Cultural, traditional, and religious values in Arab societies including in Qatar vehemently discourage premarital intercourse, and the loss of a woman’s virginity is a matter of great significance.
The loss of virginity can occur through:
- Consensual sexual activity
- Sexual abuse
Surprisingly, even married women sometimes opt for hymenoplasty in Qatar.
Hymenoplasty Demand Grows Among Muslim Women
Health service data typically does not include information about the religion or marital status of individuals. However, reports from private clinics suggest a substantial increase in the demand for hymenoplasty in Qatar, primarily among Muslim women.
Although no official figure is available about how many women have undergone this procedure, pressure is on the rise in many private clinics illegally doing such operations.
What does it cost?
Generally, most women from Qatar travel to Dubai for hymenoplasty surgery and spend approximately Dh20,000 to undergo this procedure.
Some surgeons, often in private clinics, are known to conduct virginity restoration surgeries. Hymenoplasty costs around Dh20,000, with two options:
- A ‘permanent’ procedure is available anytime
- A less durable one is done shortly before a wedding.
One Qatar woman considering this surgery before her wedding is awaiting her salary to undergo the procedure.
Why so much demand for hymen restoration?
A Ministry of Health official has clarified that hymen restoration or reconstruction for unmarried girls is prohibited. In Muslim, as well as many other cultures, men expect girls to remain a virgin before they get married. This is also the norm in Qatar.
That is the reason hymenoplasty has become quite common among Muslim girls who have lost their virginity because of physical relationships. Data suggests over 100 NHS surgeries from 2007-2017 and a 40% rise in cases since the COVID-19 lockdown.
Hymen repair remains a controversial practice
Several activist organizations have vehemently advocated for outlawing what they consider a “troubling custom.” They contend that hymenoplasty fosters an environment conducive to abuse and amounts to aggression against women and girls, necessitating urgent intervention.
In response to this growing pressure, certain governments have committed to criminalizing hymenoplasty and outlawing clinics that offer virginity restoration services. However, despite the well-intentioned nature of these actions, there are concerns regarding potential risks to women’s lives.
An anonymous cosmetic surgeon who provides hymen repair procedures emphasizes the surgery’s life-saving aspect, particularly for most Muslim women who seek her services.
She empathizes with these women, who experience immense familial pressure and fear, social rejection or, even more alarmingly, the threat of severe physical violence or murder.
The motivation behind women opting for hymenoplasty is varied. Still, they are often driven by the cultural and religious pressures. Women in Qatar and Muslim communities face to maintain their virginity until their wedding night.
Amid a subtle rise in cases of honour killings and forced marriages, there is a mounting worry that a complete prohibition of hymen repair could potentially harm vulnerable women.
Given this matter’s intricate and deeply entrenched cultural, social, and religious dimensions, any course of action must prioritize the safety and welfare of the women affected. Ifas a woman, you need help then contact Dr. Nazmi Baycin who is the best Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery available in Dubai.
