What is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is any procedure involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. FGM is often performed on girls between the ages of 4 and 14 to ensure their virginity until marriage.
The World Health Organization reports that FGM has no health benefits and can cause serious and often lifelong physical and psychological health problems.
Immediately following the procedure, girls are at risk of severe pain, shock, bleeding, bacterial infection, and injury to nearby tissue. In the long term, women and girls are at risk of recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections, cysts, infertility, and complications during intercourse and childbirth. Depression, anxiety, PTSD and other psychological issues often follow the trauma of the procedure.
Immediately following the procedure, girls are at risk of severe pain, shock, bleeding, bacterial infection, and injury to nearby tissue. In the long term, women and girls are at risk of recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections, cysts, infertility, and complications during intercourse and childbirth. Depression, anxiety, PTSD and other psychological issues often follow the trauma of the procedure.
FGM is a Reality in the U.S.
FGM is illegal in the United States but it still takes place
The number of girls under 18 at risk of FGM in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1997.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk or have already undergone FGM in the U.S.
In 2017, the FBI arrested a doctor in Michigan for allegedly cutting up to 100 girls.
More than 98,000 women & girls are at risk of FGM and live in the remaining 19 states that do not have state legislation against the practice.
Read our report on Why we hesitate to protect girls from FGM in the U.S.
What is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is any procedure involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. FGM is often performed on girls between the ages of 4 and 14 to ensure their virginity until marriage.
The World Health Organization reports that FGM has no health benefits and can cause serious and often lifelong physical and psychological health problems.
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Immediately following the procedure, girls are at risk of severe pain, shock, bleeding, bacterial infection, and injury to nearby tissue. In the long term, women and girls are at risk of recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections, cysts, infertility, and complications during intercourse and childbirth. Depression, anxiety, PTSD and other psychological issues often follow the trauma of the procedure.
FGM is a Reality in the U.S.
FGM is illegal in the United States but it still takes place
The number of girls under 18 at risk of FGM in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1997.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 513,000 women and girls are at risk or have already undergone FGM in the U.S.
In 2017, the FBI arrested a doctor in Michigan for allegedly cutting up to 100 girls.
More than 98,000 women & girls are at risk of FGM and live in the remaining 19 states that do not have state legislation against the practice.
Read our report on Why we hesitate to protect girls from FGM in the U.S.
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