Circumcision or Mutilation of Women? A Few Words About FGM

What is FGM?

This is a scandalous and dangerous procedure, the purpose of which is to deprive a woman of sexual sensations by partially or completely removing/mutilating her organs. Mutilation is most often done before puberty, usually between the ages of 4 and 8. Unfortunately, cases of the procedure being performed on children who are a few days old or a few months old are becoming more frequent. Adult women are rarely mutilated.

Where did it come from?

FGM is not connected to religion, and neither the Quran nor the Bible mention it. Despite this, it occurs on almost every continent. Etios of Amida in the 6th century described the Egyptians cutting off overly prominent clitorises, which was supposed to improve their appearance and at the same time reduce the inappropriate sexual appetite of married women. In the 19th century, FGM was used to "treat" hysteria, neurosis, nymphomania and masturbation. It was the idea of ​​European gynecologists who considered clitoridectomy to be an invaluable method of taming women. Freud contributed by proposing a theory about two types of orgasms - clitoral (immature) and vaginal (mature). It was thanks to him (oh, that Freud!) that therapeutic clitoridectomy was used even until the 1960s!

Types of "operations"

WARNING! This section contains descriptions of drastic organ mutilation. Sensitive people are advised to skip it and go to the entry: "Who is the perpetrator?"

The World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes four types of female genital mutilation:

Type 1 and 2 – about 80% of cases. Type 1 - circumcision or "sunna", which is the removal of the clitoral foreskin and clitoris or part of it, a procedure compared to male circumcision (in medical terms).

Type 2 is excision or clitoridectomy, which is the removal of the clitoris, usually combined with the complete removal of the labia. A practice popular in countries in Africa, Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East.

Type 3 - about 15% of cases. Infibulation or "Pharaonic Circumcision" - removal of the clitoris and labia minora and leaving them to heal naturally or sewing up the remaining tissue leaving a small opening. The scar must be cut before intercourse and childbirth, which causes additional pain. Infibulation is mainly used in the countries of the Horn of Africa - Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea, and in the northern part of Sudan and southern Egypt. It is the cruelest form of the procedure, which is accompanied by long-term (lifelong) physical suffering and psychological trauma. In Somalia, infibulation (gudnin), performed on young girls without anesthesia and hygiene, kills one in ten of them.

Type 4 - about 5% of cases. Piercing, piercing, cutting, stretching of the clitoris or labia. Also scarring of the genitals by burning, scraping the vaginal vestibule, also the application of caustic substances or herbs to the vagina in order to narrow it.

Who is the perpetrator?

Mutilation is usually performed by women who do it "professionally" and have a good reputation in a given social group. Traditional midwives are often the ones who do the mutilation. Quite often - healers or even barbers.

Weapons of crime

FGM is usually performed without anesthesia and in disastrous hygienic conditions. The tool can be anything sharp: razor blades, scissors, knives or pieces of glass.

Crime scene

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 200 million women affected by FGM worldwide. In Europe alone, the number of girls and women who are mutilated or at risk is around one million. FGM is practiced mainly in northeastern and western Africa. However, it also occurs in the Middle East, southeastern Asia and among immigrants in Europe.

Europe

In theory, FGM is prohibited directly or indirectly in most European countries. However, up to 700,000 girls and women living in the EU are affected by or at risk of FGM. 140,000 of these live in the UK, 100,000 in France, 50,000 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The victims are migrants whose parents “took” the practice with them when they left their homeland. Despite this, FGM is still not seen as a problem in Europe. The lack of resources for awareness-raising training or investigations results in inadequate approaches by health services and authorities towards FGM victims. They are hit by a wall of ignorance.

Consequences, or a deadly countdown

Heavy bleeding, tetanus, bladder damage, infections, HIV infection (due to the use of undisinfected tools), psychological trauma, loss of sexual sensation, pain during menstruation, urination and with every attempt at intercourse, difficulty sitting and walking, constant abrasion of scars by clothing, cysts, suppuration, bladder infections, urinary incontinence, infertility.

The vicious circle of FGM

The mutilated are denied the right to feel pleasure. This is often done under the guise of honor, inclusion in the community of women. The mutilation is performed by one of the elders, and the mother's task is to tie up her own child, who is isolated after the procedure. If it survives, it returns to society to be able to inflict this hell on its offspring.

It is incredible how cruelty on such a scale could defend itself as a ritual and survive until our times. Despite the efforts of activists, the issue of female mutilation is still unresolved and current. It is therefore worth spreading information about this procedure and supporting initiatives fighting FGM, such as the Desert Flower foundation .