in urban areas than in rural regions.
The high levels of elective abortions suggest that effective contraception methods and quality family planning services are lacking in Vietnam. Moreover, a relatively conservative climate further inhibits proper discussion of sexual matters for young people. A study reported by VietNamNet Bridge in 2009 stated that even though the abortion rate is very high, “69.7% of parents say that their children are too young to learn about sex education.” What age would be appropriate then? Is the age of a third-year college student like Thu still too young?
Given that one
-fifth to one-third of women who sought abortions are in this age group, earlier sex education in Vietnam is a must. Unfortunately, awareness of contraceptives and family planning was low even amongst women who have undergone an abortion. These women are using the abortion itself as a form of family planning. Even amongst women who are aware of contraceptive methods, nearly 20% rely on periodic abstinence or the withdrawal method because they feared the possible side-effects or the long-term negative health impact of modern contraceptives.
In order to prevent increases in Vietnam’s already alarming abortion rate, there needs to be improved information and counseling regarding reproductive physiology and contraceptive options for both men and women. Furthermore, family planning education and effective contraceptives must be available and presented to Vietnamese youth at an earlier point in life than when the pregnancy test strip is positive.
After reading this article the first time through, I knew immediately wanted to say something, but I was drawing a blank. I tightened my lips and cheeks and furrowed my eyebrows still trying to process the idea and answer the question, “Wait.. did I just read all that right?” A third year university student believing she was not having an abortion because she believed she wasn’t really pregnant, only because he touched her “so-so” on the outside– despite there being a living fetus inside of her makes me question Vietnam’s higher education system and even question if the government’s propaganda and brainwashing had indirectly led to such ignorance.
Who should get the blame for such ignorance– she, herself? The low-quality formal education offered? The government’s interference or even banning of private schools to teach what is true– instead they teach what is needed to keep the upcoming generation “under control”? EVERYTHING is under the government’s control and the government does not want the upcoming generation being more “educated” than they are for fear of possibly overthrowing the government.
Before each school year the government holds a meeting for all college professors and tell them, “This is what you’re allowed to teach, this what you’re not allowed to teach.” The government has to make sure the upcoming generation doesn’t become to knowledgeable and westernized so they don’t uprise against the government.
Source: My own colleagues who went to teach at the university level in Vietnam
Hi Kimberly,
Thank you for your comments. Born and raised in California, I remember attending a sex education course/rally/session every year from fifth to twelfth grade. Not having ever studied in Vietnam, I cannot comment regarding the quality of education Vietnam offers. In regards to teaching “what is needed to keep the upcoming generation under control,” especially as it relates to the context of this article, learning about family planning and birth control would probably be more aligned to keeping the population “under control” than preventing dissemination of this information. As for the student’s own ignorance, if the information is not taught in school and online information sources are governmentally blocked and parents do not find sex to be an appropriate topic of discussion, then where could this student obtain such information? Given that statistics show most women undergoing multiple abortions, the information is most likely not available through healthcare providers. Perhaps, visiting a brothel may provide more sexual insight for the student or are words that transmit within a brothel also governmentally regulated?
In terms of sex education in Vietnam, I don’t think it is so much about the government intentionally blocking the information. It is more bad policies and mismanagement. When I was in high school in Vietnam, there were teen magazines like Muc Tim or Hoa Hoc Tro that had very good Q&A sections on gender and sex related issues. And of course those are state-owned publications. There are also countless online forums you can log on an ask just about anything. So if you go out there and look for it, the information is available. This is more true for the urban population.
What is missing is a more systematic and universal sex education program in middle and high schools in urban and rural areas alike. Social stigma against premarital sex is a huge challenge. If you look 20 and you venture to buy condoms at drugstores you will likely get dirty looks.
Check out this entertaining video about a model that works for Thailand: http://www.ted.com/talks/mechai_viravaidya_how_mr_condom_made_thailand_a_better_place.html
Hi Luan,
Thank you for providing the information, and thank you for sharing a wonderful, entertaining yet informative, link.
I agree that it is Sexual Ignorance is one of the causes that lead to high abortion in Vietnam. However, I don’t know why Virginity Obsession is a cause. Your article didn’t explains this part. If a girl intents to keep her virginity until her marriage, that should help reduce abortion.
Hi Neil,
Thank you for asking. As stated in the article, the number of cases where a “virgin” is pregnant is limited. The case study highlighted here is of a woman who believes virginity means no broken hymen. If she carries the pregnancy to term and delivers, then her hymen would not be intact (and hence she would no longer be a “virgin” according to her own definition). Whereas if she had an abortion, especially a medical one, the woman’s hymen may not be broken (and thus, she would still be a “virgin” according to her definition). Biologically, there are women whose hymen does not need to be broken or the hymen may have been broken through other activities, such as the often-named pastime of horse-riding. Clearly, the definition of virginity by the woman in this case study was inaccurate. Perhaps there should have been quotation marks around the word “virginity” in the title.
Of course, if a woman honestly keeps her virginity until she is in a stable, non-abusive, supportive, long-term relationship and if she truly keeps her virginity until she is ready to be a mother, then the abortion rate should be decreasing.