The Challenge of Female Genital Cutting Amongst Immigrants

Lali, a 15 year old British - Somali girl is terrified. She is terrified of describing her recent experience of genital cutting to a journalist. She is terrified not just because she will be breaking a taboo that could lead to her death; she fears her parents will be arrested if she is discovered. "Promise you won't print my name or anything?" she pleads repeatedly. "Promise no one will ever know that I've spoken to you? If people in my community find out, they'll say that I've betrayed them, and I'll have to run away. And anyway, I don't want my parents to be sent to jail." [1]

Lali knows that to speak about genital cutting in her Somali tradition is taboo that is punishable sometimes by death. In the United States, Instances of female genital cutting continue to appear in the media even though numerous cases go unreported. Recently American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) attempted to recommend that pediatricians be allowed to perform a “a ceremonial pinprick or nick on the clitoris of new born” in order to “keep their families from sending them overseas for more “disfiguring and life threatening procedures” alludes to the seriousness of the problem in the immigrant communities.[1] The persistence of female genital cutting amongst immigrants is and sshould concern feminist and human rights activists.

According to statistics, about 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of female circumcision (FC) also known as female genital cutting (FGC). Although the practice is prevalent in some parts of Africa, it is on the increase in developed countries such as Britain, the United States of America, Australia, and Norway to name just these. It is estimated that 66,000 women and girls living in Britain have been exposed to genital cutting. In the United States, it is estimated that 228,000 women are living with the risk of genital cutting, an increase of approximately 35percent. 27 percent of these women were believed to be less than 18 years of age.[2] The risk is especially high as family clubs work together to fly professional "cutters" from Africa to Britain and the USA. Because of the secrecy surrounding the practice, correct statistics are unavailable in most developed countries.

 

The need for our girls and women to live in fear all their lives is not only inhumane, it is also immoral especially in countries that purport to protect the human rights of all. Those of us who care feel we need to make sure that all girls and women are aware of their rights and know how to seek help in case they encounter such a situation. If anyone know and would like to help such a girl or woman by way of advocating, donations, or other forms of support. Check us on facebook at wiso2011 or email us at wiso2011@gmail.com. We will let you know how you can help.  

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[1] “Policy Statement – Ritual Genital Cutting of Female Minors,” Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Vol. 125 No. 5 May 2010 p 1088-1093

[2] African Women’s Health Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital: A Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, accessed at www.brighamandwomens.org.