What is the cultural reason behind FGM?

FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered unclean, unfeminine or male. Though no religious scripts prescribe the practice, practitioners often believe the practice has religious support.

What is the history of FGM?

Some researchers have traced the practice to Egypt in the fifth-century BC and argue that the geographical distribution of FGM suggests that it originated on the west coast of the Red Sea. Egyptian mummies show women infibulated and this is supported by a Greek papyrus in the British Museum dated 163 BC.

What are the signs of FGM?

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.
• Reluctance to go to the doctors or have routine medical examinations.

What does the Quran say about circumcision?

Circumcision is not mentioned in the Qur’an but it is highlighted in the Sunnah (the Prophet Muhammad’s recorded words and actions). In the Sunnah, Muhammad stated that circumcision was a “law for men.” The main reason given for the ritual is cleanliness. It is essential that every Muslim washes before praying.

How painful is FGM?

Almost all women who have undergone FGM experience pain and bleeding as a consequence of the procedure. The event itself is traumatic as girls are held down during the procedure. Risk and complications increase with the type of FGM and are more severe and prevalent with infibulations.

What are signs of grooming?

Click on a red flag behavior below to discover grooming examples and actions you can take as an active bystander when a child is vulnerable or uncomfortable.

• Special attention/preference to a child.
• Gift giving.
• Touching or hugging the child.
• Sympathetic listener.
• Offers to help the family.
• Gaining access via the internet.

Does religion play a role in FGM?

True, FGM occurs in non-Muslim societies in Africa. And in Arab states such as Egypt, where perhaps 97 percent of girls suffer genital mutilation, [3] both Christian Copts and Muslims are complicit. But at the village level, those who commit the practice believe it to be religiously mandated. Religion is not only theology but also practice.

What does the Quran say about FGM?

While there is no mention of FGM in the Quran, a Hadith (saying about the life of the prophet) recounts a debate between Muhammed and Um Habibah (or Um ‘Atiyyah). This woman, known as an exciser of female slaves, was one of a group of women who had immigrated with Muhammed.

Is FGM practised by Shia Muslims?

Lastest research from Iran found FGM to be practiced by Sunni minorities but not by the majority Shia population. However, it is known that FGM is practised by Zaydis in Yemen, Ibhadis in Oman and at least by parts of the Ismailis (the Daudi Bohras) in India, all three being branches of the Shia (the Ibhadis less directly connected).

Where is FGM practiced in the world?

Surveys on Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan showed that FGM is widely practiced, but it is almost certain that it is not practiced by Palestinians or the majority of Syrians and Jordanians. There is only anecdotal evidence that FGM is practiced in the South of Saudi Arabia and one news article reports on a village in Jordan.