• by Kerry Kennedy
• Monday, March 19, 2012
• Inter Press Service

'Are you crazy, Fauziya?' Cecilia asked. 'You want to go back to Togo?' Cecilia Jeffrey, herself hailing from the West African country, couldn't believe her ears. Her friend and roommate Fauziya Kassinja was confessing she was ready to end her struggle to be the first woman in U.S. history to gain political asylum because she feared female genital mutilation. Later Cecilia walked out of the shower and showed Fauziya how she had been changed forever in an effort to convince her friend to change her mind, writes Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Up to 140 million girls and women have had their undergarments removed, their legs spread against their will, and their genitals hacked, usually with rocks, knives, scissors, razors or other cruel instruments. Anesthesia is rare. Most victims suffer excruciating pain, hemorrhaging, complicated pregnancies and even death; often they contract HIV/AIDS and hepatitis from unsterilised tools. Survivors suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and more. Every day 8,000 girls, aged two weeks to 15 years old, are at risk of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C).

(*) Kerry Kennedy is the President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

© Inter Press Service (2012) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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