Richard Holden MP wins award at IKWRO’s True Honour Awards 2022 in recognition of his outstanding commitment to tackling so-called ‘honour’ based abuse – in particular, his tireless work in banning ‘Virginity Testing’ and Hymenoplasty in the UK.
As the WHO makes clear, ‘Virginity Testing’ – a pseudoscientific examination of a woman’s genitalia – is a violation of the victim’s human rights and is associated with both immediate and long-term consequences that are detrimental to women’s physical, psychological and social well-being.
Richard worked tirelessly to spearhead the campaign in Parliament, managing to get the banning of so-called ‘Virginity Testing’ and hymenoplasty in the UK into the Government’s new Health and Care Bill after introducing a Private Members Bill to do so last year. The Bill has passed all stages in the House of Commons and has nearly finished its stages in the Lords – meaning it will soon be given Royal Assent, and so called ‘Virginity Testing’ and Hymenoplasty will be banned once and for all.
Richard Holden MP, comments:
“I have been genuinely honoured to work with so many amazing and inspiring people on this campaign to ban so-called ‘Virginity Testing’ and Hymenoplasty, some of whom have been subject to these practices themselves. It was remarkable to be alongside these strong individuals at last night’s award ceremony.
“I am delighted that this campaign has been successful and that the charities I have worked alongside including, MEWSorganisation, Karma Nirvana, IKWRO have finally made real progress in so many of these areas.
“My constituents have no truck with these sorts of abhorrent practices and neither do I. I really hope that this helps to lead to wider cultural change, too. Everyone deserves the same rights, dignity and respect as individuals, no matter their gender, and gender-based violence must be dealt with here and aboard. I hope this step helps in that quest.”