Desert Flower: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not a single case of Waris Dirie

I first learned about FGM was many years ago through the movie called Desert Flower. The movie is still very vivid for me, but that time I only treated as a movie.

Personally, I was so shocked to learn that in some African countries over 90% women still have their private part cut off. Some of their vulva would get sewed up and only remain a small exit hole for everything. It is unbelievable to image that urination can take over five minutes as the urine drained out by drops. Here is some more fact contributed by the Sweden organization Södersjukhuset in CSW 62 (http://www.sodersjukhuset.se/Avdelningar--mottagningar/Mottagningar/Mottagning-for-konsstymade/).

* Picture is retrieved from: http://www.pressmachine.se/pressrelease/view/sodersjukhuset-sprider-kunskap-om-konsstympning-i-fn-s-kvinnokommission-7560

Numbers of FGM:

There are eight countries in Africa with more than 80% of female who get their genital mutilated and even in America there more female who is under the risk for FGM in 2012 than 1990.

 

Retrieved from: https://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/screening/fgm

Retrieved from: https://counterjihadreport.com/category/female-genital-mutilation/

Different types of FGM:

There are four types, for more details and picture of them please visit (Pictures may be disturbing):

https://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/screening/fgm

Why FGM:

Culture

--FGM is a way to control women and keep their virginity for marriage. It also a method to prevent women to have affairs.

--There is also a saying that female’s private part is evil, and girls only turn to a real women when it is cut.

Social acceptance

In most cases, parents would want the best for their children and the choice of following the social norm for the sake of their daughters. The parents who don’t want their children’s genital mutilated would be forced to execute it due to the force from their neighbor, relatives etc.

Law:

“According to Swedish law, female genital mutilation has been prohibited since 1982.  Section 1 Intervention of the female external genitals for the purpose of tampering with them or causing other permanent changes to them (genital mutilation) may not be performed, whether consent has been given to the intervention or not. Law (1998: 407).”

(http://www.sodersjukhuset.se/Avdelningar--mottagningar/Mottagningar/Mottagning-for-konsstymade)