Most of you have probably never even heard of FGM. I hadn't either until i read a book about Waris Dirie. Her story, just like so many other little girls, was really sad so i want to share it with you.
She was born into a nomadic Somalian family sometime in the 1960's, the exact year she is not sure of. One day, one of her older sisters, Haman, told her she was leaving as a girl and would return as woman. She never returned though. Waris later found out that Haman had lost too much blood during the procedure, and died.
When Waris was around five years old, she heard that another of her sisters, Aman, was to undergo a procedure that would turn her into a woman. Not wanting her sister to have anything that she didn't, Waris begged and begged until her mother finally allowed her to take part as well. Her innocent mind could have no idea of all of the pain, confusion and isolation that was to come.
She was held down on a rock by her mother, while a local gypsy woman roughly cut off her clitoris and inner parts of her vagina with a rusty razor blade that already had dried blood on it. She was then sewn up leaving only a "match-stick sized" hole through which blood and urine were to pass through.
She was then left by herself out in the bush for around a week so she could heal, only being visited by her mother once a day when she delivered her food. Waris was lucky not to develop and infection during the 'healing time' as many girls that do not die of shock or haemorraghing during the actual procedure, can develop fatal infections afterwards.
When her genitals had finally been healed, she was welcomed back into the family with a big all night party. At five years old she was now a 'woman'.
Although Waris survived this operation when approximately one third of the girls who undergo this procedure don't, it was not without further problems. When the Gypsy woman had sewn her up, she hadn't left a big enough hole for her urine and menstrual fluids to pass through. This was not noticable at first, as it just took her a longer time to pee. However, when she began getting her periods, she would be paralysed with stomach pains, and couldn't move for about a week. This was because the blood could not get out and was building up inside of her. This could have been easily fixed by reopening her, but nobody would allow it. This may sound rare, but actually it is very common to develop long term health problems from this procedure. Quite often, women develop urinary tract infections and can suffer abscesses or loss of nerve endings. Stones can form in the urethra or bladder because of obstruction or infection.
On their wedding night, the man cuts his new bride open with a knife and forces himself into her. The circumcised women can feel no sexual pleasure, instead, throughout their whole life sex is a painful experience for them. After this the woman can be resewn to keep her 'tight'. Many woman are not 'deinfibulated' (opening the vagina up) before birth, and this can cause life threatening complications for both the mother and the baby.
She was born into a nomadic Somalian family sometime in the 1960's, the exact year she is not sure of. One day, one of her older sisters, Haman, told her she was leaving as a girl and would return as woman. She never returned though. Waris later found out that Haman had lost too much blood during the procedure, and died.
When Waris was around five years old, she heard that another of her sisters, Aman, was to undergo a procedure that would turn her into a woman. Not wanting her sister to have anything that she didn't, Waris begged and begged until her mother finally allowed her to take part as well. Her innocent mind could have no idea of all of the pain, confusion and isolation that was to come.
She was held down on a rock by her mother, while a local gypsy woman roughly cut off her clitoris and inner parts of her vagina with a rusty razor blade that already had dried blood on it. She was then sewn up leaving only a "match-stick sized" hole through which blood and urine were to pass through.
She was then left by herself out in the bush for around a week so she could heal, only being visited by her mother once a day when she delivered her food. Waris was lucky not to develop and infection during the 'healing time' as many girls that do not die of shock or haemorraghing during the actual procedure, can develop fatal infections afterwards.
When her genitals had finally been healed, she was welcomed back into the family with a big all night party. At five years old she was now a 'woman'.
Although Waris survived this operation when approximately one third of the girls who undergo this procedure don't, it was not without further problems. When the Gypsy woman had sewn her up, she hadn't left a big enough hole for her urine and menstrual fluids to pass through. This was not noticable at first, as it just took her a longer time to pee. However, when she began getting her periods, she would be paralysed with stomach pains, and couldn't move for about a week. This was because the blood could not get out and was building up inside of her. This could have been easily fixed by reopening her, but nobody would allow it. This may sound rare, but actually it is very common to develop long term health problems from this procedure. Quite often, women develop urinary tract infections and can suffer abscesses or loss of nerve endings. Stones can form in the urethra or bladder because of obstruction or infection.
On their wedding night, the man cuts his new bride open with a knife and forces himself into her. The circumcised women can feel no sexual pleasure, instead, throughout their whole life sex is a painful experience for them. After this the woman can be resewn to keep her 'tight'. Many woman are not 'deinfibulated' (opening the vagina up) before birth, and this can cause life threatening complications for both the mother and the baby.
A very shocking and confusing article that's very well-written but leaves a lot of questions unanswered. For example, why did Waris' mother allow Waris to take part in such a procedure? Surely her mother would've known what it involved - no doubt because she would've had the same treatment when she was little? And why did her mother leave her out in the bush after it was finished, only visiting her to deliver food? And perhaps most disturbingly, why is a cut-open/re-sewn woman not "deinfibulated" before birth to allow the baby to pass through?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly seems like a pretty sick practise, and one of the sickest parts of it is that there doesn't appear to be any logical explanation given for why it's carried out. It's mentioned that it's done for non-medical reasons, but doesn't examine further why it's needed if that's the case. At any rate, you've done a good job of pointing out the illicit details of what the procedure involves and how it's such an unjust and pointless thing to do. The inclusion of the pictures is also bound to have the desired effect - plus I admire the fact that you managed your blog so that before anybody enters, they're alerted of the images contained within, and therein given the chance to turn back if they want to. Well done.
O M G!! thats all i can say, I dont know what to say but just to feel so sorry for these girls who go through this. THIS is horrible!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this practise and im pretty sure alot of students in our iwrite class have no idea about it but its so good that you have brought it up. I hope its not being continued till this day.
I also agree with chappie about the message you have posted before anyone can read your blog.! Good intiative lol.
i know this is a DISGUSTING practice.
ReplyDeleteI have just made a post outlining the reasons why people do this. I still think there is no excuse to do that to somebody though.
I have no idea why some women are not 'deinfibulated' before giving birth, it is something i could not find any information on =[
but as for leaving waris alone in the bush? i think it was just to give her time to heal in peace. In her family everyone had jobs to do and she was not fit to carry them out in her state. Also, they would not want the younger girls to see her while she was like that in case they got scared of the procedure. Her mother could only make time to visit her once a day as they were so busy.
thanks for your comments guys =]
please read my new post as well