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