Virginity and hymens have since time immemorial been highly valued especially in cultures and religions that forbid premarital sex.
For centuries, women in such societies have had to prove their virginity by bleeding during their first marital intercourse. Some cultures even go to the extent of asking women to show the blood-stained sheets to the husband’s family.
As such, women who are not virgins have had to go to great lengths to preserve their image and ensure nuptial bleeding. Without blood, a marriage can be annulled or the woman may go through some unfortunate honour killings.
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During the Middle Ages, women had to go through a virginity test performed by midwives before they would be allowed to marry. Women who were not virgins had to bribe these midwives who would cut them and say that they were found to be virgins.
Historians say some women would also fill a small fish’s bladder with blood, then shove it into their vaginas before their wedding night.
Others also risked their health by placing ground up nutmeg in their vagina or using alum water since it had powerful astringent properties.
In contemporary African society, the belief is that cultures have been influenced by Western values such as the heightened respect of human rights, hence women should not necessarily be expected to protect their virginity.
But the reverse is the case, as more and more women who are not virgins are engaging in various tricks to prove they are.
Due to cultural and societal pressures, women are being forced to do the following to re-virginize for men in a period when women are unfortunately solely responsible for maintaining some kind of purity:
