Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence: Mutilation of Female Sex Organs: Forms

Today, the surgical mutilation of female sex organs in parts of Africa and the Middle East has become a controversial international issue. A simple circumcision, i.e. the removal of the clitoral foreskin is usually not considered controversial, but the following procedures are:

1. Clitoridectomy, i.e. the surgical removal of the clitoral glans.
2. Excision, i.e. a clitoridectomy plus the removal of all or part of the inner lips (labia minora).
3. Infibulation of a very special kind, i.e an excision plus the the removal of all or parts of the outer lips (labia majora). The remaining edges of these lips are then sewn together, closing the vaginal opening. Only a small hole is left for passing urine and menstrual blood.

These operations are usually performed without anesthesia by elderly women on very young girls. Their ages vary according to local customs from infancy to early adolescence. In most cases, the age lies between 3 and 8. The instruments are often unsterilized knives or razor blades. The following sections provide some details on these three forms of mutilation.