FGM: A crime overlooked

Barbaric, agonising, inhumane, cruel, heartless, appalling, etc are some of the words you hear when you find people discussing female genital mutilation. But to what end has these harsh descriptions stopped this life-threatening act? 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Non-medical reasons! Why then do we have to subject innocent healthy girls to this act of torture? Cultural, religious and social reasons! Well most reasons given can be categorised under these three. A way of controlling a woman’s sexuality or reducing a woman’s libido: thus promoting chastity and marital fidelity and also as a form of cultural identity, are some of the reasons given to justify FGM.

Why women?

Makes me wonder when men became angels who are incapable of sexual immorality. Oh wait. They actually are but that is permitted since they form the superhuman race. Excuse my sarcasm, I just could not resist. Now back to business. Using pain to teach morality and chastity? Excuse me! Why should we in a bid to reduce a woman’s libido cause her a lifetime of pain? Are there no women who are chaste and go on to be faithful in marriages? I mean those who have been privileged enough to be spared this barbaric act.  Permit me to school you. There are millions of such!

In all fairness

With no statistics at hand, I can still say on authority that most of those who perform FGM on girls are men. So lets take a moment to create a fair and perfect world here. All the things women are being protected from through these acts, men do as well. Sexual immorality? Infidelity in marriages? Yes! So in all fairness, let us put measures in place to ensure they also stay in line. What do you suggest? Between the ages of 0-15, which is mostly when girls undergo FGM, lets find a way to cut some parts of the man’s genital. Parts, which will not only reduce their sexual desires but also, cause them a lifetime of pain. That is only fair right?  While we are at it let us make sure the pain and trauma they go through lasts a lifetime. Starting with the sons of every man living, who has ever performed FGM on an innocent child. Don’t get me wrong, am no man-hater. In fact, shout out to every man who has ever spoken against FGM. 

Female genital mutilation is the name. But those who try to minimize its seriousness tend to call it female circumcision. Why? Because it rhymes with male circumcision which is acceptable? If boys can be circumcised, why not girls? The ignorance of such people who make these comments, I am yet to comprehend.  Both are two distinct acts.

Immediate consequences of FGM include severe pain and bleeding, shock, difficulty in passing urine, infections, injury to nearby genital tissue and sometimes death.  Also,  “The pain inflicted by FGM does not stop with the initial procedure, but often continues as ongoing torture throughout a woman’s life”, says Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.  Life is good and worth living but in this case I would prefer death to a lifetime of physical and psychological torture.

Crime

One area we have failed to give enough attention to and education on is the criminal aspect of it. It is a crime, in most countries where this is practised. As of 2013, according to a UNICEF report, 24 African countries have legislations or decrees against FGM practice.

Article 39 of Ghana's Constitution provides in part that traditional practices that are injurious to a person's health and well-being are abolished. The Criminal Code was amended in 1994 to outlaw FGM, and the law was strengthened in 2007.  Why have we then as a people been silent on it? How many arrests have been made? How many have been sentenced for this crime. Is it a case where anti-FGM laws are not respected because it is culturally and religiously accepted among those who practise it?

Culture and religion are good. But they were made for man and not the other way round. We have the power to resist the torturous traditions they force down on us. Lets say no to FGM. In educating people, let us also add the fact that it is a crime, which can be reported. Offenders can go to jail. This will serve as a warning to others. It might not eradicate the practise completely. But it will reduce it.

Hopefully one day we will get to the point where it will only be part of history. For the victims, the struggle is real. For on-lookers, we can only sympathise in the hope that it stops. Let us help these innocent girls. Their lives are at stake.

Report when you see!