Members of the British government announced Monday the introduction of legislation that would criminalize “virgin repair” surgery.
The bill, now before Parliament, would make hymenoplasty and “restoring virginity” operations illegal, according to a report.
Medical experts suggest that the two practices are “inextricably linked.”
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No scientific evidence supports the operations, during which scar tissue is used to make a fake hymen.
The procedure reportedly takes place in at least 20 countries, according to the World Health Organization, and it is frequently performed in cultures where virginity is linked to honor.
Investigators have said the operation can cost up to £3,000, or close to $4,000, the report noted.
The proposed legislation would criminalize pharmacies and private clinics across the United Kingdom that perform the operation and charge individuals who do so with “aiding and abetting,” according to the report.
The charge can result in a prison sentence of up to five years, and the legislation would also make it illegal to take girls and women abroad to receive the procedures.
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The bill would be a “significant step” to “safeguard vulnerable women and children in this country,” Gillian Keegan, the minister for care and mental health, said.
