Female Circumcision Research Paper

Female circumcision is considered to be a cultural tradition, but could it also be viewed as a form of torture? In countries such as Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria female circumcision is considered to be a normal practice. However, it is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the United States and the world over the last five years. It is believed that in the United States, more than 10,000 girls suffer from this procedure every year. The official term for this horrendous practice is Female Genital Mutilation. Some argue that Female Genital Mutilation is seen as an initiation into adulthood for women in these participating countries. Furthermore, it is also used to see if a woman is mentally strong enough to deal with stress that comes with maintaining a family and raising children. Since this procedure often leads to massive amounts of blood loss, it is considered a symbol connecting the other women with the other women within their
communities. This is a test of strength to see if the women are ready to begin looking for a husband to spend her life with. These women often have to go through this horrid and painful procedure without the use of anesthetics, which is used to numb the pain that is being caused.
Female Genital Mutilation is the practice of removing most or all of the external genitalia or stitching up the labia to the point where it is only a minuscule opening. By stitching up the genitalia, a later procedure has to be performed to open the labia large enough for the birthing process. The procedures that are associated with Female Genital Mutilation often lead to gruesome hemorrhaging, infections, abscesses and loss of sensation during sex. The tools that are frequently used are below standard being that they are blunt objects such as dirty glass, tin cans, or penknives. The procedure is often performed when the young women aren’t able to make educated decisions about their health and opt out of this procedure. It is normally conducted between the age of three and ten years of age, which is appalling to people who are not aware of this
practice. Through discussion with friends and family, I have come to the conclusion that even though this is a cultural tradition, it is not a necessary medical procedure since it risks the health and the natural response to sexual stimulation of the women that participate. Female Genital Mutilation has no purpose in maintaining the health of the women that partakes in procedure, however with the various infections, hemorrhaging, and abscesses cultures are risking their population numbers. The entire female population of mutation age in these communities could be wiped out by these infections that can be highly contagious. Taking away the sensation of sex for women, is degrading, because they aren’t able to enjoy a natural response to sexual stimulation. Ultimately, this procedure can lead to unnecessary pain that can lead to excessive bleeding that can endanger the lives of the women.