Increasing Demand for Hymen Reconstruction

More and more Syrian women are undergoing an operation to avoid the scandal, or worse, that would ensue if they were shown not to be virgins when they got married, according to a March 26 article in the pro-government magazine White and Black.



A Damascus-based gynaecologist who asked to remain anonymous told the magazine that about five girls a day come to his clinic to inquire about the surgical procedure known as hymenoplasty. This minor operation restores the membrane that counts as proof of virginity – all-important for a woman entering marriage.



“Some are coming for the first time, and others for their second or third procedure,” he said.



The surgery can cost anywhere between 200 and 2,000 US dollars, depending on the doctor. The magazine said many doctors exploited their patients’ fear of being discovered to bump up the price.



Hymenoplasty is done in complete secrecy, with no medical records kept of the visit, as it is illegal in Syria. Doctors caught performing the procedure could face disciplinary action, including losing their licenses to practice.



Last year, five husbands who discovered that their wives had undergone the procedure launched divorce proceedings on the grounds that they had been deceived at the time of marriage, the article said. The men also filed lawsuits against the doctors involved.



Women who are discovered to have had the surgery also face the prospect of violent retribution, including murder.



Syrian law is lenient on men who kill their wives on the grounds of “honour”.