Female Genital Mutilation

FGM

Everyday there are about 6,000 women and girls who are at risk of facing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) (WHO 1998). The reasons for doing this are not usually religious, but a social practice for the acceptance standard or gender identity of women. This horrible act usually takes place in select countries in Africa and the Middle East, but also in the United States. Women and girls who face this issue suffer from many long-term physical and psychological effects of FGM, including death. This deed is jeopardizing to the world’s women and girls, and a violation of human rights.

FGM is the term used to refer to the removal of all or part of the female genitalia (Amnesty). The most severe procedure of this is called infibulation, where the removal of all exterior genitalia takes place, but also the woman or girl is stitched back up leaving a tiny opening for urine and menstruation. This is to guarantee that bride is a virgin. On the wedding night the woman is cut open, usually with a double-edged dagger, to perform sexual relations. When the husband is away, the wife is stitched back up again to ensure fidelity. Two other procedures are the clitoridectomy, where the entire clitoris is removed; and the “sunna circumcision” where the tip or hood of the clitoris is removed (Amnesty).

This practice is done on women and girls of all ages. The earliest known is just after birth, and the latest at the time of the first pregnancy. It is becoming less and less common to have this procedure done at a later age according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The common age is between the years 4 and 8. It is estimated that 135 million girls have undergone some form of FGM, that’s 2 million per year and 6,000 a day (WHO 1998).

FGM is practiced in mostly African and Middle Eastern countries. FGM is reported to be practiced in 28 countries in Africa including Kenya, Nigeria, Mali, Upper Volta, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Mozambique, and Sudan (Sarkis). In the Middle East there are known practices of FGM in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Southern Algeria. FGM procedures are also held in Europe; in Sweden and Italy mostly. A native of the culture who lives in the community, will perform FGM illegally. Even if girls run to America to escape, someone tracks them down. The family will send someone to get the girl and also someone to do the procedure. Even in America, “Land of the Free”, girls are subject to this wrongdoing. It seems that no girl or woman has even a choice of freedom even though it is concerning their own body.

This tradition was previously believed to be a part of the Muslim religion, however it isn’t a part of the religious sect at all. Christians, Protestants, Catholics, and some indigenous groups practice it as well. It is a cultural tradition that continues to harm women and girls’ bodies everyday. This procedure is done as a social or cultural practice. Although it is frequent in areas of the Muslim religion, it is not a religious ceremony. Some girls are practiced on alone, but usually in groups of family members or neighbors of the same age. It is practiced either in a girl’s home, health center or designated place such as near a river or a tree. It is done by a mid-wife, older woman, or qualified doctor. Often times the instruments used are broken glass, scissors, razor blade or a tin lid. It is usually used on many girls at a time without being cleaned for each girl. Consequences of this are the spread of diseases and viruses, the worst being HIV. Anesthetics are almost never used; in some cultures girls will be told to sit in cold water to try and help numb the area. For the very rich, a qualified doctor in a hospital under a local or general anesthetic may perform the mutilation procedure (BMA 2001).

The effects of FGM can lead to death. At the time of the procedure a girl may experience shock, hemorrhage, pain and damage to surrounding organs. After the procedure, urine may be contained creating chronic infections, intermittent bleeding, abscesses and small benign tumors. With the use of unsterilized equipment HIV can be spread to many girls at a time. If infibulation is the procedure carried out then the woman is susceptible to even more infections at the time of the first intercourse and during childbirth. By unskilled cutting by their husbands, the knife or dagger could damage the surrounding areas if mutilated further. During childbirth the existing scar tissue built up from the procedure can be very damaging to the child. This scar tissue can cause the genitals to be tightly closed and even kill the baby if it can’t make it through.

Some psychological effects can affect a woman until her death. She can experience shock and trauma causing serious brain problems. Also sexually this can