Once again I searched for a previous discussion on this topic, but couldn't find any......

I recently finished a very powerful book called "- Do They Hear You When You Cry?" by Fauziya Kassindja with Layli Miller. This is the true story of a young woman (17) in Togo who was about to be forced into a multiple marriage (she would be the fourth wife) to a man much older than she. But, he also required that she be subjected to complete female genital mutilation and infibulation.

With help she managed to flee and ended up in the US. Due to legal circumstances she was detained in prison (with convicted criminals) for 16 horrific months, until finally winning her freedom to stay here under our laws of asylum.

This was a precedent setting case and ultimately Congress passed a law condemning this practice in the USA in 1996 (I believe that was the year). However, the practice has been brought to this country via a fairly newly arrived immigrant population whichpractices this abomination (my opinion).

Besides the cruelty - it is done traditionally without anesthetic - there is the fallout of infection, lifelong health problems, and a high death rate.

You can read more here: click here

Where is the outcry? If this was done on a racial basis - a certain racial group was mutilated - the world would cry out - NO!

Shouldn't our outcry for these women resound around the world?

One Hundred and Thirty Million - this is no small number of our fellow human beings.

I had no idea they practiced it in the US at all. The law should already cover this if the woman were to press charges. Wouldn't it be considered assault, mayhem, spousal abuse, child abuse, mutilation, or something of that nature?

Honestly, I think the victims need to speak up and be heard. I don't think anyone would disagree that it is a criminal offense.

In the case of the woman who wrote the book, she was a teenager when confronted with this. However, it is often done when the victim is a young child. The author details an instance she knew of it being done to a child in this country at five years old.

The problem is, the family is silent - they are complicit. It is not always done by men (though often it is) to girls/women, but also by older women in the family to the younger ones. They feel that it is a prerequisite to marriage. Without it no 'good' man will marry their daughter. It's part of the 'purity/honor' stigma that falls on female shoulders.

This will only change if there is a loud and constant outcry just as there was against apartheid in South Africa. And, the first part of the outcry is knowledge. You can't cry out against it, unless you know about it.

That's why I have put it here.

You are right but how? If the women in that culture never speak out how is anyone else going to be able to help them? And I assume you mean in our own country...or do you mean world wide?