Female Genital Mutilation – The Facts

I referenced this article in the previous post but want to give it it's own place. It's a very important paper to read to understand the Islamic connection to one of the most brutal forms of female repression known to mankind.
FROM PATH.ORG:
Female Genital Mutilation – The Facts
Compiled by Laura Reymond, Asha Mohamud, and Nancy Ali. Funding was provided by the Wallace Global Fund.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia.1 External genitals include the clitoris, labia, mons pubis (the fatty tissue over the pubic bone), and the urethral and vaginal openings.
The practice of FGM is often called "female circumcision" (FC), implying that it is similar to male circumcision. However, the degree of cutting is much more extensive, often impairing a woman's sexual and reproductive functions.2
Newborns, Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Are Affected
Most girls undergo FGM when they are between 7 and 10 years old.4 However, FGM seems to be occurring at earlier ages in several countries because parents want to reduce the trauma to their children. They also want to avoid government interference and/or resistance from children as they get older and form their own opinions.5
Some women undergo FGM during early adulthood when marrying into a community that practices FGM or just before or after the birth of a first child (Mali and Nigeria).6
FGM is Practiced Globally
FGM is practiced in at least 26 of 43 African countries7; the prevalence varies from 98 percent in Somalia to 5 percent in Zaire. A review of country-specific Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) shows FGM prevalence rates of 97 percent in Egypt8, 94.5 percent in Eritrea9, 93.7 percent in Mali 10, 89.2 percent in Sudan 11, and 43.4 percent in the Central African Republic.12
FGM is also found among some ethnic groups in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, as well as in parts of India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.13
FGM has become an important issue in Australia, Canada, England, France, and the United States due to the continuation of the practice by immigrants from countries where FGM is common.14
There Are Four Types of FGM
In 1995, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed four broad categories for FGM operations.15
Type 1
Excision (removal) of the clitoral hood with or without removal of part or all of the clitoris.
Type 2
Removal of the clitoris together with part or all of the labia minora.
Type 3 (infibulation)
Removal of part or all of the external genitalia (clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora) and stitching and/or narrowing of the vaginal opening leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual flow.
Type 4 (unclassified)
All other operations on the female genitalia, including:
Pricking, piercing, stretching, or incision of the clitoris and/or labia;
Cauterization by burning the clitoris and surrounding tissues;
Incisions to the vaginal wall;
Scraping (angurya cuts) or cutting (gishiri cuts) of the vagina and surrounding tissues; and
Introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina.
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