General Question

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

Did SVU "create" virginity in this episode?

Asked by MyNewtBoobs (19059points) September 22nd, 2010

I was watching an Law & Order:SVU episode and heard this exchange:
“Any chance [the 12 year old victim] lead a secret life her mom knew nothing about?” “Well, if she did, it wasn’t turning tricks. Her hymen’s intact.”

Can doctors really tell if a hymen has ever been torn, or is this the continuation of the virginity myth?

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8 Answers

Likeradar's avatar

As far as I know, it is possible to tell if a hymen is intact. The virginity myth is that hymen=virgin. Hymens can get broken in many ways aside from sex, so lack of a hymen doesn’t necessarily mean sexual activity.

Was it the cult episode? I just watched that one tonight but I don’t remember that line.

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

@Likeradar Season 11, Episode 10 “Anchor”. I haven’t watched it completely yet, so I don’t know if there’s a cult.

augustlan's avatar

Yeah, it’s possible to tell if the hymen is intact, and hymens rip for all sorts of reasons having nothing to do with sex. I think it is also possible to have had sex without ripping the hymen. I’d imagine it would have to be very, very slow and gentle sex… so, not very likely.

MyNewtBoobs's avatar

@augustlan I know that some girls simply stretch it out gradually over time, from masturbation and tampons, so that there’s no tearing the first time, gentle or otherwise.

BarnacleBill's avatar

In some cultures or religions, it is important to “prove” that the bride was a virgin on their wedding night by blood on the sheets of the marital bed. Hymens can be surgically reconstructed to provide this proof.

deni's avatar

Yeah I think thats true. I saw pictures once of what the different ones looked like. Actually it was a drawing, HAHA. Let me try to find that…I’m not sure what to type into the search engine…

Seek's avatar

Personal experience – it is definitely possible to have sex without tearing the hymen. I was three months pregnant when mine finally bit the dust. Some people are just built like a brick wall, I guess. ^_^

autumnsunset's avatar

Seek Kolinahr, I would question though if I medical doctor could tell the difference of your hymen being intact and never having sex and hymen intact but signs of “damage” (if you will)? But yes, the doctor can tell if the hymen is intact or not.

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