The Indonesian military has announced that it will no longer perform vaginal examinations on female recruits to “test their virginity.”

The archaic “two-finger test” – which is still in use in India, Egypt and Afghanistan – allowed inspectors to assess whether the hymen of recruits was broken or not.

If they were deemed to have had sex, they would not be allowed to enlist in the military as their alleged past sexual behavior could “damage the image of the military”.

But the invasive testing regime is now officially over, according to Army Chief Gen. Andika Perkasa, who confirmed the decision.

“It used to be part of the assessment (for female recruits), but now we don’t do it anymore,” he told reporters in Balikpapan, in the Indonesian section of the island of Borneo.

“The military is always trying to learn and improve things within the organization.

The practice of subjecting military fiancés to such examinations has also been abandoned, the army commander said.

The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) welcomed the news – calling the tests “discriminatory and intrusive” – ​​but warned it needed evidence that the practice had ended.

“We need to be sure that the ‘virginity test’ is over,” said commissioner Theresia Iswarini.

“This test is discriminatory and intrusive. It can bring shame, fear and trauma to victims.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher and Indonesian expert Andreas Harsono said the draconian practice only existed as a means of discrimination based on gender.

“’Virginity testing’ is a form of gender-based violence and a widely discredited practice,” Harsono wrote.

“The test includes the invasive practice of inserting two fingers into the vagina to supposedly assess whether the woman has ever had sex.”

The test was declared “illegitimate” by the World Health Organization in 2014.

“The army command is doing the right thing,” Harsono added.

“It is now the responsibility of territory and battalion commanders to follow orders and recognize the unscientific and abusive nature of this practice. ”

The two-finger test was previously described as a matter of national security.

In 2015, Major General Fuad Basya said: “If it is not restricted in this way, then someone with a bad habit will become a soldier.

“Soldiers are the defenders of a nation. They defend the sovereignty of a nation, the territory and the security of a country.

He added that a recruit who lost her virginity out of wedlock would “not be in a suitable mental state” to be a soldier.

“It could be because of an accident, an illness or a habit (ie sex),” he said.

“If it is their habit, the Indonesian military cannot accept potential recruits like these.”

An army wife previously told HRW: “The military wants healthy couples.

“Soldiers often travel far from home. They should trust their wives.