Breast Ironing: The New Form of Female Genital Mutilation

Breast Ironing: The New Form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

For so long the female child has suffered different forms of painful genital mutilation. From clitoridectomy to excision, infibulation and others. The UN has combated these wicked acts in so many African countries with so much effort times over and again. The female child has suffered so much in the hands of tradition that seem to enjoy endless forms of pain that they inflict on these young girls in puberty. The latest evil in town is called breast ironing.

Breast ironing, it is a process whereby the breast is pressed down using hard heated objects like spatula, stone, even hot spoon among others causing the breast to stop developing or to disappear altogether. This painful act is practiced in Central Africa and in countries in West Africa such as; Guinea, Chad, Benin Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon with 58% of the abusers being the mothers.

This practice is carried out on children from 10 years old and has been identified by the UN as one of five under-reported cases and much more complex to tackle as most of the perpetrators of this crime are older women who believe they do it to protect their female children from sexual abuse. In most cases it is a top secret between mother and daughter whereby not even the father is aware and these young girls are made to believe that it is the proper thing to do.

Enduring excruciating pain from this act is not the only thing the girls face, it believed breast ironing also causes; abscesses, cysts, infected tissues and even the disappearance of one or both breasts, causing them to face bad health conditions. Some mothers have also said they do it to help their female children face their education instead of moving around with the opposite sex.

The question is, how can we stop this new evil on the girl child? Do you have any experience you'll like to share? Please talk to us.