So painful that she screamed
A Michigan doctor has been accused of performing genital cutting on two 7-year-old girls at a medical clinic, in a case that federal officials believe to be the first prosecution under a law banning the brutal practice.
The doctor, Jumana Nagarwala, 44, was arrested on Wednesday on charges that she performed the genital cutting at an unnamed medical clinic in Livonia, Mich.; transported minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and lied to federal agents.
“Cutting” aka mutilation.
One of the girls told investigators that she thought she and the other girl had gone to the doctor because “our tummies hurt.” The other said the cutting procedure was so painful that she screamed and could barely walk afterward.
Yeah I’ll bet it was painful. 7 years old.
“Dr. Nagarwala is alleged to have performed horrifying acts of brutality on the most vulnerable victims,” Kenneth A. Blanco, an acting assistant attorney general with the Justice Department’s criminal division, said in a statement on Thursday. “The Department of Justice is committed to stopping female genital mutilation in this country, and will use the full power of the law to ensure that no girls suffer such physical and emotional abuse.”
She’s been placed on leave from a medical center named after Henry Ford.
The Michigan case is significant because it can help to raise awareness of an issue that often flies under the radar, said Shelby Quast of Equality Now, an international women’s rights advocacy organization.
She said people who might see evidence of genital cutting, such as teachers and health care providers, are not always aware of obligations to report it. “We need better information about exactly where they are,” Ms. Quast said of practitioners of genital cutting. “We know that this is a child abuse issue, and we know that we need to start training our child protection folks better.”
Slicing children’s genitals off: not ok.
It’s not hard to find mohels and physicians that will perform genital cutting – just ask around the local Coptic church or Jewish or Muslim temple.
Have they mentioned the Religion that Must Not Be Named yet?
The practice must be so entrenched in the community there, parents thought it would be better to have a doctor do it. And the doctor agreed. I’m so glad she was caught. But I’m wondering how many poor little girls faced this on a kitchen table or being held down on the ground.
I’m a little confused by the suggestion that teachers be on the lookout for signs of this terrible abuse in their students. Teachers don’t see their students genitals! Totally inappropriate once the child stops wearing nappies!
Lastly: I am so sick of clicking into the comments of a discussion about FEMALE genital cutting and seeing the first comment is “what about penile circumcision!? Let’s talk about boys and men instead!”
Female genital cutting is meant to prevent women from enjoying sex, and in it’s extreme forms, emphasizes the man owns the woman. It causes serious risks to women during childbirth. If penile circumcision involved slicing open the whole penis, or cutting off large sections of it, and sex being agonizing for men, I’d see why there’s always someone wanting to direct discussion to it. But there’s no way they are comparable.