FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Imagine seeing the knife being heated on a gas stove. Imagine the hot knife slicing your uterus.
This is what happened to mazuma Renae. She was cut 42 years ago, but she still remembers that day clearly.
The history of this act is unknown as it dates back to centuries into old cultures and religions.
50,000 to 200,000 young girls are at risk of having this traumatic experience around the globe. This is commonly known as female genital mutilation, a culture that involves cutting part or all of the external female genitalia in order to prevent unnecessary sexual desires.
It predominantly occurs in Africa, the Middle East and Asia on girls ranging from infancy to 15years without anesthetic and their consent.
The World Health Organization states It is estimated that more than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation. The cultural society does not realize the harmful effects that these girls struggle with in live. After a female genital mutilation is performed. It can lead to infection and fertility psychological trauma and these factors could lead to death.
There are four types of female genital mutilation type one referred to as
Clitoridectomy – This is the partial or total
removal of the clitoris and in very rare cases only the prepuce the fold of skin that surrounds the clitoris. The clitoris is the most sensitive erogenous zone of a woman and when stimulated can the main cause of her sexual pleasure clitoral erection, and orgasm.
Excision– This is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora, the inner folds of the vulva with or without excision of the labia minora, the outer folds of the skin of the vulva type three referred to as an MP relation. This is a narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. This seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the libel minora, sometimes through stitching.
Infibulation – This type includes harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non medical purposes, the include picking, piercing incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.
Clitoridectomy-
This is the removal (partial or total) of the clitoral glans (the external and visible part of the clitoris, which is a sensitive part of the female genitals, and the clitoral hood (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoral glans). Sometimes it involves the removal of the clitoral hood only. This is never performed alone.
REASONS FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
The reason for having female genital mutilation performed varies from person to person.
• Most of the time female genital mutilation is performed on girls because of the gender norms embedded into the cultural society. In some cultures, the action of the female reflects on the family’s reputation. It is believed that women who do not have female genital mutilation performed on them will not be able to suppress their sexual feelings, which would bring shame and dishonor on the family.
• Religious beliefs.
To prevent this from happening to more girls, there are things you can do. One raise awareness, more people are aware of what female genital mutilation is, but they do not actually know how many girls are at risk.
However some woman when interviewed narrated their story in a different light.
They said they couldn’t even remember the incident nor do they feel any effect of their circumcision, And their sex life is alright.
Some went further to inform us about the advantages.
