More News on FGC
Sahiyo in the News Press Release: Voices to End FGMC FGC in Dawoodi Bohra Community FGC in Asia: FGC in Asia and the Middle East Map Following our report, Facebook removes ‘Islamic Female Circumcision’ page promoting FGM Report on Female Genital Mutilation in Dagestan Sparks Controversy in Russia Factbox: The hidden cut: female genital mutilation in Asia UNESCAP: Harmful Traditional Practices in Three Countries of South Asia: culture, human rights and violence against women Courageous Alumna Speaks Out for Maldivian Women What you need to know about Female Genital Mutilation in Asia A Truly Global Effort is Needed to Eradicate FGM by 2030 Activist push for end to female genital mutilation Southeast Asia’s Hidden Female Genital Mutilation Challenge Asia Network to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Consultation Report FGC in Australia: Women Speak Out on Female Genital Mutilation in Australia Genital mutilation convictions overturned after new evidence showing victims remain intact High Court to hear appeal on female genital mutilation and prosecutors’ push for retrial High Court upholds NSW genital mutilation convictions FGC in Canada: Canada lifts silence on FGM It’s Time for Canada To Play Its Part In Ending Female Genital Mutilation FGM, A Bitter Reality: Canada Needs To Do More Female Genital Mutilation in Canada and the Limits to Criminalization FGC in Colombia: Female genital mutilation in Colombia more common than assumed: UN ‘Cut with a blade’: Colombia indigenous groups discuss FGM FGC in Egypt: Egypt: The Law and FGM FGC and Islam: Islam and female circumcision Muslim doctors against female circumcision Debunking the Myth that Islam Requires Female Genital Circumcision Unmuting the Tabooed: FGM and Muslim Women’s Rights FGC in India: Existing Indian laws can be used to fight female circumcision FGM carried out in Kerala too, Sahiyo study Female genital cutting prevalent in literate Kerala “Heartwrenching’ study shows FGM prevalent among India’s Bohra sect The Clitoral Hood – A Contested Site: khafd of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in India Center Urges SC to Issue Directions to Curb Female Genital Mutilation in India Bodily Integrity of a Woman Cannot be Infringed, SC Observes in PIL Seeking Ban on Female Genital Mutilation FGC in Indonesia: Increasing understanding of FGC in Indonesia: A field study by Islamic Relief Canada A Cutting Tradition Ending Female Genital Mutilation in Indonesia Ending FGM/C through Education and Community Engagement FGC in Iran: Female Genital Mutilation practiced in Iran, study reveals The Changing Paradigms of FGM/C Russian clinic in row over female genital cutting FGC in Malaysia: DPM maintains that female circumcision is part of Malaysian culture Stop female circumcision, it has no medical benefit, says women’s groups Female Genital Cutting in Malaysia: A mixed-methods study Malyasia’s anti-FGM advocates: Leave our bodies alone Malaysian Public Attitudes and Perceptions towards Violence Against Women FGC in Oman FGM Study in Oman Shows High Prevalence All Over The Country FGC in Pakistan: Violated Hopes: My Struggle to Report on Female Genital Cutting in Pakistan I Asked Bohri Women About Their Practice Of Female Genital Cutting Or Female “Khatna” And Here’s What They Had To Say An Understanding of FGM: Women of the ‘Bohra Community’ who are circumcised and it’s socio-sexual effects Why is it so difficult to talk about female genital cutting in Pakistan? FGC in Russia: Female circumcision in Moscow clinic sparks ‘complete shock’ Russia Furore over FGM in mainly Muslim Dagestan Activists Call For Investigation Into Cases of Female Genital Mutilation, Saying It Would Be A First For Russia FGC in Saudi Arabia: New Study Showing Scale of FGM in Saudi Arabia Surprises Rights Activists FGC in Singapore: “A Tiny Cut”: Female Circumcision in South East Asia – An Overview of FGC in Malay community Female genital mutilation: The women fighting against Singapore’s hidden human rights violation FGC in Sri Lanka: FGC in the United States: FGC in the United Kingdom: UK Serious Crime Act 2015 Legislation – FGM Fact Sheet Female Genital Mutilation: Legislation, policy, and guidance Dawoodi Bohras in London Told to Stop Female Circumcision Calls For Compulsory School Teaching Of FGM UK Home Office Multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM The Female Genital Mutilation Survivors Teaches Victims How To Enjoy Sex Vagina surgery ‘sought by girls as young as nine’ Perception and barriers: reporting female genital mutilation COVID and FGC Is the Pandemic Causing a Surge in Female Genital Mutilation Interventions used to End FGC: Supporting FGC Survivors: Female Genital Mutilation: Doctors Develop New Surgery Research Studies on FGC Press Release: Voices to End FGMC Help us improve our website! Fill out our website feedback form.
Blog Posts
SAHIYO BLOG
A Little Piece of Skin
Nationality: USA Ethnicity: Indian (Gujarati) Author: Anonymous 30-year-old I was not more than seven years old when I recall going into a medical complex on a quiet Sunday afternoon accompanied by my mother and our family friend. My mother told me it was time for my “khatna” or circumcision. She explained it as a rite of passage, something all the little girls in our Dawoodi Bohra community had to do. I remember feeling scared, but didn’t know exactly why. I just had a feeling something terrible was about to happen to me as our friend unlocked the building with her keys and we continued into her desolate practice. We went into one of the brightly colored rooms where alphabet wallpaper bordered me in. I started crying before it even happened while she crooned, “all I’m going to do is remove a liiiitle piece of skin.” Totally exposed, I was asked to relax and read the wallpapered alphabet backwards. My mother helped hold me still while I was flat on my back and in hysterics. The snip, which took maybe half a second was followed by a sharp-shooting pain that seemed to last in that moment, for eternity. I bled for three days and then it was over. It wasn’t until I was nineteen, the end of my freshman year in college that I stumbled upon an article from one of my classes, describing the experience of a woman who had been a victim of FGM, or female genital mutilation. After reading the article once, I was immediately reminded of that Sunday afternoon twelve years prior. There was no way the same thing could have been done to me. My seven-year old perspective of a little piece of skin being removed was analogous to that of a piece of skin from the top layer of the palm of a hand. My cousin used to stick a needle through that top layer and tell me it was magic that the needle was sticking there. She eventually revealed her secret and showed me the protective top layer that separated her hand from the skin. I guess like that layer, I always figured it would grow back. Still the feeling of uncertainty drove me to call a couple of peers and academics in my community to ask whether our “khatna” was in fact a partial removal of my clitoris. Their answer confirmed the worst of my fears. My next concern of “how much?” tormented me, and after a frantic visit to the school nurse, I got my answer: “There’s only a remnant left,” said the nurse practitioner who examined me. *** I don’t believe my discovery was adequately addressed the first time as the rest of my college experience was consumed by bouts of grief, rage, frustration, insecurity, and depression. My feelings only grew stronger as I got older and had more encounters with the opposite sex. My overcompensating, defensive attitude permeated all aspects of my life—friends, family, work, and academics. It wasn’t until my mid-20s, when I shared with my gynecologist during a routine visit what happened to me, that I was given three names of specialized therapists in the area with whom I could speak about my concerns. My insurance provider at the time would not cover therapy. Fortunately, one of three therapists agreed to see me for a discounted out-of-pocket fee because she was interested in my case. To this day, I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to talk through what happened to me in a safe space as such resources and treatment were unavailable to me at home or in my community. I learned it was ok to talk about sex, explore my sexuality, and sexual feelings. I was even prescribed homework to assist me in doing so. At the time of the therapy, I had been sexually active and my partner, who was incredibly supportive, was also invited to participate in one of my sessions. When growing up, I never thought I would have sex before marriage. The idea behind the circumcision was to curb any sexual appetite I might have. Ironically, once I learned this had happened, I wanted nothing more than to have sex to see what my capabilities were. While I was incredibly nervous and insecure about having sex, I was more open to losing my virginity in the context of a serious relationship, which is how it happened for me. One of my main insecurities about sex was that I felt like I was driving without the headlights on. Often times, I didn’t know where to go or how to guide my driver. I felt like a failure. To this day, I still have not experienced orgasm. While sex is enjoyable for me and I could describe what I can achieve as a “mini-climax”, I am bothered by the fact that I may never get to experience this wonderful part of life. While it’s no secret many women who have not been “circumcised” struggle with the same issues, a part of me will always wonder if that would have been true for me had this not happened. I will never know.