Crimes (Virginity Testing Practices) Amendment Bill
This bill would make it a crime in New Zealand to carry out virginity testing — examining a woman or girl's genitals to try to determine if she has had sex — or hymenoplasty, which is a surgical procedure to reconstruct a part of female anatomy. Anyone who performs these procedures, or arranges for them to happen, could face up to five years in prison. The woman or girl on whom the procedure is performed cannot be charged as a criminal. The rules also cover cases where a New Zealander is taken overseas for these procedures.
What this affects
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The bill creates new crimes — carrying up to five years in prison — for performing or arranging virginity testing or hymenoplasty on anyone in New Zealand, or on New Zealand citizens and residents overseas.
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years who performs, or causes to be performed, on any person, any act involving virginity testing practices.
It is not a defence to a charge under this section that the individual on whom the virginity testing practice was performed, or a person on behalf of that individual, consented to the performance of that practice.
A person on whom a virginity testing practice is performed may not be charged as a party to an offence committed on her under this section.
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Governance and Administration Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 8 September 2026.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.