Female genital mutilation in the modern world: savagery and cruelty
It would be wonderful if things like female genital mutilation remained a myth. But the horrifying statistics on the number of women subjected to this barbaric execution in childhood tell a different story. While male genital mutilation is so justified in other countries from a hygienic standpoint, the situation with female genital mutilation is fundamentally incomprehensible and terrifying for modern people in its cruelty. What is the nature of this procedure, why is it mandatory among African peoples, and why have similar operations begun to be performed in Russia?
Contents of the article:
History of Female Circumcision
If we consider this procedure from a religious perspective, not a single religious scripture from any period explains the removal of female genitalia as necessary. Modern scholars believe that the practice of circumcision arose in pre-Islamic and pre-Christian times. In ancient Egypt, Native American tribes, and among the sacred Incas, cases of complete or partial removal of the genitals were very common. Typically, this affected girls under the age of five. Today, it is difficult for a sane person to imagine the suffering that a defenseless child, largely unaccustomed to the outside world, could have endured. Needless to say, genital mutilations were performed without anesthesia and in completely unsanitary conditions.
The first experiments with female genital mutilation were recorded in Ancient Egypt. This is evidenced by archaeologists who discovered mummies of women without clitorises and labia. The modern world learned more about such procedures after the release of the film “Desert Flower,” which detailed this horrific tradition.
The Practice of Torture in the Modern World
As terrible as it may sound, civilization has not touched many countries on our planet. Centuries later, the practice of female circumcision is still practiced in more than 30 countries. Moreover, these are not godforsaken places dominated by ancient tribal practices, but developed countries with established traditions. In most cases, female circumcision is carried out in African countries or where people from the countries of the Dark Continent live. This procedure is actively performed in the following states.
This ritual is also widely used in Islamic countries. Rituals of complete or partial mutilation of the genitals of girls and women have been documented in communities in Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Paradoxically, in apparently civilized countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Peru, female circumcision is also a fairly common procedure. Do not forget to respect the traditions of some Muslim countries, for example, Turkey, where community elders consider it necessary to carry out such a ritual for many girls.
Circumcision in Muslim Countries
Muslims living in the mountainous regions of Dagestan consider it necessary to initiate their daughters into women and cut off their genitals at an early age. As a rule, girls aged three to seven years are exposed to this. Here, circumcision is already seen as a way of honoring an ancient tradition, and not as a benefit for health and future sexual and family life. This is facilitated by numerous printed publications that mislead the local population regarding the need for female castration and compare it with male advantages. Residents of the mountainous regions of Dagestan consider this a way to cleanse the bodies of already young and innocent little girls and are actively campaigning for preachers in local mosques.
The most brutal are the girls and women of African tribes. In fact, compared to other countries, where circumcision is practiced more or less normally and more discreetly, the circumcision of African girls is a real source of pride. It”s not hard to imagine that this is a genuine imposition of this tradition by an old and experienced community. Incidentally, the ritual is performed by elders—people who have no reason to use drugs. No anesthesia is used to remove the labia and clitoris, and the procedure itself is extensive. One can only imagine how horrific this ritual is, with several little girls simultaneously subjected to horrific torture. Their hands are usually bound together, their legs are spread wide and held down by their mother or father, and their genitals are permanently severed with a blade or sharp object.
In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, every year, select girls—large ones at that—are singled out. They wait for a special day for this—the beginning of the Prophet Muhammad”s birthday. Here, medical personnel perform the procedure of removing the clitoral hood from the girls. After the procedure, they must wash, say prayers, and wear red clothing. This symbolizes that in the future, the girl will not have sexual relations, but will be able to devote herself to her family and preserve her life. Incidentally, despite the fact that the rest of the world is categorically against this procedure, Indonesian girls believe that circumcision is a source of pride. The tradition is religiously observed, and they have no intention of abandoning it.
The Essence of the Procedure — What is Circumcised and Why
Paradoxically, female circumcision is not a medical procedure. And although from a religious perspective, circumcision is acceptable as a way to honor ancestral traditions, in reality, these savage, aristocratic methods of “transforming” women into women are truly ironic. Moreover, there is no evidence whatsoever of their existence. On the contrary, from the perspective of modern medicine and women”s health, this procedure is strictly contraindicated, as it poses a real threat to life.
Thus, the circumcision procedure itself involves partial or complete mutilation of the genitals of a girl or woman without any medical indication. Mutilation is a senseless and cruel process, the necessity of which cannot be explained from the point of view of modern medicine. In tribes and communities where circumcision is practiced today, the procedure is performed on girls of different ages, but it is typically performed before puberty. In African countries, where girls are most brutally deprived of their genitals, the age of the “patient” may not reach two years.
Modern medicine presents the following classification of female circumcision.
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- Pharaonic circumcision
In girls, the labia minora and majora are removed. The skin covering the entrance to the perineum remains intact. At the end of the operation, a small hole the size of a finger is left and sutured tightly with a special thread. This is done so that the husband is confident in the girl’s chastity at the moment when she begins to be sexually active. Before the wedding night, as it is commonly called among civilized people, he himself cuts the skin or simply tears it off with his hand, thereby freeing the entrance to his beloved’s vagina.
- Circumcision of the clitoris or labia minora
This is the least dangerous operation for women”s health, in which only the labia minora, labia majora or clitoris are removed.
This procedure involves complete or partial removal of the clitoris or clitoral hood. This procedure dates back to ancient Egyptian times, when the female clitoris was considered the dirtiest organ. Women who have undergone this operation are less likely to experience sexual pleasure, since the clitoris itself is very sensitive during intimate caresses. Again, vulvectomy is not a medical indication. On the contrary, manipulation and deprivation of part of women”s flesh confirms the horror and cynicism of attitudes towards women in developing countries.
This type of female circumcision includes all operations that remove the external genitalia. In addition to mutilation, cauterization, incision, branding, or complete removal of the girl”s genitals are often used.
It”s hard to imagine what a poor girl feels during the operation, but here”s what she feels. Severe pain—no anesthesia or painkillers are used. Everything is performed in makeshift conditions by people with no medical background. Typically, knowledge and experience in circumcision are passed down from community elders. A knife or whetstone is used for circumcision. Incidentally, among African tribes, it is common to use a shell with sharp edges to cut off part of the woman”s flesh.
To withstand the pain, the girl”s arms are held and her legs are spread wide. Therefore, it is most comfortable to go to the intimate area. Sometimes, a cloth is placed in the girl”s mouth to help her clench her teeth and reduce the pain. This is an excellent pain reliever. In some tribes, crying during circumcision is forbidden, as it is considered disrespectful to tradition and simply inappropriate behavior.
Why is this procedure performed? It is difficult for modern people to understand the true reasons for female circumcision in many Muslim and other countries. However, the indigenous peoples of Africa and other tribes themselves explain that:
- Tribute to tradition, reverence for culture and ancient customs;
- The clitoris is the dirtiest and most cursed part of the female body;
- The desire to preserve virginity for her husband;
- Enhanced sexual desire in men during contact with a “circumcised” woman;
- The similarity of the female clitoris to the male penis;
- The inability to achieve sexual satisfaction according to community and tribal rules;
- From a man”s perspective, to avoid the possibility of infidelity on the part of a woman.
Not only are these reasons difficult for modern man to understand, but also, for example, in the aforementioned countries, sexual satisfaction through clitoral stimulation is a true sin and a “dirty” practice.
Female Circumcision / Islamic Tradition
Risks to Women”s Health
Needless to say, not all girls can withstand the pain of circumcision. Therefore, the most terrible consequence is even death. However, even if genital mutilation is performed “according to the rules,” the consequences for a woman”s health can be irreversible. The most common of these are:
For those girls lucky enough to survive circumcision, the operation risks health and scarring, as well as infertility and contraction of terrible diseases. We are not talking about genuine sex life, but about the fact that a woman never experiences orgasm. If attempts to conceive are successful, childbirth can be a real challenge for a woman. This is especially true for those who have created a pharaoh section. Before birth, the entrance to the perineum should be completely cut off to facilitate the process of the baby coming out during pushing. As a rule, such births end in cesarean section due to the high risk of death of the mother and fetus.
Girls who had their labia sewn up as children find it very difficult to go to the toilet. Additionally, once menstruation begins, the discharge cannot be properly removed from the perineum. This leads to infection of the reproductive tract with infections of varying severity, which can subsequently lead to death.
Horrifying Figures
Believe it or not, statistics show that there are currently over 200 million circumcised women in the world. But even more frightening is the fact that approximately three million girls and women die each year during or after genital mutilation. The horrifying statistics are shocking, given that most operations are carried out secretly in countries where they are officially banned. In 2012, the UN signed a resolution banning female genital mutilation unless it is medically necessary. Thus, female circumcision is officially prohibited in many civilized countries, and violation of the law is punishable by criminal prosecution. It is banned internationally because the physical health and psychological well-being of children is at risk, despite the fact that some countries consider the process part of their cultural heritage. Even after the publication of official documents, statistics show that abuse of girls and women continues in various Muslim and African countries.
Waris Dirie in the Fight for Women”s Rights
Waris grew up in an ordinary village in Somalia. Like her sisters, she was destined for a completely different fate — having her labia cut, contracting a disease, bleeding, dying during childbirth, or being torn to pieces by wild animals on the African savannah. At the age of three, the mother carried her daughter out of the house with her own hands and laid her on a large stone. The stranger took a rusty blade and cut off the girl”s clitoris and labia. There is only a small hole left for pee. Usually girls die after this, but Varis met a different fate. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and wandered the Somali desert for days before meeting her immediate family in Mogadishu.
From there, the girl was sent to the family of the Somali ambassador in London — he was her distant relative. At first, Varis worked as a housekeeper, but later got a job as a cleaner in a fast food cafe. There she met a local photographer. This meeting completely changed her life. Waris went on to build a career as a clothing model, and later became a UN ambassador for women”s rights. In a 1997 interview with a women”s magazine, she openly told the world her story of genital mutilation. Subsequently, the world began to talk openly about the problems and humiliation of women in different countries.
Soon, Varis decides to undergo surgery to restore his genitals and even have children in the future. In 2002, Waris launched the Flast Flower Foundation, which aims to protect women”s rights around the world and fight female circumcision in African communities.
Circumcision Cases in Russia
Many people believe that the problem of female injuries only affects remote villages in African countries, but this is far from the case. Even in modern Russia, where many immigrants from Muslim countries live, abuse of women and genital cutting are very common. Therefore, the Russian Duma began to consider legislation aimed at combating female circumcision. Any religious motives that encourage girls and women to perform such rituals are now considered a violation of their rights and are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
I would like to believe that in the future, cases of female genital mutilation without medical symptoms will become increasingly rare. After all, it is simply impossible to explain the need for terrible suffering and torture against women.
