Logo banner
motto		 space
francais sitemap contact us
Print this page • Recommend to a frend

Definition | Risks

Excision


What is Excision?

Excision is still called genital mutilations; it is an African traditional practice which consists in the ablation of the clitoris and lower labia. Excision is a passing ritual for young girls that finds its origins in the Neolithic period and in many cases excision is also practiced in the Middle East and in several countries of Southeast Asia (India and Sri Lanka). We give to that millennium practice religion sources, issued from Koran even though the writing are not elucidated on this, a non-excised woman is seen as unchaste for prayers and for her sexual partner. Excision permits to keep virginity on young girls, and this way the marriage portion will be higher in certain African cultures. In the 28 African countries where this intervention is done, it is women who do most of the interventions on young girls from 0 to 7 years old, outside the hospitals. We estimate that 130 millions the number of little girls and women that have been excised worldwide. One of the most dangerous forms of excision is the complete ablation of the clitoris and both labias. The vulva is then sutured with a silk thread or a thorn thread letting a single orifice for urine and menstruations.

Many little girls die resulting from shock, awful pain, infections and hemorrhages. This intervention also creates kidneys dysfunctions and severe complications during deliveries. Many African women die during deliveries.

Excision has become a very controversial subject and is now considered as a criminal an illegal act in several occidental countries and in many African countries and many Africans countries are also slowly thinking about the possibility to do the same. However, the controversy is persisting and the doctors are now hesitating when it comes to make excision in hospitals because they are afraid of being reprimanded or sued. This refusal brings many women to choose for traditional practice with the risks that come with it.

Excision and HIV transmission Risks

Instruments used by the practitioners are razor blades are often are not sterilized and used on many young girls. With a removed vulva and a stitch and tight orifice, excision eliminates sexual pleasure on young girls. Sexual intercourse is a true torture for African women and men. Excision creates bleeding during sexual relation because of the skin that is torn around the vulva and this phenomena exposed women and men to HIV transmission. These women live in a polygamous marital context where the husbands have many sexual partner and sometimes several mistresses. While the delivery the HIV might be transmitted to the baby are higher because of the continuing bleeding.

Most of African women who had an excision choose for anal and non-safe sexual relations, which exposed the two partners to HIV infection risks because the anus is not presenting enough secretions as the vagina one. Anal sexual relations cause irritations and breaking of blood vessels in the anal cavity and then, bleedings.