Home Office probes virginity inspections

Press, 3 February 1979, Page 6

Home Office probes virginity inspections

NZPA-Reuter London A British Home Office inquiry continued yesterday into reports of virginity tests on immigrant women at Heathrow Airport. A huge row broke out when the practice came to light after a 35-year-old Indian schoolteacher had to prove her virginity to Heathrow Immigration officials on Thursday. This happened after her fiancee showed papers from his solicitor and local coun-

cil to - smooth iris bride’s passage through immigration. The Home Office, who said the tests help the’ officials to identify women;

entering the country illegally, began a top-level inquiry on the instructions of the Home Secretary (Mr Merlyn Rees). The woman in the middle of the row, the fiancee of a south London businessman, said she wanted to go home to Delhi. Mr “K” a widower with four children, said the “horrible experience” had put his marriage at risk, and he planned to prosecute the Immigration men and doctor involved.

He said his bride-to-be was hardly talking and would -not .eat o.r leave her house .eight days after the gynaecological examination.

He said: “My fiancee was made to strip naked without even a blanket or sheet. She didn’t know the laws in this country. She asked for a dressing gown, but they refused. “She had to stand like that for 20 minutes before the doctor came. If I had known what was going on, I would have stopped it." India’s High Commissioner (Mr Shri Goray) sent a car to the couple’s home yesterday morning, but the Delhi schoolteacher was too upset to leave the house.

Her fiancee went along to see Mr Goray and made a statement. Later Mr Goray tried to contact Mr Rees at the Home Office to protest.