FEMALE CIRCUMCISION


Your special time has come. As a girl living a nomadic life in Somalia Africa, and other eastern countries, you are going to be circumcised. Your genitals are going to be cut away, then they will be sewn up only to leave a tiny hole for urine and menstrual blood. This operation ensures that you will stay a virgin until your marriage.

It does not sound so bad, but the pain you will experience during and after the operation will be extreme. No anesthetic will be used and the village woman who will circumcise you, will cut you with anything sharp that is on hand. This could be a razor blade, a sharp stone, a piece of broken glass or her teeth. Once your genitals have been cut away, the remaining genital with be punctured with thorns and have a strong string threaded through the punctures in order to "zip" you up.

The complications are many. A few are: shock, infection, scar formation, bladder infection, H.I.V and hepatitis B. Long term complications include: pelvic infections, increasing difficulty to urinate, much pain when you have your menstrual cycle, depression and death.

Because this topic is not wildly known, there are few organisations that teach the horrors of this practice. One such organisation is: The Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (E.F.G.M). Some women in this organisation have an eastern background and were circumcised as young girls. Through this organisation, the dangers and the horrors of this practice is being spread and hopingly it will slowly come to an end. Hopefully the millions of girls still at risk, will in the future stop their daughters from going through the pain when their special time comes.



QUIZ Note: Please use the exact words from the text when you answer the following questions.
1. Where is Female Circumcision practiced? ............scorer's comment--->

2. Will anesthetic be used during the operation ? ............scorer's comment--->

3. Which organisation teaches about this practice ? ........scorer's comment--->





Click here to link to a site where you can get more imformation on Female Circumcison
I copied this picture from: Bill Atkinson. Woman Symbol.Clip art.Claris corp, 1987-91

Last updated By:Anna April 7 2000