Teenage Girl dies during female circumcision

[pies4ever]

Girl dies during female circumcision
August 11, 2007

A 13-YEAR-OLD Egyptian girl has died during an illegal operation to mutilate her genitalia, the Al-Masri Al-Yom daily has reported.

Karima Rahim Massud died as the result of problems with the anasthaesia in the Nile Delta village of Gharbiya.

Her death was discovered after her father sought a death certificate from another doctor.

The medical practice where the operation took place has been closed, and the doctor is being interrogated, the newspaper said.

Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, is a practice that dates back to pharaonic times in Egypt.

It is common in a band that stretches from Senegal in West Africa to Somalia on the east coast, and from Egypt in the north to Tanzania in the south.

The practice, which affects both Muslim and Christian women in Egypt, was banned in 1997 but doctors were allowed to operate "in exceptional cases.''

Female circumcision can cause death through haemorraging and later complications during childbirth.

It also carries risks of infection, urinary tract problems and mental trauma.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22228573-5005961,00.html

[stui magpie]

That is a seriously gross practice done, as I understand it, to remove any potential for enjoyment from the sexual act, ensuring that the woman will only see sex for procreation and therefore remain faithful to their husband.

Step down from keeping all the wives locked in the Zenna.

Absolute garbage that it should be allowed to happen.

[member34258]

This practice is alive and well in Australia.

[David]

Rather primitive practise to say the least.

[John Wren]

it's been going on for years. i remember helping my mates younger sister write a paper about it about 15 years ago. odd topic to choose.

[stui magpie]

Any bloke who would make it a pre requisite that his wife had her bits mutilated has serious issues.

[bazdaddy]

Absoloutely sickening.

[magpiesgirl]

That has got to be one of the sickest and cruelest things Ive ever heard.As I was reading that,I couldnt help but squeeze my legs together. I cant even begin to imagine what sort of sick,perverted moron would want that let alone do it!

[Syd_Magpies_Girl]

Deprivation of human rights, now she is dead.

That is disgusting.

[David]

OK, I guess we all agree that it's sick and disgusting. I think Stui pretty much sums it up with his post... why the hell would anybody even want that anyway? Frankly I struggle to understand why they do it, and as I said in my post, primitive is the nicest thing you can say about it.

So I'm going to play devil's advocate. Do we have any right, as a western society, to say that certain cultural practices in other countries are wrong? Even if they seem abhorrent to us?

Interested to see what people think.

[John Wren]

define 'normal'. what's normal to us might not be normal to them and vice versa.

the honour killings where a girl is stoned to death for being unfaithful according to her family are just extraordinary,

[stui magpie]

geez David.

Nice point Jock.

Different cultures have different practices. What's "normal" for them isn't for us.

In some strict islamic states, girls aren't allowed to go to school or work. Pretty %^$&£&" up? go back 50 years in our own culture.

In the Australian Public Service up until the late 60's, the law was that when a woman got married, she had to resign so she could stay home and raise kids an be a good housewife.

In a number of Asian cultures, arranged marriages are still commonplace. Sometimes taking place with kids under 14 years of age.

I suppose my point is that there's difference which we need to tolerate. The days of england colonising and civilising the savages are gone. We need to be able to respect other cultures as being different and not measure everyone against our own personal values.

The exception to me is when "culture" crosses the line. Where that line is may depend on the person but for me, mutilating a girls genitals is not on. Any culture that accepted rape or paedophillia as normal practise, I would have serious issues with as well.

What do you do about it?

Without being too stereotypical, most of these abhorrent practices occur in places among the poor populace in often 3rd world countries. You try to influence change by diplomatic and economic pressure. Those kind of changes need to come from within for them to be effective, not imposed by outside do gooders, regardless of where the genesis of the change comes from.

[Syd_Magpies_Girl]

Look at their culture though. These are completely different societies. It's just like laws in Saudi Arabia - women not being able to leave the house on their own, no singing or dancing etc...it's about respecting their culture and ways.

This is partially why so many Arabs hate Americans, because they've always wanted to interfere because of their beliefs.

[Robbo.D.yobbo]

talk about a rough day at work......

jesus christ...im not a girl so i wouldnt no but i would imagine it would be painfull..