Virginity survey mostly discredited<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several Yogyakarta leaders, including the royal family, have been
\nangered by the findings of a controversial survey, which claimed
\nthat most university students in the city had already lost their
\nvirginity.<\/p>\n
The survey, conducted by the Institute of Love and Humanity
\nStudies (LSCK) along with the Training Center for Business and
\nHumanities (Pusbih), sparked a public furor against the
\nresearchers.<\/p>\n
According to the survey, 97.5 percent of female university
\nstudents have lost their \"physical virginity\" due to either
\nsexual intercourse or through masturbation.<\/p>\n
The survey said to have been done over a period of three years
\nand polled a total of 1,660 respondents from various colleges
\nacross Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
At least 415 of the respondents have had sex more than once
\nand 98 other students have had abortions, it said.<\/p>\n
\"Based on these findings, we can conclude that our education
\nsystem has failed to develop our children's minds. It shows that
\nthe nation is currently facing an extremely serious socio-
\npathological disorder,\" claimed Iip Wijayanto, a 23-year-old
\nresearcher from LSCK.<\/p>\n
\"Our cultural paradigm has shifted far away from our roots and
\nour religious teachings have been breached and ignored,\" added
\nIip, a militant Muslim activist campaigning for Islamic sharia
\nlaw in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The survey, which has been a big issue in the local media,
\npromptly drew harsh criticism from numerous people, including
\nGusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, the wife of Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengku
\nBuwono XII who is also the current governor of the province.<\/p>\n
She accused the researchers of trying to incite unrest in the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
\"The research is not valid and should not be trusted. It could
\neven be said that the survey is merely aimed at destabilizing
\nYogyakarta which is calm and peaceful. It contains a political
\nmotive,\" Ratu Hemas said.<\/p>\n
She asked all parents who have sent their children to study in
\nYogyakarta to remain calm and not to be anxious over the
\nfindings.<\/p>\n
\"Yogyakarta City remains conducive to study and the morality
\nof female students is not like what has been described in this
\nsurvey,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Ratu Hemas also criticized the mass media for playing a role
\nin blowing the sensitive issue out of proportion by giving
\ndisproportionate coverage to the researcher's claims.<\/p>\n
Similar criticisms were also lodged by women's activists,
\ncommunity figures, academics and members of several local non-
\ngovernmental organizations.<\/p>\n
A discussion, sponsored by the Indonesian Family Planning
\nAssociation (PKBI) and the Kompas daily newspaper, held last
\nFriday in Yogyakarta discussed several aspects of the survey and
\nmost concluded that it contained many errors.<\/p>\n
Iip was also present at the forum but was condemned by most of
\nthe other speakers.<\/p>\n
\"Regardless of the methodology used in the survey, I feel
\noffended and conclude that Iip Wijayanto is trying to manipulate
\npeople. It is reflected in what he has stated in this forum,\" Mrs
\nBudi Wahyuni, a PKBI researcher, said during her speech.<\/p>\n
She was referring to, among other things, Iip's claim that he
\ncould identify whether a girl was virgin or not simply by looking
\nat her.<\/p>\n
The survey initially stunned many in Yogyakarta, which is not
\nonly known as a student city with a multi-ethnic population but
\nalso is a popular tourist destination.<\/p>\n
In most religions, including Islam, virginity is considered
\nmandatory up until the time one is married.<\/p>\n
Virginity is still seen by many men in Asia as a very
\nimportant factor for marriage.<\/p>",
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