The amputation of a child's clitoris.

This practice persists in Africa and certain parts of the Middle East as a means of:

1) Quelling a woman's sexual appetite so that she's is less likely to cheat on her husband.
2) Ensuring that a female is a virgin upon marriage because after her clitoris is amputated her vagina is sewn shut with only a small opening for urination.

In most cases a child's mother has absolutely no say in whether or not her daughter(s) will undergo this hideous operation. The indigenous populations of these countries have been brainwashed over the centuries, into believing that this evil is necessary in maintaining cultural heritage and pride.

I recently saw a documentary where a child, no more than two, was having this procedure peformed WITHOUT anethesia- she screamed a soul wrenching plea, but they didn't (wouldn't) hear her. . .they just continued to destroy that poor little baby's body. In the countries that practice this, the only recourse women have is to flee and seek asylum in another country! They suffer mental, physical and emotional scars well into adulthood. Oftentimes the adult survivors are plagued with chronic infections and vaginal pain and sometimes death.

The Chinese finally banned the almost equally barbaric practice of foot binding in the early to mid 1900's. .

*sigh* I'm actually in tears thinking about this. What, if anything, can be done about this, can't the UN step in or something!!!