Psychosexual reasons: FGM is carried out as a way to control women's sexuality, which is sometimes said to be insatiable if parts of the genitalia, especially the clitoris, are not removed. It is thought to ensure virginity before marriage and fidelity afterward, and to increase male sexual pleasure.
There is no exact established region where FGM's origin is dated back to, however, scholars have proposed Ancient Egypt and Sudan. Others claim it originated from Ancient Rome, stating that FGM was implemented on the female slaves to prevent pregnancy and sexual relations.
The history of FGM is not well known but the practice dated back at least 2000 years. It is not known when or where the tradition of Female Genital Mutilation originated from. It was believed that it was practised in ancient Egypt as a sign of distinction amongst the aristocracy.
On the other hand, some circumcised women report having satisfying sexual relations including sexual desire, pleasure and orgasm. Female genital mutilation does not eliminate sexual pleasure totally for every woman who undergoes the procedure, but it does reduce the likely of orgasm.
Menstrual problems. Obstruction of the vaginal opening may lead to painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), irregular menses and difficulty in passing menstrual blood, particularly among women with Type III FGM. Excessive scar tissue (keloids). Excessive scar tissue can form at the site of the cutting.
Type 3 FGM/C may cause some girls and women to have painful menstrual periods. Some women are left with only a small opening for urinating and menstrual bleeding. They may not be able to pass all of their menstrual blood. This can cause pain and periods that are longer than normal.
Similarly, the changes in the vaginal environment after the mutilation may become unfavourable to sperm, and also less able to guard against constant infection leading to further inflammation – all of which reduces fertility.
Conclusion: The highest-quality studies suggest that medical male circumcision has no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction.
A clitoridectomy is often done to remove malignancy or necrosis of the clitoris. This is sometimes done along with a radical complete vulvectomy. Surgery may also become necessary due to therapeutic radiation treatments to the pelvic area. Removal of the clitoris may be due to malignancy or trauma.
The authors found that the “vast majority of studies” concluded that women prefer circumcised penises. Even in countries where circumcision was not the norm, a majority of women found circumcised men more attractive.
Abstract. Female genital mutilation (FGM) or circumcision refers to the unnecessary procedure that damages or removes the external genitalia of females. It is mostly practiced in African countries and some Asian regions, particularly the Middle East, and is performed because of cultural, religious, and social reasons.
General. Although estimates of the prevalence of FGM vary, sources have consistently found the practice to be undergone by the majority of women in the Horn of Africa, in the West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as in Sudan and Egypt.
UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) jointly lead the world's largest programme to end FGM. Launched in 2008, the programme partners with communities to raise awareness of the harms caused by FGM and to shift social norms towards collective abandonment.
Anthropologists agree that amongst the Polynesians, Aborigines and South American tribes, circumcision probably started as a test of bravery and endurance, a ritual mutilation, a sacrificial spilling of blood, rather than the initiation rite it has become in recent centuries.
Historically, male circumcision was practised among ancient Semitic people including Egyptians and those of Jewish faith, with the earliest records depicting circumcision on Egyptian temple and wall paintings dating from around 2300 BC.
To date, the legality of infant male circumcision has not been tested in the Courts. It is thus assumed to be legal if it is performed competently, in the child's best interest, and after valid consent has been obtained.
FGM is a violation of girls' and women's rights
Because FGM is usually performed without permission and against will, it violates girls' right to make important decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. At least 200 million girls and women alive today in 30 countries worldwide have been subjected to FGM.
FGM is commonly performed by someone without any medical training; without the use of anaesthetic or antiseptic and by using sharp instruments such as razor blades or broken glass.
FGM has no health benefits. It can lead to immediate health risks, as well as long-term complications to women's physical, mental and sexual health and well-being.
Girls and women who undergo FGM often experience long-term health consequences including scarring, cysts, abcesses and other tissue damage, infertility, and increased susceptibility to infections. They may experience difficulty and pain when they menstruate, urinate or have sexual intercourse.
FGM is most often carried out on young girls aged between infancy and 15 years old.
Signs FGM might have taken place
Having difficulty walking, standing or sitting. Spending longer in the bathroom or toilet. Appearing quiet, anxious or depressed. Acting differently after an absence from school or college.
Trauma to the urethra and surrounding vulval tissues during the FGM procedure can lead to immediate damage to the lower urinary tract. In addition, sealing of the vaginal introitus – which occurs with Type 3 FGM – obstructs urinary flow and may lead to short and long term urinary symptoms.
FGM is often referred to as female circumcision. This term implies a comparable practice to male circumcision. However, the degree of excision and trauma involved in FGM is generally much more extensive, including the actual removal of genital organs.