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What is FGM?
What is FGM?
FGM, or female genital mutilation, is a harmful traditional procedure that involves either partial or full removal of the external female genitalia. It is primarily performed on girls aged from infancy to 15 years old. Despite beliefs, there are no health benefits to girls and women who have undergone this harmful procedure.
Currently, there are at least 2 million women and girls alive today who have undergone this procedure.
Although FGM is internationally acknowledged as a violation of human rights and a clear form of discrimination against women and girls, this practice is still very prevalent today.
Where is it performed?
Where is it performed?
FGM is most prevalent in countries in Northern Africa and some countries in the Middle East. The highest prevalence rates occur in Somalia, Guinea, and Egypt.
How is it Performed?
How is it Performed?
FGM is performed by a non-medical professional, usually an elder woman of the community ("circumciser" or "cutter"). Beforehand young girls are told of procedure that they should be looking forward to and will become a woman after doing so. They are brainwashed to believe it is a right of passage and are shunned if they do not subject themselves to it. The procedure is done either inside or outside with the child laying on the ground. Family members hold them down while the cutter operates. No anesthesia is given and unsanitary practices are used.
Common tools used include: a broken piece of glass, knives, sharpened rocks, razors, scissors, and scalpels, all of which are non-sterile.
Why is it Done?
Why is it Done?
Reasons vary from region to region some factors include:
religion
social norms
seen as a "rite to womanhood"
control a woman's sexual desire (thought to be insatiable)
virginity is valued for marriage
thought of inability to have children if you have not been cut
female genitalia is seen as dirty/unattractive
FGM is thought to increase male pleasure
family honor
Types of FGM
Type I
Type I
Clitoridectomy: partial or
total removal of clitoral glans (clitoral hood)
*green colored areas show tissue to be removed*
Type II
Type II
Excision: partial or
total removal of the clitoral glans and labia minora with or without removal of the labia majora
Type III
Type III
Infibulation: removal of all
labia followed by suturing the vulva leaving only a hole the size of
a matchstick
Type IV: Includes all other non-medical procedures performed on the female genitalia.
incising
pricking
piercing
scraping
nicking
cauterizing
introduction of foreign substances in order to tighten vagina
A Personal Story from Shamsa Araweelo:
Shamsa Araweelo is a 30 year-old Somali-British woman who underwent FGM at the young age of 6 by force of her family. When she moved from Somalia to North London Araweelo experienced ongoing pain, chronic nerve damage, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts/actions.
She is now an FGM abolitionist and activist who spends her time campaigning for better support services for those who have undergone the procedure and giving them a voice.
In recent news, as of December 5, 2023, Araweelo has undergone a successful reconstructive surgery and is in recovery.
There Are No Health Benefits
The practice of FGM has no health benefits and only poses risks to those who undergo it. The procedure removes healthy female genital tissue and leaves it damaged. It also interferes with the natural processes of the bodies of girls and women.
Immediate Consequences
Immediate Consequences
severe pain
hemorrhaging
genital swelling/tissue injury
urinary problems
infections
fever
shock
death
Long-Term Consequences
Long-Term Consequences
urinary complications
painful urinations, UTIs
vaginal issues
discharge, bacterial vaginosis (BV)
menstrual problems
painful menstruations, difficulty passing menstrual blood
scar tissue and keloid development
sexual problems
painful intercourse, decrease in libido
childbirth complications
caesarean section, difficulty delivering, hemorrhaging, increase in newborn deaths
need for surgeries later in life
psychological problems
depression, anxiety, PTSD
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