Soft-touch Britain.

[Eric]

Seems like FGM is something folks don't really want to talk about.

Female genital mutilation a 'huge problem' in U.K. - World - CBC News

If the article is too much for you to read in its entirety, consider that, since 1985 when the practice was outlawed and given a maximum sentence of 14 years in the slammer, there has been not one prosecution. Also, the phrase, "overzealous cultural sensitivity", is worth pondering. And "we are talking about girls who are British citizens."

Sadly, a significant numbe of girls in Canada might be at risk particularly as more and more Somalis come here.

Somalia leads world in per capita female circumcision - Sabahionline.com

[accyman]

if a bloke is found doing ths to a woman he should get his winky chopped off as well as the prison term or at least the tip

[westendlass]

I think it's usually women who carry out this barbaric custom, the girls being held down and forcibly mutilated. It's going to take a lot of re-education to change a custom so ingrained in certain cultures. That it still goes on in Britain and other western countries in this day and age is a disgrace, people are so sensitive about sticking their nose in and upsetting people's feelings or even being accused of being a racist that the issue seems to be swept under the carpet. The girls end up as silent victims with terrible suffering.

[Margaret Pilkington]

In all the time I worked in Women's Health(gynaecology) I only ever saw one case.......and it was in a woman in her fifties, she had had it done as a child and it was done by a woman that her family knew. Her mother and her grandmother held her down while this mutilation was performed. Her life was blighted by this procedure.
It is barbaric. Culture has nothing at all to do with it.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

It is barbaric. Culture has nothing at all to do with it.

Agreed ... it has to do with fear of female sexuality and viewing women as property ... and those are two core "beliefs" of Islamists. If it is a culture, it is a culture of exclusion, one which treats like shiite over half the world's population. It doesn't belong in the UK, Canada, the US, Australia ... in fact, any Western democracy based on principles of equality. And, while I'm at it, let's not forget homophobia. So, by tolerating extreme forms of Islamic religion and culture too many western nations are tolerating anti-semitism, gynophobia, homophobia, terrorism and a whole bunch of other nasty stuff. And Islamists (by the by, that is different from "muslims") play on this weakness in order to promote their medieval world view.

If only we could wean ourselves off oil ....

[Less]

Originally Posted by Eric

Agreed ... it has to do with fear of female sexuality and viewing women as property ... and those are two core "beliefs" of Islamists. If it is a culture, it is a culture of exclusion, one which treats like shiite over half the world's population. It doesn't belong in the UK, Canada, the US, Australia ... in fact, any Western democracy based on principles of equality. And, while I'm at it, let's not forget homophobia. So, by tolerating extreme forms of Islamic religion and culture too many western nations are tolerating anti-semitism, gynophobia, homophobia, terrorism and a whole bunch of other nasty stuff. And Islamists (by the by, that is different from "muslims") play on this weakness in order to promote their medieval world view.

If only we could wean ourselves off oil ....

Sorry Eric, it not only doesn't belong in western culture, it just doesn't belong.
I couldn't imagine allowing such an act as this being performed on my daughter at that age, but I really can't imagine a woman that's been abused prepared to abuse other children in this way.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Less

I really can't imagine a woman that's been abused prepared to abuse other children in this way.

Question is, how much choice do they have? I don't belive that just saying "no" is an option for women in the "cultures" we are talking about. It's difficult to understand primarily because our thinking is conditioned, to a large degree, by the culture in which we are fortunate enough to live. You and I might not be able to imagine it; but there are those who can't imagine anything else, or things being anything other than what they are. We can't expect the victims to rise up against thier oppressors ... it just ain't gonna happen. What Britain and Canada can do for starters is to enforce the laws that have been on the books for years ... It won't stop the practice ... (slavery is still common in certain parts of the world for chrissake) ... but at least we can put an end to it in our own countries.

[Less]

Well being a member of the 'free world', perhaps I was wrong in thinking no woman would want to abuse another woman/child.
I've never enjoyed sex as a woman hopefully it's as enjoyable for them as it is for me.
I suspect it must be, otherwise the human race wouldn't be here.
Just can't imagine taking away a woman's enjoyment of what is a really good activity.
Perhaps anyone that wants a woman like that should be given one of those inflatable dolls?
I can only imagine the response to be as disappointing.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I think you are both right in what you say.
Male circumcision is done for medical reasons(and in some religions it is a requirement cited for hygiene reasons), but female circumcision is nothing like this at all. It isn't for hygiene, it is to make the womans sex life poorer(but enhance the male experience) reducing her sexual pleasure means that she is much less likely to want to indulge with any other man.(or indeed any man)
It causes great difficulty in childbirth often necessitating a surgical delivery, it can be responsible for serious bladder and kidney infections, infertility and it increases the risk of death in newborns.

I cannot understand any mother holding down her child to allow this to take place(it can be done any time from infancy up to puberty).

[Sunflower49]

This is one thing I feel strongly about, It's so cruel and horrendous. I can't compare it to male circumcision as the common consequences, reasons and procedure are so far apart, even though I disagree with both for the most part.

Has anybody read any Waris Dirie? I follow her work quite avidly.

The recent e-petition pioneered by Leyla Hussein (of the recent c4 documentary) has received more than enough signatures to be discussed in the HOC, thankfully. I just hope it results in some major changes, as Eric states, not ONE prosecution yet this is severe child abuse. It makes no sense

Nothing to do with religion either it seems, just a barbaric tradition. And as has been said above, how a woman can hold her child down whilst she is tortured is so far removed from my own thinking, I will not even attempt to understand it.