Italy Facing Rising Number of Girls Undergoing Infibulation

Although Italy passed a law against Female Genital Mutilation in 2006 which banned Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)and also made it a crime for parents to send their daughters out of the country to have the procedure done, there is a rising number of girls at risk of the particular type of FGM called Infibulation. Infibulation is the sewing together of the labia, often after cutting out the clitoris. The conservative MP and president of Italy's Association of Moroccan Women, Souad Sbai, estimates 600 girls are at risk each year.

Rome, 27 Jan. (AKI) - At least 600 children are at risk of infibulation, an extreme form of female genital mutilation in Italy, according to conservative MP and president of Italy's Association of Moroccan Women, Souad Sbai. AKI reports:

"Every year in Italy there are 600 children, daughters of immigrants, that are at risk of infibulation and it all happens in total silence," said Sbai, while presenting a report by her organisation, Acmid-Donna.

"Here at Acmid-Donna have decided to sound the alarm about infibulation because unfortunately we have noticed that the practice has anything but ceased or been relegated to marginal communities of immigrants in Italy."

Sbai also spoke about the number of infibulated children after the approval of the 2006 Consolo law, enacted to prevent and prohibit female genital mutilation.

"We are particularly concerned about the rising number of infibulated children even after the Consolo law," she said.

However, Sbai said that the law was not enough to stop the cruel practice of female genital mutilation.

"Besides laws, we need to take strong action to oppose this tribal and wicked practice which has nothing to do with religions and is tied only to African cultural traditions," she said.

Sbai also accused Egyptian and Somali imams of influencing the immigrant community and the importance of making public opinion aware of the problem by starting a preventative policy.

Infibulation - the most extreme form of female circumcision is common in many parts of North and Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Somalia, parts of Kenya and Ethiopia.

Italy's 2006 Consolo law banned genital mutilation, also making it a crime for parents who attempt to sidestep the law by sending their daughters abroad.

Hmmm, if it has nothing to do with religion, why are the imams involved?
Well, the answer is that it should have nothing to do with religion, but it does. The religion of Islam is very concerned with female chastity and infibulation is done to ensure the girl remains a virgin until marriage. This is done removing sexual sensation and making the vaginal opening to small for penetration. This protects the girl from losing her virginity before marriage and being subject to honor killing.

Muslims like to tell not Muslims that this has nothing to do with Islam, but there are hadiths that support both FGM and honor killing. There are also hadiths that support lying to further the spread of Islam. And to support the killing of someone who spreads information about Islam that is unflattering, even if it is true. So it is very tricky business for Muslim women to stop FGM.

Hat Tip Women Against Shariah