Doctors obliged to report to the police about girls who lost their virginity

On May 30, the head of the Ministry of Health of the Saratov Region signed a very curious document. It was addressed to the chief doctors of hospitals and polyclinics of the region and instructs them to work closely with the police. In particular, to report “where to go” about cases if a girl who is not yet 16 years old comes to the gynecologist for examination, but who has already had sexual experience. In addition, the doctor must notify that the girl has lost her virginity, and the Office for the Protection of Motherhood and Childhood.

No, in fairness it should be noted that doctors should notify the police and officials not only about an event in the sexual life of a teenage girl, but also about pregnancy, if any, about an abortion (apparently illegal) and about cases when girls diagnose venereal disease.

All this, in the opinion of Minister Vladimir Shuldyakov, should have an extremely positive effect on the situation with pedophilia. Immediately, there will be fewer clandestine abortions and fewer crimes against the sexual inviolability of minors.

It turns out that doctors are obliged to violate medical secrecy and report the details of the child’s intimate life not to parents and legal representatives, but to completely strangers. However, on this score, officials insured themselves and said that the very concept of medical secrecy does not work if there is a threat to a person’s life or health. But there is one more but.

Losing your virginity is not a crime in itself. Many, to be honest, part with her at the age of 15, or even at 14, and of their own free will. This does not pose any danger to health. And to make this event public – well, you can hang an announcement on the fence. “Masha Ivanova is sexually active.” And the signature: “Chief physician”. Let everyone know.

Let’s imagine how it will be in practice. For example, Masha lost her virginity. Now the police know about it. So, what is next? She will be summoned to the department and asked, under what circumstances did this happen? I wonder if Masha will be frank with a police officer, and even in the company of her parents or a teacher – according to the law, a minor can only be interrogated in their presence. 90 percent that Masha will withdraw and refuse to talk about her sex – especially if he really was by mutual attraction. Will she then trust the doctors? Or will it be possible to drive her to a gynecologist only by force? Of course, this will benefit Masha’s health.

But there is another 10 percent chance. Masha will tell you how her classmate raped her. Or a physical education teacher. Or someone else. And we will get an amazing tracing paper from the story of Diana Shurygina.

Of course, someone may also be in favor. Say, the girl herself will not tell her parents. But this is her own business and the question of how trusting relationships are built between the parents and the child. However, trust in the family is definitely not a matter of the police, but rather of a psychologist.

What if the girl was really abused? In this case, of course, police intervention is legal. But the parents of the victim must declare this. Moreover, the doctor will not be able to determine whether there was sex by consent or not – if from the “evidence” there is only a violation of the hymen.

By the way, there is no such law about boys. They have no signs of virginity. But there are enough perverts, and boys are not protected from violence either. I wonder what laws Saratov officials will come up with in this regard.