Re: female circumcision-A
ctfaulkn@utkvx.utk.edu
Tue, 29 Nov 94 09:28:34 GMT
In Article <3be02n$h3e@news.primenet.com>
camilla@primenet.com (Camilla Cracchiolo) writes:
>There's one point I haven't seen anyone bring up yet. There are
>educated and caring parents of young girls in cultures that practice female
>genital mutilation whose response has been to agree that the practice is
>indeed barbaric and dangerous when performed by old women in villages
>minus anesthesia.
Can you provide other information such as what % of the population
in this socioeconomic group supports the practice? What are their motives,
and the underlying cultural expectations for supporting, or declinig to
participate? I think such information would be benefical to those of with
limited background of female circumcsion.
>They then try to get the procedure performed under
>anesthesia by a physician. All the cases I've heard of, the physician has
>refused to perform the procedure, as I myself would refuse to assist with
>one. I imagine that there are doctors in these countries that go ahead
>and do them, however.
>
It would also be interesting to know if there are physcians who
specialize in this practice. Also what is the number of consenting vs
refusing physicians, what attributes separate one group from the other?
>The danger of the procedure as practiced in villages by the older women
>should not be underestimated. Not only do a certain number of the girls
>die from infection and/or hemorrhage, but it often leads to lifelong
>urinary incontinence, repeated urinary tract infections and severe
>perineal tears during childbirth.
>
>
Statistical data and case history information from affected individuals
is essential to forumlating a thorough understanding of the practice in the
populations in which it occurs. I might also add, that female circumscision
is not universally pracited in the Moslem world, rather it has a limited
distribution in a few African countries who also happen to practice Islam. We
need to know which countires, how wide spread within those countries, and which
populations (ethnic, socioeconomic etc.) make up the majority of the cases.
Your experience and understanding of these issues will benefit those of us
who have only a limited background in this topic. Thanks!!!
**********************************
* Charles T. Faulkner * When you don't know where you're
* Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville * going any road will take you there.
* (ctfaulkn@utkvx.utk.edu) * Alice
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