Friday, 4 April 2014
Female circumcision: What it is and why it must stop
It is carried out at any age from soon after birth to 15 years and, of course, it is done without consent. It involves removing a girl’s clitoris and inner labia and sometimes the outer labia too. The wound is sewn up leaving a small gap for the passage of urine and menstrual fluid. The exact nature of the procedure varies in different cultural groups.
The cuts are made with a razor blade, scissors or knife, frequently by a person with no medical training, without anaesthesia and without sterilisation of the blade, sutures or dressings.
Immediate complications include fatal bleeding, retention of urine, urinary infection, wound infection and septicaemia. It is known that girls die from this procedure but no country, to my knowledge, keeps statistics. It seems that fatalities are rarely reported.
Eventually, if complications are not fatal, the wound heals and scar tissue forms, bonding the two sides of the vaginal opening together. The small opening left for urine and menstrual fluid is insufficient to allow for sexual intercourse, so the scar tissue must be broken apart before intercourse can occur. There are several ways this is done—all of them very painful. Of course, the woman is able to experience little or no sexual pleasure.
Immediate complications include fatal bleeding, retention of urine, urinary infection, wound infection and septicaemia. It is known that girls die from this procedure but no country, to my knowledge, keeps statistics. It seems that fatalities are rarely reported.
Eventually, if complications are not fatal, the wound heals and scar tissue forms, bonding the two sides of the vaginal opening together. The small opening left for urine and menstrual fluid is insufficient to allow for sexual intercourse, so the scar tissue must be broken apart before intercourse can occur. There are several ways this is done—all of them very painful. Of course, the woman is able to experience little or no sexual pleasure.
Female circumcision is mainly, but not exclusively, a Muslim practice. According to UNICEF, the top rates are in Somalia (with 98 percent of women affected), Guinea (96 percent), Djibouti (93 percent), Egypt (91 percent), Eritrea (89 percent), Mali (89 percent), Sierra Leone (88 percent), Sudan (88 percent), Gambia (76 percent), Burkina Faso (76 percent), Ethiopia (74 percent), Mauritania (69 percent), Liberia (66 percent), and Guinea-Bissau (50 percent).
Why is it done? Some say it is done for reasons of hygiene but this is not credible (and even if it were, would not justify it). In fact, the opposite is the case. Urine and menstrual fluids can be retained beneath the scar tissue and cleaning becomes very much more difficult.
It is a part of culture and is supported by both men and women in those groups that practice it. But it is painful, dangerous, done without consent and robs women of sexual satisfaction for their entire lives. The most likely reason for the practice is to control women—to reduce the likelihood of a wife having sexual relationship outside of marriage and as proof that a bride is a virgin.
I can’t think of a single good reason that would justify this vile practice. But they have no good reasons—they have only very bad reasons.
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About Me
- Nildogma
- As a 20-year-old I was insatiably curious about the world and passionate about rejecting superstitions and all kinds of false beliefs. I still am today. Sometimes when people believe things that are not true, it make little or no difference but sometimes the consequences can be disastrous and deadly. Now, I do what I can to help people improve their thinking skills, especially in how they impinge on core beliefs, such as cultural values and religious beliefs. I have an active Facebook page for which I create memes and write articles almost daily. I also engage people in on-line debates. You can find me here: https://www.facebook.com/bill.flavell.1 I lecture at universities around the world and present or debate at public meetings. I also, draw on my management consultancy background to help freethought groups, almost anywhere in the world, to get organised, develop strategy and improve their media and presentation skills. If you would like me to present at your university or for your church group or freethought group, please contact me.
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