Common throughout the Middle East, Africa, and some parts of Asia, a fairly untalked about tradition has destroyed the lives of many women. It has been estimated that over one hundred million women world wide have systematically and unmercifully had their genitals mutilated. The origins of this abuse are still being debated, but many estimate it going back as many as six thousand years. Although the ritual differs slightly from culture to culture, it is generally passed on from one generation to the next, from mother to daughter or grandmother to granddaughter. For the purposes of this essay, we will limit our focus to the general practices often observed in African nations.
Female circumcision consists of the removal of the clitoral hood or of the entire clitoris.
Clitoridectomy involves the complete removal of the clitoris as well as part or all of the labia minora and sometimes part of the labia majora. An infibulation consists of removing the clitoris, the labia minora, and the labia majora. After this is completed, the two sides of the vulva are sutured together, completely closing up the vagina leaving nothing but the smallest space through which to void. What is particularly cruel about all of these procedures is that they are almost always performed during the childhood years or early adolescence. These young girls are traumatized and robbed of their sexuality before they are even able to understand what has happened to them.