Female Genital Mutilation - Research Paper Example

Female Genital Mutilation Female Genital Mutilation is a practice that involves the cutting or mutilation of all or part of female genitalia, so as to be in conformity with certain cultural or religious beliefs. In the recent past, medical personnel such as doctors and midwives have been documented to perform the ritual, mostly for financial gain in some countries in the world including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, and Nigeria. It is also practiced among the immigrants in Europe, Australia Canada and the United States of America (Kontoyannis and Katsetos, 32). It is called mutilation because there is no medical reason to remove otherwise healthy and useful organs of the body (Kontoyannis and Katsetos, 32). F. G. M is a procedure that has no health benefits on girls or woman, causes severe psychological and physiological problems and it is most practiced in Africa as a non religious, cultural ritual. Some scholars such as Elizabeth Bransfield in her case studies involving Female Genital Mutilation in Gender, Anthropology and Religion argues that it is a religious ritual and cultural issue, while it is overlooked that the ritual has no medical reasons because the female body is adversely harmed. Psychologically, the victim of F.G.M suffers a lot of pain during the procedure which is done mostly in unhygienic conditions and without anesthetic. The removal of the clitoris too is painful due to its having a lot of nerve endings. Injury to the genital area could also scar the victim for life considering that the procedure is undertaken mostly unprofessionally, in poor lighting and at times in the bush. (Momoh, 78). The thrashing, fearful and screaming victim could also aggravate the injuries due to the being done by personnel who are not trained in handling medical cases. Lack of medical facilities could also result in dire consequences including death in case of complications. Infection due to unhygienic procedures is a common feature due to the use of unhygienic tools, dirty herbs or untested traditional medicines. Death or very major medical complications conditions could result due to the many underlying conditions under which F.G.M is done. When the procedure involves infibulation, which involves the bidding of the legs for some time, urine and faces are retained in the wound and the damp conditions in the wound could develop into a very septic wound. There are various types of F.G.M that have been documented which vary in the way they are performed on the female genitalia. Clitoridectomy one of the method, is the removal of the clitoris, a small sensitive tissue of the female genitalia, and the tissue surrounding it. Excision, another of the methods, refers to the removal of all or part of the clitoris and the labia minora, the lip like tissues that surround the vagina. Infibulation, still another method, entails the removal of the clitoris, the labia majora and minoras and the sewing up of the vagina, leaving only a small opening to allow for the flow of urine and menstruation blood. There are other types of F.G.M as well, such as the stretching of the clitoris and the vaginal lips which could equally be harmful to the female body like the methods listed above. Piercing too is another method done consensually by females and it involves piercing the genitalia for adornment purposes. While it is voluntary, it could be dangerous to health due to the sensitivity of the genital area. Pricking is done on female genitalia by nicking small bits of genitalia to satisfy cultural requirements of F.G.M. and the scraping of the vagina (Karanja, 24). The origin of Female Genital Mutilation is not very clear but documents date back to the 5th century B.C where it was referred to as female circumcision and was documented to have been done on the females of the higher classes in Egypt and Ethiopia (Kontoyannis and Katsetos, 32). The cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation has been done due to a variety of reasons, including the guaranteeing of behavior and to keep women faithful to their husbands. Because of various reasons which include, guaranteeing of behavior and to keep women faithful to their husbands. Some of the advocates of removal of the clitoris like the communities that practice it in Kenya, Tanzania, Chad and Central Africa Republic for example say that since the organ is a source of sexual pleasure, its presence in the woman may make her oversexed and thus unfaithful. While this thought is advanced only about women, it does not include men who also are liable to sexual impulses just like, if not more than woman making it discriminative. (Maria) Some have also advocated that the clitoris has the potential to cause premature ejaculation in the male as it excites him, and since it is the male who should control the sex act, the clitoris must be removed, which is a fallacy because the sex act should be enjoyed by both partners. Many women especially in undeveloped countries like Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, believe that it is a universal practice and so they have no choice (Shah, Susan and Furcroy, 4577). A study done in Nigeria by Onadeko and Adekunle found other reasons given for practicing F.G.M be that it was an important ritual to help during child birth, with assumption that the clitoris could swell and obstruct delivery which is just a myth with no medical accuracy (Afolayan & Oguntoye, 91). The same study found a reason advanced that removing the clitoris would control excess vaginal secretions which were attributed with reasons of vaginal irritations and rashes. It is also believed by other communities that practice Female Genital Mutilation that secretions by the external female genitalia like the clitoris are smelly, dirty and are not hygienic and could contaminate the husband in the case of a married woman (World Health Organization, 9). Other supporters of Female Genital Mutilation believe that a woman who has not undergone the ritual cannot have children, because these secretions from her outer genitalia can kill the male’s sperms and thus they must be removed. Marriage too is a very important aspect of the African and Middle East societies and many men from the cultures who practice Female Genital Mutilation cannot marry women who have not undergone it due to the social stigma attached and this makes the practice to continue openly and secretly (Shah, Susan and Furcroy, 4579). F.G.M is also practiced by many for various cultural reasons. Marriage is a very important aspect of the African and Middle Eastern societies and, many men from these cultures cannot marry a woman who has not undergone F.G.M due to the risk of rejection by these cultures. When the woman for example among the Maasai in Kenya undergoes the ritual, she gains social acceptance, begins to participate in community activities and can also get married, making it an important rite of passage. Though this may be seen as important, it is only due to the level of ignorance in the victims of F.G.M, who are not privy to the dire consequences of this unnecessary vice to her health and psychology. A study by Karanja indicated that F.G.M is credited with healing powers to some medical complications like hysteria, depression and this too fuels the continuation of the practice (Karanja, 58) yet it has no medical proof. In the case of mutilation by the infibulation process, the size of the vaginal opening is made with the aim of enhancing pleasure for the male partner during sex, with no concern for the female who could experience a lot of pain during intercourse (Momoh, 36) and which could diminish her interest in sex all her life. Many brides among the Somali for instance are very anxious on their wedding night because of the painful act of sex due to a small orifice sewn during F.G.M. Some of those who practice F.G.M in Nigeria have also cited religious reasons according to the study by Onadeko and Adekunle, but according to the World Health Organization, there is no documented requirement in any religion why the procedure should be carried out (World Health Organization 16) which makes it just another point of ignorance in justifying F.G.M. The belief by some communities that supernatural powers are involved in the practice , due to the rituals involved in the process, make victims who have not undergone sex education to desire the same practice to be performed upon their children, so that the children can also get the supernatural blessings. It should also be noted that for many women, they have no choice in the matter since it is performed during childhood. Female Genital Mutilation has many psychological side effects which include the victim feeling incomplete when they receive sex education and realize what has been done to their genitalia. They could also experience fear due to some fearful settings of the rite, have an inferiority complex and the feeling of being suppressed all the days of their lives (Shah, Susan and Furcroy, 4578). Others report irritability that is chronic and having occasional nightmares, and many of the women who have undergone the practice have been known to be prone to psychiatric complications like depression, stress and other mental related illnesses. When the victim realizes in future about the people who facilitated the performance of the rite, they are liable to lose confidence in them or even hate them for life, considering that this are mostly close relatives. Long term complications have been known to occur, which include persistent urinary tract infection, pelvic infection in victims who have infibulation that develops due to retention of urine. Infertility can result too from infection caused by the effects of Female Genital Mutilation on the victim’s reproductive organs. The victim’s sexual life may be affected by some of the procedures, some of which involve the sewing up of the female genitalia or leaving a small orifice that will be inadequate for sexual performance or for childbearing (UTZ-Billing & Kentenich, 227). This can impact very negatively on an otherwise happy marriage. Sexual performance is also greatly diminished since the clitoris‘s duty is to enhance sexual pleasure. Using the same instrument too to mutilate all the girls or women concerned also increases the risk of H.I.V, taking into consideration the illiteracy levels of some of the communities concerned. There are no benefits of F.G.M, medically or religiously, and while it may seem to have some cultural benefits, they are far out weighed but the grave consequences that it exposes women and girls who undergo it. It greatly endangers the lives of girls and women by exposing them to the risk of infection and even fatality because of a procedure that is mostly done out of ignorance. The fact that it is carried out without the victims full comprehension of the implications, and that most of the damage is irreversible makes a very oppressive issue to women and girls. As has been scientifically proven, many of the reasons that have been advanced about the need to remove the clitoris and other female genitalia are just myths and, all should be done to fight F.G.M all over the world. It is very important that agencies, including health professionals be in the frontline in fighting this vice, highlighting the dangers to the ignorant masses that expose women and girls to dangers that they need not undergo. Its harmful affects on the women and girls bodies far out way the benefits it is supposed to bring forth. The issue of sex education should not be casual but serious with emphasis on the demerits of F.G.M in the countries where it is practiced so as to raise awareness (Momoh, 72). Communications agencies like schools, places of worship and the media should be in the frontline to sensitize the masses. Strict laws should be put in place and applied, since the vice has been known to be carried out secretly due to the laxity of enforcement agencies. This will deter the perpetrators of this dangerous vice. Works Cited Afolayan, Joel, A., Oguntoye, Felicia A. “Practice of Female Genital Mutilation in Ijomu–Oro Community State, Nigeria”. Journal of Behavioral Sciences 2009 Vol. 19 Number 1-2. Print. Bransfield, Elizabeth. Female Genital Mutilation. Web. 30 April.2012. . Awusi, V.O. Tradition versus Female Circumcision: A Study of Female Circumcision among the Isoko Tribe of Delta State of Nigeria. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. Print. Legato, M. Rethinking Circumcision: Medical Intervention, Religious Ceremony or Genital Mutilation. Journal of Gender Specific Medicine, 2002 Vol. 5 (4): Pp. 8-10. Momoh, Comfort. Female Genital Mutilation. Oxon: Radcliffe Publishing, 2005. Print. Karanja, Daniel, N. Female Genital Mutilation in Africa. Michigan: Xulon Press, 2003. Print. Kontoyannis, Maria Katsetos, Christos. Female Genital Mutilation. Health Science Journal 2010 Vol. 4 (1): 31-36. Print. Ogunsiji, Olayide, O., Wilkes, Lesley and Jackson, Debra. Female Genital Mutilation: Origin, Beliefs, Prevalence and Implications for Health Care Workers Caring For Immigrant Women in Australia. Contemporary Nurse 2007 25: 22–30. Print. Shah, Guarang, Susan, Luay and Furcroy, Jean. “Female Circumcision: History, Medical And Psychological Complications, And Initiatives to Eradicate This Practice”. The Canadian Journal of Urology 2005 16(2): 4576-4579. Print. UTZ-Billing & Kentenich, H. “Female Genital Mutilation: An Injury, Physical and Mental Harm”. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2008 29(4): 225–229. World Health Organization. Female Genital Mutilation, 1997.WHO Library Cataloguing In Publication Data. Pp. 1-20. Afolayan, Joel Adeleke & Oguntoye, Felicia, Abiola. Practice of Female Genital Mutilation in Ijomu–Oro Community State, Nigeria. Journal of Behavioral Sciences Vol. 19 Number 1-2 Read More