Sexual mutilation

“FGM -- also known as female circumcision and female genital cutting -- refers to several rituals, common in parts of Africa and, to a lesser extent, Asia and the Middle East. In practicing societies, circumcision is seen variously as a religious obligation, a rite of passage, a hygienic measure, a means of controlling sexuality, and a prerequisite for marriageability.” In ‘Rites and wrongs: Is outlawing female genital mutilation enough to stop it from happening here?’ By Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow, February 11, 2007, The Boston Globe.