10 Sad Facts About Female Genital Mutilation

The discourse surrounding the practice of Female genital Mutilation continues to cause a stir from both challenger and supporters of the practice. However, as we mark today, the world day for zero tolerance to FGM, the larger issues of dignity, value, and worth of life are greater than this one particular act.

Female genital mutilation, is NOT female circumcision. It is a barbaric practice commonly found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and several countries in the Middle East. It is simply the cutting of the clitoris, removal of some or all of the labia minora, or stitching shut of the labia majora.

This procedure is NOT medically appropriate. It is conducted to control the woman, to keep her from being sexually promiscuous, to prepare her for marriage, and for religious purposes. Many who preform and even receive these acts see nothing wrong with the practice. However, this procedure is extremely invasive, controlling, and often deadly, as well as a massive violation of human rights.

Sadly, he number one fact will always be that female genital mutilation is often carried out by female practitioners, the intent being to control the female body and sexuality for man’s benefit. Why this is, is something that is truly disheartening and unexplainable.

Scooper Brings You 10 Sad Facts About FGM

There are zero health benefits from female genital mutilation, only health risks that are often deadly.

Some of the immediate results of female genital mutilation are severe pain, excessive bleeding, the swelling of the genital tissue, fever, infections, tearing of the genital area, problems with urination, inability for the tissue to properly heal, injury to the surrounding genital tissue, and in severe cases shock and death.

One of the long term complications of FGM is high mortality rate. If the woman is able to make it through the immediate complications, such as urinary problems, vaginal problems (including discharge, itching, and bacterial vaginosis), scar tissue problems, extreme pain and even tearing during intercourse, difficulty with intercourse, tearing during childbirth, the need to resuscitate the child after birth, and infant death.

In Cross River, many girls aged 14 or older who have not undergone female genital mutilation may still be at risk.

The tools used in the procedures of female genital mutilation are not always clean. Dirty scalpels, pieces of glass, razors, small knives, and even sharpened sticks are used in these processes. Often, opossum string is used, made of opossum hair strands. Tetanus often kill the victims.

These procedures are done by traditional circumcisers. Quack doctors conducting the procedure are not well trained.

It is done to find husband. Women who have daughters will often find themselves conforming to the social pressures to ‘help’ their daughters even if the mother is against the practice and has not had the procedure herself. Many young adults may also find themselves undergoing the procedure in their late teens to be able to find a life partners.

Women who have undergone female genital mutilation often have a harder time having an orgasm, they have a less active sex drive, and often feel that they are not able to sexually please their partners.

This practice is a violation of a person’s fundamental human rights.

FGM is not only a cultural antecedent, it is a patriarchal action to effect control and dominance to over the female body and feminine sexuality has crossed geographical boundaries.

FGM is practiced by educated people. For a long time, people insisted that FGM was practiced by people who were less educated. That is not true. In many parts of Nigeria, FGM is a cultural rites done on women to take them into womanhood.