Article 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
I chose Article 5. This article states that everyone has the right to be protected from torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. I chose the topic of Female Genital Mutilation. FGM, or female circumcision, is a cultural practice that is performed on young girls that involves cutting off parts of the female genitalia. I chose this because I believe it is completely wrong and disgusting for a young girl to have to be put through that. Because it is a cultural practice it can’t be stopped easily. There are so many different views on this problem that it will take a long time for everyone to come to a final agreement.
Female Genital Mutilation, also known as female circumcision, is a procedure performed on young girls in parts of Africa, South America, Australia and Asia. FGM is performed to purposely alter the female genital organs. This process began as a cultural ceremony for girls as a way of showing that they were chaste, mature, and ready to become women. It is mostly performed on young girls between infancy and the age of 15. In short, the girls get their genitals nearly carved out, usually without any anesthetics being used. A girl who had this done is looked at as a woman and one who is ready for marriage. Many aspects play a role in the decision of undergoing FGM. This is viewed as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. There are no health benefits, in fact many girls suffer traumatically from this experience and in some cases, even death. The only reason it is, and has been around so long is because of its cultural meaning. To some communities, FGM is a necessity of a girl’s upbringing. This topic is a big controversy all around the world, but hopefully someday it will come to an end.
Procedure:
FGM is most commonly performed on young girls between infancy and the age of 15. When their mothers decide it is time for them, they are taken to a respectable women of the community who usually is experienced in cutting. Depending on where this is being done, the tools used are knives, old razor blades, broken glass, and sharp stones. These tools are usually unsterilized and the procedure is done without and anesthetics. There are a few different types of FGM but all are very painful and dangerous for the girl’s health. Whichever procedure is performed, what remains of the girl’s genitals are sewn shut leaving only a small whole for menstrual blood and urination. The girl’s legs are then bound together for up to 40 days so as not to tear open the stitches, and then are left to bed rest until the wounds are healed. The girls remain sewn shut until they are married and either their husband or a respected women of the community cuts them open. This is done so that the woman can become sexually active, although the effects of FGM often alter sexual pleasure.
Types:
There are four major types of FGM; Clitoridectomy, Excision, Infibulation, and Other.
Clitoridectomy consists of partial or total removal of the girl’s clitoris (a small, sensitive part of the girl’s genitals which causes sexual pleasure). In some very rare cases only the prepuce (the fold of skin around the clitoris) is removed.
Excision is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia (the “lips” surrounding the vagina).
Infibulation is the narrowing of the vaginal opening by creating a covering seal. The seal is created by cutting and repositioning the labia either with or without the removal of the clitoris.
Other forms of FGM are all harmful procedures for non-medical purposes. These are pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.
Health:
FGM has no health benefits for girls. These procedures can cause very many longterm and immediate health issues. Some immediate side effects could be, severe pain, shock, hemorrhage, tetanus, sepsis, urine retention, open sores, and injury to surrounding genital tissue. Longterm issues include, severe bleeding, problems urination, potential childbirth complications, newborn deaths, needing further surgeries (repeating sewing and surgical re-openings), UTIs, painful menstruation, painful sexual intercourse, cysts and infertility. Along with these physical damages are also many emotional outcomes for women who have undergone FGM. Women can be stressed, anxious and aggressive. They are also more likely to have relationship problems and sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction can lead to having to have sex therapy. Because in many cases the girl’s clitoris is removed, FGM has a high risk of reducing the likelihood of an orgasm. Since the clitoris is not the only aspect of sexual excitement, women are still capable of becoming sexual excited. Besides the clitoris, the many nerve endings in and around the vagina and the mindset can also play a role in sexual arousal. Although less likely, orgasm are not fully impossible for women who have undergone FGM. Depending on wether the ritual was performed as a positive or traumatic experience, the woman may or may not have a likelihood of an orgasm. Those who look at it as a traumatic experience are the ones who could suffer from sexual dysfunction whereas those who look at it as a cultural and positive experience and are in a happy relationship may enjoy sex.Reasons Why:
There can be many reasons that contribute to a mother deciding to put her daughter through FGM. For the most part, it is a cultural ceremony that proves a girl is pure. Along with the cultural aspects, a lot of social factors influence the decision. For example, a mother may chose to put her daughter through this because if she didn’t her daughter would be a social outcast. The pressure of society to conform to what others do is strong enough to make just about anyone do anything. The cultural side of FGM is based around chastity. It is believed to be a necessary part of raising a girl properly and preparing her for being a women. It’s a symbol marriage as well. It is believed that a girl who doesn’t go through with this procedure will never get married. Aside from the beliefs of different societies, there are the physical damages that mothers aim for. They don’t want their child to be, for lack of a better word, a “whore”. Removing the clitoris causes a women’s sexual desire to decrease, in turn preserving her virginity. Also, sexual feelings during sex are reduced.
Laws:
Female Genital Mutilation is looked upon all around the world as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It is mostly practiced in Northeast Africa, Near East and Southeast Asia and parts of South America and Australia. There have been many attempts to end this practice and laws forbidding it, but nothing is enough to completely end it. Certain societies and groups just refuse to give it up. They hold on tightly to the cultural importance of it. Those who are opposed to FGM have realized the importance to these groups that it’s going to take everyone who practices this to give it up simultaneously.
Survey:
I have created a survey about Female Genital Mutilation and what others thoughts are. It’s three quick questions just so I can get a good idea of where others stand in the debate of FGM. I have sent it around to people in hopes that they will take it and give feedback. If you would like to participate in my data, please click the link below and take my survey.
What You Can Do:
If you are interested in learning more about FGM, or what you could possibly do to help the poor girls who are being put through this everyday, please click on the links posted below. Another way you can help is to check out the bill created by Joseph Crowley of New York and Mary Mack of California “The Girl’s Protection Act of 2010”. In this they state that this is a federal crime and those who break this law can be faced with fines and up to five years in prison. It also states that transporting minors to different countries to mutilate them is illegal. Online you can also find a lot of petitions to sign, although those are mostly from earlier years. One of the websites posted below is one of these petitions. This website also includes a way you can create your own petitions. The website “Do Something” is posted below as well. This website gives you ideas of ways you can help and things that other people have done to help. You can also post ways that you wish to help. Whichever you chose, I commend you. Thank you.Videos:
Below are links to two videos on Female Genital Mutilation. They include information, news about what people are doing around the world to try to stop FGM, and interviews with women who have experienced FGM.
FGM Preview
Sources:
Sources:
"FEMALE GENITALMUTILATION- FEMALE CIRCUMCISION."ReligiousTolerance.org by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. <http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_circ.htm>.- "Female Genital Mutilation."Female Genital Mutilation. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. <http://femalegm.blogspot.com/>.
- "Female Genital Mutilation."autoredirect to main site. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. <http://academic.udayton.edu/health/01status/97tucker.htm>.
- "Female Genital Mutilation."Tripod | Create a Website or Blog with Online Hosting. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. <http://www.members.tripod.com/~Wolvesdreams/FGM.html>.
- "Female genital cutting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_cutting>.
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