Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism - Essay Example

? Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts (12, September, ) Introduction There are certain issues in human society that are not easy to tag as right or wrong. The debate whether cultural or religious or individual differences should be respected when it comes to human rights or not. There is no argument that laws should be aimed at protecting the society but there are certain practices which are termed as religious or cultural. These practices sometimes are sometimes in violation with the universal definition of human rights but people argue in favor of them because of the religious and cultural basis of those practices. Female circumcision and sadomasochism are two of these issues and there is debate whether they should be governed by criminal laws or not. Some argue that these practices should not be allowed by law because they violate human rights. Others argue that these practices should remain legal because law should entertain cultural and religious differences. In this paper we will shed light on these practices and a comprehensive argument will be developed against practicing of female circumcision and sadomasochism. Explanation of Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism Female circumcision is defined by World Health Organization as ‘procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genital for non medical reasons’ (World Health Organization, 2010). It is a usual practice in many religious and cultural communities all over the world. Young girls are forced to mutilate their genitals in order to protect their virginity (Lane &Rubinstein, 1996). Females are required to undergo the practice in order to ensure their purity. In some societies it is also a religious requirement. Female circumcision is not accepted by many around the world due to the health risks it pose for girls. The threat of infection is common in many victims of female circumcision. Most countries use archaic methods for circumcision and they increase health risks. Sadomasochism is known as a combination of sadism and masochism. It is known as receiving of sexual pleasure by submitting to emotional or physical abuse. There are people who derive sexual pleasure when they are subjected physical abuse. These people are not under any pressure. They willfully submit to emotional and physical abuse in order to gain sexual gratification. There are psychological reasons behind Sadomasochism. Some people argue that this should not be criminalized due to the fact that no one’s right is violated. It is also said that what people do in their private life is their own choice and state should not intervene. Others are in favor of criminalizing it because of the threat it poses to the victim. Possible Explanations of Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism Female circumcision is done for religious and cultural reasons. It is customary in African and Middle Eastern societies to mutilate genitals of girls. It is usual for women not to get sexually involved before getting married. Female circumcision gives the society assurance that a particular girl is clean and pure. Virginity is celebrated in many societies and women are usually under burden of ‘honor’. This is why this practice is still being followed in many countries and there are people who still argue in favor of female circumcision even after evidence that the practice can cause serious danger to lives of the women (Brady, 2009). The story of Jamelia was published in the Guardian (2010). She was a 12 year old girl whose genitals were cut due to religious reasons and she was made to believe that it was religiously important. The girl lived in Britain where it is crime to carry out a female circumcision but unfortunately the laws are not very strict (Guardian, 2010). Under Islamic faith women are required to circumcise therefore most number of women affected by this practice belong to Islam. Female circumcision is also seen as a way to control the sexuality of a female before she gets out in the world (Nicholas, 1999). The possible explanations of Sadomasochism are psychological in nature. There are people who find solace when they submit to authority. It can be seen as a escape from the usual mundane and monotonous stressful life. The toll of decisions is sometimes too much to handle therefore some wants to be controlled. The feeling of being free of decision making power is an escape from stress. This is why there are people who feel relieved and sexual gratified when they are physically and emotionally abused. Both males and females are found to be equally vulnerable to sadistic fantasies (Fedoroff, 2008). The explanation of the problem is also individual to some extent. There are individual events in a person’s life that can make him feel satisfied by taking abuse. In different individuals there are different triggers that can lead to this behavior. Male and female both are equally vulnerable to this problem. Psychologists suggest that it is a kind of recuperative method for some people. Sadomasochism was also found to develop in early ages (15 years or less) of males while in females mostly it starts at a later stage (Breslow, Evans, &Langley 1985). This may be the case because women are likely to be suppressed at a later stage by the society. There can be a range of possible explanation for Sadomasochistic behavior therefore only inferences can be made. Some people argue that if Sadomasochism is not hurting the person or society then it should be allowed (Merlino, 2007). There are significant dangers of Sadomasochism as it can lead to physical pain and bruises. A Case against Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism There is a strong case against, both female circumcision and Sadomasochism. The purpose of law is to protect the interest of the members of society and the interest of the society at large. But when it comes to female circumcision or Sadomasochism, interest of members of the society and interest of the society at large are in conflict. It is in the interest of the people to allow them to practice their faith and culture, and to respect their privacy. But it is not in the interest of the society that young women are forcefully subjected to a medically harmful practice and it also not beneficial for the society that a person is allowed to get hurt willfully. First we will make a case against female circumcision and then Sadomasochism. Female circumcision is known to be physically damaging for the girls therefore this practice cannot be allowed. Anything that can do considerable harm to a person should be criminalized. It is not in the interest of the society that someone is hurt for any reason whatsoever. The religious and the cultural reasons given in favor of circumcision are illogical and irrational. There is no empirical evidence that mutilation of female sexual organs will help young girls in any way. Religion and culture should be respected by the society but it is also important to protect the interest of the people. The definition of right or wrong cannot be subjective. Different religions and cultures interpret human rights differently therefore it cannot be left for religion and culture to define right or wrong. Society should determine about the correct path that all its members should follow. Religion and culture should not be allowed to harm people because it is not logical nor moral. Female circumcision should also not be allowed because consent of the young girls is usually not taken before the procedure. This is a very important reason for not allowing female circumcision. Young girls are often forced to go through the procedure. Girls are often not even aware of the dangers the procedure pose to their life. Sadomasochism should also be banned because it is logical to allow people to hurt themselves. The case of Sadomasochism is similar to suicide. If people are not allowed to commit suicide then they should also not be allowed to get hurt consensually. The same principle should be applied to Sadomasochism. It is also important for society to aid people who cannot think properly. It is not logical thinking to let someone hurt you therefore society should come to the aid of these people. It is clear that Sadomasochists are people who are not thinking straight. These people are not aware of their rights therefore society should protect them. Sadomasochism can also not be allowed because it can be used to cover other criminal behaviors. Domestic abuse can be taken as sadomasochist behavior and culprits can escape easily from prosecution. It is also not possible to distinguish between consensual and non consensual abuse. All these reasons make a strong case against Sadomasochism. Criminalization of Female Circumcision and Sadomasochism From all the evidence presented above it is clear that female circumcision and Sadomasochism should be criminalized. In this section we will discuss how these two things can be made illegal by law. Female circumcision is culturally and religiously accepted in many societies therefore it is important to make laws that can abolish this practice in the real sense. In many countries female circumcision is illegal but still the practice continues to persist. This is why a different approach to the issue should be taken. All girls from 12 to 18 years of age should be made to go through medial check up once a year in order to ensure that they have not gone through female circumcision. If any girl was made to go through the procedure then parents should be severely punished. Even if the girl is ready to go through the procedure even then she should not be allowed. Parents can force their girls to lie or they can influence them by religiously. This is why girls should not be allowed at all costs to go through the procedure. Criminalization of Sadomasochism is also not easy because all the abuse is consensual. People will not report it and law enforcement agencies will have no evidence to take action. This is why medical institutions should be given instructions to report any physical abuse marks on patients. Policed should be called even if there is a slight suspicion of physical or emotional abuse. Also common people should be told to report any suspicious behavior regarding Sadomasochism. Sadomasochists communicate with other people of the society therefore it is possible to catch people who are responsible. This is how criminalization of Sadomasochism can be possible. Conclusion Female circumcision and Sadomasochism are two issues that are controversial. There are legal and social issues attached to these issues that hinder in criminalization of female circumcision and Sadomasochism. Female circumcision and Sadomasochism should not be allowed because they cause pain to the members of society. Even if that pain is consensual it cannot be allowed therefore criminalization female circumcision and Sadomasochism is important. Bibliography Brady, M. 1999. Female Genital Mutilation: Complications and Risk of HIV Transmission. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 13(12): 709-716 Fedoroff, Paul J. 2008. Sadism, Sadomasochism, Sex, and Violence. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 53 (10): 637–646 Lane, S & Rubinstein, R. 1996. Judging the Other: Responding to Traditional Female Genital Surgeries. Hastings Center Report 26(3): 31-40 McVeigh, Tracy. 2010. British girls undergo horror of genital mutilation despite tough laws. Guardian UK. Accessed on September 11, 2011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jul/25/female-circumcision-children-british-law Merlino, Joseph Dr. 2007. Dr. Joseph Merlino on sexuality, insanity, Freud, fetishes and apathy. Interview with David ShankboneWiki News. Accessed on September 11, 2011 http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Dr._Joseph_Merlino_on_sexuality,_insanity,_Freud,_fetishes_and_apathy#Gender_identity_and_Heteronormativity Nicholas, A. 1999. Female Circumcision. Senior Seminar Paper. Accessed on September 11, 2011 from http://www.siue.edu/~jfarley/nicho490.htm World Health Organization. 2010. Female genital mutilation. Accessed on September 11, 2011 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/index.html Read More