FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM): REASON, DIFFERENT TYPES AND MYTH.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) also known as the female genital cutting and female circumcision is the ritual cutting of the/or removal of some or all the external female genitalia. The practice is found in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East ,and within communities from countries in which FDM is common. This rite was adopted in Africa, in the Philippines, by certain tribes of in the upper Amazons, by women of the Arunta tribe in Australia, and by certain early Romans and Arabs.

As of 2016, UNICEF estimated that 200 million women living today in 30 countries- 27 African countries, Indonesia Iraq Kurdistan and Yamen have undergone the FGM procedure. Today, the practice is still carried out in communities around the world. Whatever the reasons behind it, FGM violates the right of girls and women and deprives them of the opportunity to make critical and informed decision about their bodies and lives.

REASON FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:

In places where FGM is practised, it is often supported by men and women. The horrific experience is actually perpetuated by women in the community on girl and women even though the practice is rooted in gender inequality. It is carried out to control women's and girls's sexual libido. It is believed that an uncut genitalia causes women and girl to have high sex drive and leads to promiscuity. It is sometimes a prerequisite for marriage because it is believe that girls and women with low sexual drive are less promiscuous and therefore more fertile than those with high sexual drive. Some consider an uncut female genitalia as dirty and ugly.

FOUR TYPES OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:

TYPE 1- This is called clitodectomy: This involves the partial or total remover of the clitories and/or prepuse (Prepuce is the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).

TYPE 11- This is called excision. It is the partial or total remover of the clitoris and the labia minora (Labia minora are the two small folds of skin, lacking fatty tissue, that extend backward on each side of opening of the vagina).

TYPE 111- This is called infibulation. It is the narrowing of the vaginal orifice with a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and re-positioning the labia majora (labia majora are a pair of rounded folds of skin and adipose that are part of the external female genitalia). Infibulated women may be cut open on the night of marriage and/or before childbirth.

TYPE 1V- This is any other harmful procedure to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising scrapping or cauterization.

As recent as the 1950s, clitodectomy was practiced in Western Europe the United States to treat perceived ailments, including mental and sexual disorders. Today, the practice can be found in communities around the world, even though both Christianity and Islam do not endorse it.

Source: https://www.who.int/

MYTH:

Report and personal experiences from different women has proved that It is a myth that FGM prevent victims from experiencing orgasm.

Pleasure and orgasm in women with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)

Abstract

Introduction: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) violates human rights. FGM/C women's sexuality is not well known and often it is neglected by gynecologists, urologists, and sexologists. In mutilated/cut women, some fundamental structures for orgasm have not been excised.

. Aim: The aim of this report is to describe and analyze the results of four investigations on sexual functioning in different groups of cut women.

Instruments: semistructured interviews and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

Sample: 137 adult women affected by different types of FGM/C; 58 young FGM/C ladies living in the West; 57 infibulated women; 15 infibulated women after the operation of defibulation.

Results: The group of 137 women, affected by different types of FGM/C, reported orgasm in almost 86%, always 69.23%; 58 mutilated young women reported orgasm in 91.43%, always 8.57%; after defibulation 14 out of 15 infibulated women reported orgasm; the group of 57 infibulated women investigated with the FSFI questionnaire showed significant differences between group of study and an equivalent group of control in desire, arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction with mean scores higher in the group of mutilated women. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in lubrication and pain.

Conclusion: Embryology, anatomy, and physiology of female erectile organs are neglected in specialist textbooks. In infibulated women, some erectile structures fundamental for orgasm have not been excised. Cultural influence can change the perception of pleasure, as well as social acceptance. Every woman has the right to have sexual health and to feel sexual pleasure for full psychophysical well-being of the person. In accordance with other research, the present study reports that FGM/C women can also have the possibility of reaching an orgasm. Therefore, FGM/C women with sexual dysfunctions can and must be cured; they have the right to have an appropriate sexual therapy.

Source: pubmed.ncbi.nin.gov

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