"When I had the operation I was eight years old. I was taken back to Somalia and had the operation performed. Because I was very young I did not know what was happening to me, what they were doing to me. They strip you. They open your legs apart and they have ladies holding every part of your body, even holding your mouth to prevent you from screaming. I still remember the pain from this day." This young girl watched her sister be circumcised first, then it was her turn. " In terms of what happened to us, we just use the term being 'sewn up', having the clitoris cut off and having been sewn up for us not to have any sexual intercourse or anything! I questioned my mother as to why she did it to me. She said she had to - that it is tradition, it is custom." This is part of a testimony from a young girl from Somalia. She is one of the 6,000 girls genitally mutilated daily in East Africa and to date,114 million women have already experienced this mutilation in East Africa alone (Dorkenoo 1994, p123).
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) originally began in Egypt as a type of ceremony for young women entering puberty. The ancient Egyptians practiced a form of FGM called infibulation, also known as "Pharaonic Circumcision." The Romans populated much of Egypt at this time and the term infibulation originated with them. Fibula means to clasp or pin together and the Romans used a fibula to pin together their togas. To prevent sexual intercourse, the Romans fastened a fibula through the large lips of slave women, which made the slaves more marketable, fetching a higher price when sold. The Egyptians then picked up on this custom to make their women more desirable and keep them virgins before wedlock (Hosken 1993 p33). It became a religious custom after years of ceremonies and when religious groups began practicing the custom. As popularity for the custom grew, religion was not the only reason it was performed. It was done to keep the women's virginity longer (family honor), much the same reason the Egyptians began the custom. Aesthetic beauty was important, for it was believed that she would be more appealing to her husband. Social integration and hygiene, were thought to be improved because she could keep herself cleaner. And the last reason was to prevent infant mortality. It was believed that women had poisons within them and the only way to prevent a child from getting those poisons during birth was to circumcise the mother. (Denniston & Milos 1997).
Today, however, after much research, the reasons for which FGM began are being questioned. The reality is that the religions that practice FGM, which include; Islamic peoples, Muslims, Coptic Christians, Protestants, Catholics, and others have no religious basis for the mutilations. Female genital mutilation may be practiced in different cultures and religions, however, it is not supported by the written word or history of any of the participants. For example, in East Africa, where the strongest concentration of population in the world that practices FGM is located, has a strong Muslim basis. In the Muslim culture there are two main sources of law, The Koran and The Sunnah, neither of which make any reference to FGM and therefore can not advocate it either. FGM although proven not to have a written religious basis, is completely ingrained in the cultures of the people in this area. In fact, FGM has become a sign of devotion for the women, to their people. For most of these women it is unimaginable that the operation would not be performed, even if it means a lifetime of pain and difficulties. Their mothers and grandmothers have done it, so why shouldn't they?
There are three main types of female genital mutilation. First, is the Sunnah Circumcision (Sunna means "the tradition" in Arabic.). This involves the removal of the prepuce (skin covering the clitoris) and the tip of the clitoris. This type of mutilation takes quite a bit of anatomical knowledge by the operator, so this type is rarely performed in East Africa. The second type is Excision/Clitoridectomy. This requires removal of the entire clitoris and the area surrounding it, including the labia minora. This is the most common form of FGM and is seen in almost every culture that practices the custom. Finally, Infibulation is the third type of mutilation. This is the most painful and the most damaging. The clitoris, the labia minora, and parts of the labia majora are removed. Then the two sides of the vulva are closed over the vagina. They are fastened together with thorns or sewn with thread. A small opening for urination and menstruation is made by inserting a splinter of wood. Then the legs of the girl are tied together and she is immobilized for several weeks so that the wound may heal. All of these forms of FGM cause great pain and problems for the girl. Each culture, have variations upon these types depending on how important the custom is to them (Hosken 1993 p32).
Female genital mutilation is almost always performed by midwives and often it is the same women that delivered the girls when they were born (www.fgmnetwork.org). In a few countries, the way the mutilations are performed are restricted by law, in hopes that a trained doctor will perform the operations versus the midwives. However, as expected these laws are not followed. The countries that practice these traditions, specifically East Africa, are underdeveloped and have strong cultural beliefs that do not include seeing a doctor. Therefore, FGM continues to be performed by midwives and other older women who use unsanitary tools in unsanitary environments.
The young girls that experience this mutilation have pain and problems for the rest of their lives. The health risks and complications involved are dependent a great deal on the severity of the mutilation. Short-term problems associated with FGM include; pain, hemorrhaging, shock, and sometimes long recovery time for other organs hurt in the struggle of the operation. Some long-term effects may include: HIV or Hepatitis B contraction (from non-sterile instruments), pain during intercourse and childbirth, both of which can cause further damage. On top of all of those risks, infections and bleeding often occur throughout their life (Dorkenoo1994).
Bibliography:
Lynnae Westphalen, 10/4/99