Female genital cutting

Why is genital cutting done on girls?

Female genital cutting is an old, traditional procedure that is performed all over the world. It is most common in some parts of Africa, however. Where it is performed, the awareness that the procedure is dangerous and harmful is generally low. Because of that, it is important to provide information and education to stop it from occurring. However, female genital cutting is not fundamentally a consequence of poor knowledge. It is a way of controlling and limiting women’s sexuality. It can be a way of trying to prevent women from having sex before they are married, and a way of preventing women from enjoying sex.

The procedure of female genital cutting cannot be connected specifically to any religion. No religious writings, such as the Bible or the Koran, say that it shall be performed or encourage it.

What does the law say about female genital cutting?

Female genital cutting is prohibited in Sweden according to Swedish law. A person who does it can be sent to prison.

It is also prohibited to travel to another country to have the procedure done, even if it is allowed in that country. If the person who is responsible for the procedure being performed lives in Sweden, he or she can be prosecuted and convicted here, even if the procedure was performed abroad.

It is also illegal to prepare or to ask someone else to perform genital cutting on a girl. That means that a mother or a father can be fined or sent to prison just for planning the procedure.

Additionally, in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the Convention on the Rights of the Child it is stated that all girls in all countries have a right to their own bodies and a right not to have to be subjected to genital cutting.

What can the genital area look like after genital cutting?

There are different ways of female genital cutting. Larger or smaller parts of the genital area may have been cut off. All forms of female genital cutting, including when only a small part is removed, are illegal and often dangerous. Some girls even die from it.

The most common forms of female genital cutting:

• The foreskin and sometimes the glans of the clitoris are removed. That kind of procedure is sometimes called sunna. However, some larger procedures also go by that name.
• A part of the clitoris is removed, as well as all or part of the inner labia. All or parts of the inner labia and the clitoris are removed. The outer labia, sometimes partly removed, are sown together, covering the vaginal opening.
• Below the opening, a small hole is left so that urine and menstrual blood can escape. This procedure is sometimes called pharaonic circumcision.

Other forms of female genital cutting can involve inserting corrosive substances such as herbs into the vagina to minimise its opening. It may also be a case of cutting, burning or puncturing the clitoris or the area around it to bring about slight bleeding. This can severely damage sensitive nerve endings and make it difficult to have sex and to orgasm.

What consequences can female genital cutting have?

The consequences depend on the form of genital cutting that one has been subjected to. There are, however, some common problems:

• having difficulty with and/or experiencing pain when having sex with somebody else
• having difficulty with and/or experiencing pain when masturbating
• having difficulty urinating
• occurrence of painful scars that can get infected

What kind of help is available?

Anyone who has questions about or problems regarding their genitals, is welcome to turn to a youth clinic for guidance and care. At the youth clinic a gynaecological examination can be made. During this examination the gynaecologist or midwife only looks at the outside of the genital area, without using their fingers or any instruments.

At some of the women’s clinics at the major hospitals there are staff who are specialised in female genital cutting. For example, there are such staff at Uppsala University Hospital, Södersjukhuset (Stockholm South General Hospital) and hospitals in Malmö and Göteborg.

Although it is not possible to rebuild new labia or a new clitoris, it is possible to do many things to relieve pain and other difficulties. For example, sown-together labia can be opened up, making urinating, menstruation and having sex much easier. It is also possible to remove painful scars and cysts.

Female genital cutting can also cause psychological problems. The memory of the procedure being performed can remain in the body even if it was done at a young age. Some get depressed or feel low, but do not see this as being connected to the early experience. It can also be painful to know that one’s own genitals look and function differently to those of friends'. If one carries around such thoughts and feelings, it may help to talk to somebody about them. At youth clinics and at school, there is usually a welfare officer or a psychologist. Everybody who works in health and medical care, including school health care, is obliged to maintain professional secrecy.

Female genital cutting and sex

There are many ways to have a fulfilling sex life even if one has undergone genital cutting. Although the clitoris and the area around it have been damaged, there are ways of learning how to use what is left to feel pleasure. Having a fulfilling sex life to a large extent means getting to know one’s body and what one likes. It is usually fully possible both to masturbate and to have sex with others. One may however need some more time to feel comfortable compared to a person who has not undergone genital cutting. If it hurts to touch a certain area, for example the clitoris, one can try to find other parts of the body that it feels arousing or pleasurable to touch. Such areas may be the nipples, the vaginal opening or the perineal body. If it hurts to have vaginal intercourse, the fingers can be used for caressing instead. The important thing is to try things out with care, making sure to avoid those that are painful or unpleasant. A good thing is to test things on one’s own first, before having sex with someone else.