An Overview of Female Genital Cutting (FGC)

 An Overview of Female Genital Cutting (FGC)

About 10,000 American girls could be victims of this practice. Two Yemens, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and southern Algeria are among the Middle Eastern countries that implement FGC in various forms. Kenya, Nigeria, Upper Volta, Egypt, Mozambique, and Sudan are among the many African countries that practice it.



Despite its prevalence in Islamic nations, female genital cutting (FGC) does not constitute an Islamic practice. Frictional hair removal (FGC) is a religious and culturally diverse practice. In the Middle East and Africa, it is practiced by many different Christian denominations, including Muslims, Coptic Christians, indigenous peoples, Protestants, and Catholics.



Definition:



The term "FGC" is used to describe any procedure that involves removing or changing the female genitalia. Sunna circumcision (Type I), excision (Type II), and infibulation (Type III) are the three most common forms of female genital cutting (FGC) worldwide. There is a wide spectrum of severity among these three procedures, from Type I's "mildness" to Type III's extremes. Type II is a relatively new component of FGC. I will describe the steps involved in each of these activities and the impacts they have, both immediate and later on, in the parts that follow.



Sunna circumcision, Type I



"Sunna circumcision" refers to Type I FGC, the initial and most gentle form. "Sunna" is tradition according to what the prophet Muhammad taught. (Refer to the World Health Organization's definition) This procedure entails removing the prepuce along with some or all of the clitoris.



Along the African equator is a large region where type I is practiced. Here are the nations that Fran Hosken lists: Along the East African coast to the West African coast, from Mauritania to Sierra Leone, and in every country in between, including the most populous one, Nigeria; Egypt, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania are all part of this. The Middle East, specifically Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, has also been the site of Type I reports.



Class II - Chorioduodenectomy



In Type II FGC, the clitoris and labia majora and minora are scraped off, and the procedure may involve partial or complete excision of the clitoris. This occurs in Sudan and other nations where infibulation is illegal. When the most drastic procedures were outlawed in 1946 by British law, Sudanese midwives came up with the clitoridectomy as a middle ground.



Infibulation or Pharaonic circumcision is Type III.



Type III FGC is the third and most severe form. In its most severe form, the procedure involves removing the clitoris and the majora and minora labia that are close to it. Then, the scraped sides of the vulva are joined across the vagina and either thorns or thread are used to attach them. To facilitate the movement of urine and menstrual blood, a tiny hole is maintained. The custom calls for cutting an infibulated woman open for sexual relations on the wedding night and then closing her again thereafter to ensure her faithfulness to her spouse. Improbulation is "performed on all females, practically without exception, in all of Somalia and wherever ethnic Somalis live (Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti)," according to Hosken. It is also conducted along the coast of the Red Sea and throughout the Nile Valley, which includes southern Egypt.



In most cases, a midwife will use dirty, sharp objects like razor blades, scissors, kitchen knives, and shards of glass to perform FGC in an unclean environment. As a result of the lack of proper cleaning, these equipment are often used on multiple girls at once, increasing the risk of infection with viruses like HIV and others. In most cases, anesthetic and antiseptic procedures are either not employed or even mentioned. Imagine a surgeon operating on multiple ladies simultaneously without washing each one individually; that's the same principle.



Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation:



There are long-term physiological, sexual, and psychological impacts of FGC beyond the apparent acute agony of the surgeries. The practice of female genital cutting (FGC) occurs in an unclean setting, which increases the risk of genital and surrounding region infections, as well as the spread of the HIV virus, which can lead to AIDS. Primary deaths due to shock, bleeding, or septicemia are among the additional health implications of FGC. Some nations have outright banned FGC outside of medical settings in an effort to limit the spread of contagious diseases; Egypt is one such country. Although this approach appears to be more compassionate and aims to minimize the health hazards associated with FGC, it is likely to result in the removal of more tissue than necessary because the child will not be able to resist the anesthesia.



Consequences for the mother include sexual frigidity, genital malformation, delayed menarche, chronic pelvic problems, recurrent infections of the urinary tract and other obstetric issues; for the unborn child, there is a risk of infection and a variety of infectious diseases during pregnancy. The safe delivery of the baby depends on whether or not the infibulated woman undergoes a second procedure to be "opened" further.



Although some girls get FGC considerably later in life, the average age at which the procedure is performed is three years old. Age is relative and dependent upon ritual type and regional or community customs.



Grounds for Support:



There are numerous "justifications" for these activities in different cultures. The local villagers view a female who has not undergone circumcision as "unclean" and so unmarryable. In the event that a man's penis comes into contact with a girl who has not had her clitoris removed, the result could be disastrous.



Traditional practice is a popular justification for female genital cutting. Many women express their reluctance to change these habits, stating that they have always done it this way and have no plans to change. Unfortunately, the true consequences of FGC and the serious health dangers it poses are often kept hidden from the practitioners.



Some people justify FGC by saying it's necessary for the family's reputation, for protection from witchcraft, to ensure the woman will remain virgin and true to her husband, or even just to scare her into submission.



Some see female genital cutting as a savage behavior perpetrated on women and girls in rural areas across the globe. But the clitoris was still thought to be a particularly harmful female anatomy component until the last several decades. In his book Sexuality and the Psychology of Love, S. Freud famously said, "elimination of clitoral sexuality is a necessary precondition for the development of femininity."



The "Love Surgery" was carried out on American ladies as late as 1979. The medical community was exposed to "clitoral relocation" (also known as sunna circumcision) by the so-called Love Surgeon, Dr. James E. Burt. He took action based on the belief that excision does not diminish but rather heighten sexual pleasure. After nearly a decade of practicing in Ohio, Dr. Burt resigned from his position after being discovered.



The high number of reported occurrences of FGC, together with the tragic fatalities it has caused, has led to its outlawment in several European countries, including Switzerland, Egypt, Kenya, and Britain, as well as in a number of African countries.



Complete removal:



Notably, the annual number of female genital mutilation cases has not decreased despite the fact that FGC is presently forbidden in numerous African and Middle Eastern nations. Governments in these nations are powerless to stop the practice of female genital mutilation (FGC). Global organizations such as the WHO, UNICEF, and the UN have all condemned FGC as a human rights violation and called for its cessation. However, individuals that engage in FGC frequently do not report it, so attempting to combat it legally is futile. In rural areas and other areas where the government does not have easy access, female genital cutting is also common.



International and national cooperation would be the best and most effective course of action. The United Nations and the World Health Organization have already begun the process of outlawing these practices. Strict legislation addressing FGC instances is also necessary for countries. This isn't enough on its own either. Researchers in the fields of anthropology, education, sociology, and activism must visit these communities and warn the locals about the risks of female genital cutting. The eradication of female genital cutting can only happen through a grassroots movement that considers the culture as a whole and strives to integrate its beliefs and practices into the fight against the practice.



Any campaign to end female genital cutting must account for the fact that it is an initiation ceremony in many cultures. In places where "initiation without cutting" programs have mostly succeeded in eliminating female genital mutilation, a girl may still participate in certain initiation rituals, but they do not involve the use of blood.



Many people and organizations in the US are working to end the practice both domestically and abroad. A global coalition of social scientists and medical professionals against female genital mutilation and male circumcision has been formed through the networking organization known as the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC). In addition, the FGC Awareness and Education Project was established in August 1996 by NOCIRC. In order to help health care providers, this project aims to develop a FGC Module that includes training materials and information. In addition, NOCIRC is responsible for coordinating the Global Conference on Sexual Mutilations.



With a focus on female genital mutilation and reproductive sexual health, the studies, Actiona & Information Network for Bodily Integrity of Women (RAINBO) has been running grassroots initiatives and studies on a global scale. In the fall of 1994, Congresswoman Patricia Shroeder (D-CA) presented H.R. 3247, a bill that would have outlawed FGC in the US. Afterwards, H.R.3864, the Minority Health Initiatives Act, was merged with the measure. As of February 14, 1995, this measure was merged with H.R. 941 to form what was to be known as the "Federal Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation of 1995."



September 1996 saw the bill's passage into law. The abolition of female genital cutting (FGC) is now receiving the attention it deserves, but a long way remains to go. We may start living up to our beliefs that human rights should not be infringed and that violence against women is unacceptable by educating ourselves and others. Unfortunately, many people still don't realize how commonplace practices like female genital mutilation are; raising awareness is the only way to end this cruel practice.

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