Questions & Answers to "What is FGM?" Post

Are the females or the males in these families pushing for this process? For most, the mother, father, family and/or community members want this procedure to take place. The mothers of these girls, who themselves were victims of this practice, are the ones who give their consent or search for a midwife to perform this procedure.

Does this practice have something to do with religion, tradition or punishment? Cultural and religious traditions are a main factor in the continuation of FGM; but it is not a religious requirement. Societies that practice FGM, believe that the tradition is a necessary “rite of passage”. The age in which the procedure of FGM occurs varies because of this belief, but most girls are between the ages of four and twelve years. Some girls are as young as two weeks old, to women who are about to be married, or during the first pregnancy.

I have heard that males of the family to females perform it in order to make their first sexual encounter "unpleasant" and they will not be inclined to be active before marriage. Usually, an older female in the village known as a midwife, who has not had any medical training, performs the procedure of FGM. This practice guarantees the girls/women remain virgins to ensure marriage and preserve their honor. It keeps her sexuality under control because it lessens the possibility of promiscuity before and after marriage.

Are mothers having it done to their daughters to make them unwanted sexually? No! What about after girls grow up to be women and get married? A girl that has not undergone the procedure is considered impure; is shunned by her community and sometimes considered fatal to the man’s health. The dishonored family could not marry her without the "rite of passage" from childhood to adulthood. This procedure makes the girl good marriage material. The ritual often involves a celebration, afterwards in which the girl receives gifts, and the community honors her family. The family can now find a mate for their daughter.

Are there complications in childbirth from having it done earlier in a girl’s life? Yes, there are complications in childbirth and it does not matter how old the girl/woman was when the procedure was performed. A complication that can arise is the death to the unborn child because the opening is not large enough (WHO). During childbirth, enlarging the opening takes place to give way for the birth in the majority of women who have undergone the severest form of FGM.

What are the top five countries where this practice is most prevalent? Top 5 in numerical order to include Prevalence (%): #1 Indonesia at 100%, #2 Guinea at 98.6%, #3 Egypt at 97.3%, #4 Mali at 91.6%, #5 Djibouti at 90-98%, Somalia at 90-98% and Sudan at 90%. Click on link to see results of "FGM/C Around the World" and the Type that is performed: http://www.fgmnetwork.org/intro/world.php