14.12.2015. By Rayehe Mozafarian

For most of the people, it is surprising that Female Genital Mutilation is still happened in Iran and African countries have created in their minds when they hear the term of FGM/C for the first time. While it can be found in most parts of the world with different percentages. The main cause of the widespread prevalence of FGM/C is the migration. Many studies have been done in Iran. Some Iranian researchers believe that FGM/C has fallen sharply but is still common. There are no figures from the past. Therefore, there is no way to measure how much this practice has declined in Iran. So it is important to point out that Iranian girls are the victims of FGM/C in some parts of the south and west.

Recently, it was reported that a circumcised girl was taken to the hospital due to severe bleeding in Bokan City. Maf News reported:

“A 5-year-old girl, Sahar Shokri, was sent to a hospital after circumcision because of severe bleeding. Maf News reporter confirmed this news and reported: “Her parents have said that they do not regret to have circumcised their daughter because of respect of religion”. They referred to some male-circumcision centers. But those centers rejected to do female circumcision then Sahar was circumcised by a traditional method”.

Farzaneh Danesh Khah sent her new study and its results for STOP FGM IRAN from Piranshahr, Sardasht, Oshnavieh, Mahabad and Bokan Cities:

“Female Circumcision is called “tradition” in the local language because people believe that this operation is a prophetic tradition which failure to do so leads to sin and taking anything from non-circumcised girl is forbidden and Haram. In this study, 60 women were circumcised with a razor by Iraqi gypsy women who travel in Iran and their villages or cities. These gypsy women declared in the streets that they can do this operation, then the families brought their daughters to them because they trust them. The girls underwent FGM type 1. They were beguiled with a lure of candy or some other promise into an unknown place where another woman, in a most crude and unhygienic manner cuts a part of the clit with a razor or blade, without anesthesia. The women said after circumcision they poured ash on their genitals or they were asked to sit in the water and urinate. Some of these women said because of the fear of pain they held their urine or preferred not to drink. Female circumcision was promoted by religious leaders and they thought FGM is legal and necessary like male circumcision and it has health benefits for girls and their sexual desire will be controlled. Other women got their information about FGM through the Kurdish-Iraqi channels during recent years. They never received any information about FGM and its complications from health care centers”.

Farzaneh Danesh Khah continued that: “I interviewed all 60 women and I must say they do not have satisfactory sex condition. 32 of them have never had an orgasm experience. These women did not have the emotional problems with their husbands but they believed that they are physically disabled. Before the start of this study, I thought the last victims of FGM in these areas belongs to 30 years ago but unfortunately it is still existed in rural areas”.