The Dangers of FGM: The Hidden Issue

 by Maya Choudhury

FGM means Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting. FGM compromises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the genital organs for non medical reasons. FGM IS CHILD ABUSE.  

The Dangers Of FGM

FGM can cause many physical and emotional health concequesnces,as well as complication in child birth and increased risk of newborn deaths. 60,000 girls under 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK.  Some other dangers are:

• Bleeding, severe pain, shock (death).

• Infections such as HIV, Tetanus, Gangrene, urinary tract infections.

• Sterility

• Pelvic and back pain, Dyspareunia

• Fistula, Keloid, cysts, Menstrual Dysfunction

• Birth Trauma

• Psychological/psychosexual problems

 When and Where is it performed?

FGM usually happens up to the age of 15. However, it is performed on adults too. There have been some cases where it has been performed at the age of 1 month. It is usually performed in concentrated African countries and the Middle East. Through migration, the practice  has spread into communities throughout the UK, Europe and other countries all around the world. Many people mistake that it is a religious practice although IT IS NOT. There are no religious texts that say so. 

Extra Facts

• There are 200 million women and girls alive today who have undergone the dangerous practice — and in Britain there’s an estimated 137,000 who suffer in silence. But until relatively recently, it was perceived as an exclusively foreign issue. 

• In 2003 it became a criminal offence to take a child abroad for FGM.

• FGM has been a criminal offence in the UK since 1985 but there have only been 3 prosecutions under the legeslation.

• Since 2015, courts had issued more than 290 FGM prevention orders to safeguard girls at risk. This allows the authorities to confiscate the passports of people suspected of trying to take girls abroad or FGM

•  February the 1st 2019-The first successful conviction was that of a Ugandan mother, who was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales. 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/01/fgm-mother-of-three-year-old-first-person-convicted-in-uk

The percentage of FGM victims is on the decline, however, with the global population growing faster than ever, the number of victims will “rise significantly over the next 15 years” -UNICEF

If we want to stop it we have to educate others about it. It is a hidden issue that many might not know about but they should. It is a crime.

I raise my voice against the practice of FGM.   

Here is a links for more information:https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/info/fgm-among-us/uk/

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/01/fgm-mother-of-three-year-old-first-person-convicted-in-uk

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c40rjmqdq5wt/fgm

There is also a book based about a real life experience about FGM. It is called CUT by Hibo Wardere. However, this is adult non fiction. It contains  scenes which are both graphic and upsetting.