Definition: The Virgin Cure is the mistaken belief that if a man has intercourse with a virgin female, he can be cured of AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
According to author Hanne Blank, the idea may have evolved from Christian legends of virgin martyrs whose purity served as a form of protection in battling demons. Researcher Mike Earl-Taylor also indicates the myth gained prominence 19th century Victorian England. Today, it is believed that the Virgin Cure may explain the staggering rise in child/infant rapes in South Africa, which is facing an HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Sources:
Earl-Taylor, Mike."HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape." Science in Africa, April 2002.
Blank, Hanne. Virgin: The Untouched History. Bloomsbury USA, 2007.
Also Known As: virgin myth
