'Virginity test' helps free 3 in Vietnam rape case

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - An acupuncturist who claims she can detect a man's virginity based on a small dot on the ear has become a minor celebrity in Vietnam, where she is credited with helping to free three convicted rapists from prison.

Traditional medicine practitioner Pham Thi Hong started lobbying for the men's release, pleading their case all the way to the president, because she believes all three men are virgins and therefore could not be guilty of rape.

"They all had small red spots on the back of their ears," said Hong, 54. "The spots should have disappeared if they had had sex. My many years of experience told me that these men did not have sex before."

Her claims are unusual even for a country where acupuncture and traditional medicine are still common remedies, but Hong's determination to have the case reopened - even threatening to light herself on fire - led to prosecutors re-examining the case. The convictions eventually were suspended due to flaws by initial investigators.

"Thanks to her efforts, investigators revisited the case which otherwise could have been buried," said Nong Thi Hong Ha, a lawyer for one of the freed men.

Hong says she discovered the spot on Nguyen Dinh Kien's ear the first time he visited her for treatment four years ago. He was brought to the hospital from prison, where he was serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted of gang raping a 20-year-old woman in 2000.

After seeing the spot on Kien's ear, Hong believed his insistence that he was innocent. She later examined his two alleged accomplices and began a campaign for their release. Eventually, President Nguyen Minh Triet ordered that the case be re-examined.

Investigators who revisited the case discovered flaws, including the fact that testimonies of witnesses indicating their innocence were not included in the case's files, according to the local Pioneer newspaper. The three men, having served 10 years in jail, were released in January.

Vietnamese newspapers have dedicated profiles to Hong and her virginity test, crediting her with helping to free the men while not expressing any skepticism of her ability. Earlier this week, she went on an online chat on Pioneer newspaper where readers expressed their "great admiration" for her efforts.

She says she was first taught how to determine if a man has ever had sex by feeling their pulse. She later developed the ear-spot method on her own. She says the spot will only disappear after heterosexual intercourse and is not affected by gay sex or masturbation.

"I never thought that one day I would use this method to help the three men prove their innocence," said Hong, while treating a patient in her home on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Her virgin-detecting claims have drawn skepticism from other traditional medicine practitioners, who work with needles, herbs and other methods using centuries-old techniques to manipulate energy, or chi, in the body.

"I have never heard of this method before," said Nguyen Van Hao, 60, an acupuncturist who has practiced for 14 years. "From the medical point of view, it's impossible to determine whether a man has had sex or not by feeling the pulse or examining the red spot on their ears."

Hong, however, said she's convinced her method works after years of testing it on her students.

Hong says her reputation has now prompted other convicted rapists to seek her help in appealing their cases.

"I'm not planning to launch a campaign to clear innocent people who were falsely convicted of rape," she said. "But I'm willing to help people to prove their innocence, if they really are."

© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15826/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ecr5T2yH

Strange place, HaNoi. Strange people too.

Down here in Saigon I doubt there's a virgin - male or female - over the age of sixteen.

I've got spots on my ass, what does that mean.

After tens years in prison they were still virgins?? How likely is that? Or does it only apply to the opposite sex??

I've got spots on my ass, what does that mean.

You're not washing well enough???

I've got spots on my ass, what does that mean.

You're not washing well enough???

No, it just means I have very bad taste in underwear, Polka dots are so last century.

(drum roll please)

After tens years in prison they were still virgins?? How likely is that? Or does it only apply to the opposite sex??

She says she was first taught how to determine if a man has ever had sex by feeling their pulse. She later developed the ear-spot method on her own. She says the spot will only disappear after heterosexual intercourse and is not affected by gay sex or masturbation.

So wanking and batting for the other side doesn't count.

Holy c... how on earth can that be for real? Im glad if those men were innocent that they were released (based on other factors though!), but the red dot thing seems so strange to me.

I wonder now if there will be a spate of convicted rapists getting little red dot tattoos behind the ear done in prison.

Those nice Hindu chaps have the dot in the middle of their forehead. I wonder what that means ?

( I can here that Thaddy....Dick Head is just rude )

Sir Richard Cranium please.

After tens years in prison they were still virgins?? How likely is that? Or does it only apply to the opposite sex??

She says she was first taught how to determine if a man has ever had sex by feeling their pulse. She later developed the ear-spot method on her own. She says the spot will only disappear after heterosexual intercourse and is not affected by gay sex or masturbation.

So wanking and batting for the other side doesn't count.

Oooooopppsss! Guess I missed that part as I skimmed over the story to summarize since it sounded like such <deleted>...

Curious though what is it about the pulse that is an indication? Wish it specified that? Since it is rather easily manipulated by utilizing several techniques.

( I can here that Thaddy....Dick Head is just rude )

You heard that .... nothing wrong with your ears then.

I have a suspicion that my red spots are growing back.

I've got spots on my ass, what does that mean.

spots on ur arse, too much information dude!

tell your bf to lay off

When I first read the title to this thread, I instantly thought of marky and his claim to fame virginity thread.

Are freckles ok?

That whole virginity red spot thing is a load of <deleted>.

After tens years in prison they were still virgins?? How likely is that? Or does it only apply to the opposite sex??

She says she was first taught how to determine if a man has ever had sex by feeling their pulse. She later developed the ear-spot method on her own. She says the spot will only disappear after heterosexual intercourse and is not affected by gay sex or masturbation.

So wanking and batting for the other side doesn't count.

Oooooopppsss! Guess I missed that part as I skimmed over the story to summarize since it sounded like such <deleted>...

Curious though what is it about the pulse that is an indication? Wish it specified that? Since it is rather easily manipulated by utilizing several techniques.

Well I'd say the pulse would be a better indication of lack of sexual experience. Particularly if it's being taken by a hot young Vietnamese girl.