11 Facts about Female Genital Mutilation

The stats on female genital mutilation are scarce. It is a practice that is often kept secret for cultural reasons, especially now that anti-FGM laws are being passed around the world. This is what we do know --

Worldwide, 135 million girls experience genital cutting.
In Africa alone, 92 million girls 10 years old and above have been subjected to FGM or genital cutting.
FGM is practiced to control or reduce female sexuality and to initiate girls into womanhood.
FGM is not often a religious requirement like many people think – it is generally cultural, not religious.
Most girls undergo FGM when they are between 7 and 10 years-old and many other girls undergo FGM as infants.
FGM is practiced in most African countries.
FGM is also found in the Middle East, mostly Oman, United Arab Emirates, Yemen as well as India Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iran and Malaysia.
FGM has become widespread in Western cities in Australia, Canada, England, France and the United States because of its cultural importance to immigrants who come from where FGM is common. However, FCM is prohibited in the US.
FGM is a serious problem in most immigrant communities in American cities but most don’t see it as an ‘American’ problem so little is done about it.
Many develop uncontrollable bleeding after the procedure and can die within hours because of excessive blood loss.
FGM is usually females furthering the cycle - most circumcisers are women.