First Desert Flower Medical Center opens in Berlin

25 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2013-09-12 21:01

quizzical

"On September 11th 2013 the first Desert Flower Medical Center will be opened in Berlin in cooperation with the hospital Waldfriede. The DFM-Center will be the first medical center worldwide, offering holistic treatment and medical care for FGM victims. The Desert Flower Medical Center will be managed by Dr. med Roland Scherer, who was recently once again nominated as one of Germany’s Top 100 doctors. Reconstructive surgery as well as gynaecological and psychological treatment will be offered for women affected by FGM. The French surgeon Dr. med Pierre Foldes will advise the Desert Flower Medical Center; Dr. med Foldes already operated 5000 women successfully in France. The Desert Flower Medical Center in Berlin is a pilot project of the Desert Flower Foundation. Desert Flower Medical Centres are planned in Europe, Africa, Asia and the US in 2014"

http://www.desertflowerfoundation.org/en/first-desert-flower-medical-center-opens-in-berlin/

Thu, 2013-09-12 21:11

quizzical

want to express warmth and praise for Waris for her ongoing fight against the mutilation of girls and women.

the first i ever heard of FGM was 1986. i was 7. my mom and her sister had a huge fight at easter over it. we were there for the long week end. end result they didn't talk for years. next time was 16 years later and happened directly to someone close to me. it was the first thing i cared about in a social political way.

Mon, 2013-11-25 04:00

NDPP

The Cruel Cut - Female Genital Mutilation (and vid)

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36852.htm

"Yesterday evening I finally found time to watch Leyla Hussein's C4 documentary on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the UK.

I feel guilty about that 'finally' because I should have seen it sooner, but in my defense I simply didn't know until I watched just how important it was that I and everyone else should watch it.."

OHRC: FGM In Canada

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-female-genital-mutilation-fgm/4-fgm-canada

"There is some evidence to indicate that FGM is practised in Canada.

There is also evidence that suggests that in some cases, families from these communities send their daughters out of Canada to have the operation performed."

Tue, 2013-11-26 02:57

NDPP

FGM: 'It's Like Neutering Animals' (and vid)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/oct/24/female-genital-mutilation...

"There are an estimated 140 million girls and women worldwide living with the effects of FGM, the World Health Organization estimates..."

Female Genital Mutilation Is a Canadian Issue Too

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/craig-and-marc-kielburger/female-genital-mu...

"What shocked us in talking to Drs Shaw and Davis was discovering FGM is a serious issue in Canada too. Canada needs to have the open, public -- and above all respectful and culturally sensitive --conversation that is already happening in the developing world.

Wed, 2013-12-04 11:27

NDPP

Female Genital Mutilation a 'Huge Problem' in UK - by Gabrielle Fahmy

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/female-genital-mutilation-a-huge-problem-in...

"An estimated 66,000 girls and women affected, no prosecution...immigration patterns and human rights groups in Canada indicate that the figures [here] could be substantial.

'The biggest Somali community in the diaspora is in North America, that's a big alarm for me,' says Hussein.

'A lot of Canadian women contact us. They suffer in silence, they don't know where to go."

Sat, 2014-05-31 21:03

NDPP

RT: Abbie Martin - Breaking The Set

http://rt.com/shows/breaking-set-summary/162164-murder-detroit-obama-us/

From the evil Russians...

"Abby then speaks with Jaha Dukersh, the author of a petition for the US government to commission a report on Female Genital Mutilation, discussing the prevalence of the practice and the need to end it."

This awful thing is happening here and must be stopped. Chopping off the genitalia of little girls, often sent home on 'holidays', for the purpose, then returning home to Canada 'clean' is a thoroughly unattractive 'issue' to all political sides and therefore suppressed, avoided and evaded. Let us fervently hope that activists will mount a serious, urgent campaign to publicize, expose and eradicate it here. Soon.

informational videos posted upthread

Sat, 2014-05-31 21:08

Pondering

I see you have made several posts without response. I didn't want to be another who passed it by, and yet it leaves me speechless. Violence against women is so overwhelming.

Sat, 2014-05-31 22:24

NDPP

Thanks Pondering

Help break the silence and pass the info on - the issue is ripe for the ending but needs to see the light of day to enter into people's minds. Our journos need to start covering it and our pols talking about it. Even if they don't want to...

in sol

Sun, 2014-06-01 03:54

Pondering

Do you know if we have any laws against parents having their daughters mutilated in other countries? Sometime similar to child prostitution laws extending to tourism? If a child is a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant then doesn't Canada have a legal right and duty to outlaw this abusive practice?

Sun, 2014-06-01 09:42

#10

NDPP

Yes, it is criminal and can be prosecuted under Canadian law. So far though, no charges. See OHRC info in #2

Sun, 2014-06-01 12:55

#11

Pondering

NDPP wrote:

Yes, it is criminal and can be prosecuted under Canadian law. So far though, no charges. See OHRC info in #2

Thank-you, I went back and read it. The laws seem pretty pretty good, I will assume there is no statute of limitations. If not, that may need more publicity. If parents knew their daughters could come after them as adults they might think twice. Better yet, anyone immigrating from countries that practice FGM should be warned up front.

in sol

Sun, 2014-06-01 16:01

#12

NDPP

Pressure on Richard Branson to Block Deportation of Nigerian FGM Mother

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/29/branson-deportation-niger...

"Billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson came under increasing pressure on Thursday to personally step in to prevent the deportation of a Nigerian mother and her two small girls, who she says are at risk of female genital mutilation."

Question: How many similar deporations has Canada carried out of endangered women and girls?

As with too many such critical issues, the issue is more potent elsewhere...Any women running in upcoming elections should be pressured to take action against this bloody Canadian disgrace FGM!

From the Holly Branson, Virgin website link above

It's Time To Speak Out Against Female Mutilation (and vid)

"More needs to be done to educate affected populations, to train medical staff; to offer care and - if needed - shelter and protection to victims of those at risk; to improve reliable data and to strengthen law enforcement against those that support and carry out FGM.."

Fri, 2015-02-06 23:32

#13

NDPP

Female Genital Mutilation in US Tripled in 25 Years

http://rt.com/usa/230019-female-genital-mutilation-triple/

"In the US, the estimated number of females between 15 and 49, who are either at risk of genital mutilation or who have already undergone a procedure, has reached more than 500,000, triple the amount reported in the 1990 national census..."

How many in Canada and why still the relative silence?

Sat, 2015-02-07 00:35

#14

rhubarb

Thank you for this thread.

What, if anything is told to those immigratng to Canada, from those countries where this is practiced? More clearly, does immigration make it clear that this practice is illegal in Canada and that sending young girls out of the country to have it done is also criminal? I looked through some of the links and while it is clear the practice is opposed in Canada it was not clear to me whether potential immigrants are clearly informed of this, does anyone know?

Sat, 2015-02-07 01:39

#15

NDPP

I don't. But no charges laid yet that I am aware of here. And my source, a Somali-Canadian tells me it is still 'widely' practiced. It's heartbreaking to think that children are still being sent away and return to Canada 'cut'. Something needs to happen to give it public profile and political traction.

100,000 British Women Mutilated

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9219217/100000-British-wome...

"As many as 100,000 women in Britain have undergone female genital mutilation with medics in the UK offering to carry out the illegal procedure on girls as young as 10, it has been reported..."

Sat, 2015-02-07 12:01

#16

Sineed

According to a recent article in The Daily Beast, rates of FGM are actually dropping.

Quote:
Sharing these numbers with residents of these immigrant communities also could be a first step to quashing the practice. The communities may not even be aware that the practice in many of their home countries actually is on the decline, says Feldman-Jacobs. From Benin to Iraq, from Liberia to the Central African Republic, the rate of FGM has dropped by as much as half among young girls in the past 20 years.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/06/female-genital-mutilati...

Sat, 2015-02-07 14:02

#17

NDPP

What Are The Practical Steps We Need to Take to End FGM in the UK

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/01/ending-female-genital-mutil...

"As MPs discuss a national action plan to end FGM, campaigners explain the practical steps the country needs to take to eradicate this abuse..."

Recognition and steps begun in UK. Nothing comparable has begun here. The problem continues. 'This is child abuse, pure and simple."

Sat, 2015-02-07 15:04

#18

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
Female Genital Mutilation in US Tripled in 25 Years

Pretty sensationalistic headline. If you read the whole article, though, they're not talking about what most people would assume they are -- FGM procedures carried out in the U.S. at triple the rate they once were -- but rather an influx of immigrants who are "at risk" of FGM or who've already been forced into FGM. And a female is defined as "at risk" if she emigrated from a country where FGM is common.

So the headline should really read "Population of Women From Countries Where FGM is Common Triples in 25 Years".

Sun, 2015-02-08 09:10

#19

rhubarb

quizzical wrote:

want to express warmth and praise for Waris for her ongoing fight against the mutilation of girls and women.

the first i ever heard of FGM was 1986. i was 7. my mom and her sister had a huge fight at easter over it. we were there for the long week end. end result they didn't talk for years. next time was 16 years later and happened directly to someone close to me. it was the first thing i cared about in a social political way.

I second your warmth and support for Waris, I appreciate her courage in stepping forward to expose this horror that is perpetuated on young girls.

I first heard of this many years ago, in the context of the many practices that have been used over centuries to control, oppress and abuse women. An example of another practice was Chinese foot binding. The hatred for women is so pervasive and the entitlement men feel in dismissing the ways in which this hatred is expressed are never ending it appears.

Sun, 2015-02-08 15:44

#20

NDPP

WHO Sees Progress in Campaign Against FGM

http://www.voanews.com/content/who-sees-progress-in-campaign-against-fem...

"Feb 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, and the World Health Organization is joining a chorus of voices demanding an end to this injurious procedure, still widely practiced in the developing world.

WHO Senior Adviser Dr Lale Say says FGM, due to immigration is INCREASING in Europe, the US, Australia and CANADA, but that more countries are banning the practice..."

Brian Lilley: FGM Rampant in England

http://youtu.be/eP06hU967kk

Has the right wing Islamophobic movement discovered FGM?

Sun, 2015-02-08 15:57

#21

Sineed

NDPP wrote:

Has the right wing Islamophobic movement discovered FGM?

Years ago (see below). But it's a mistake to avoid this topic for fear of accusations of Islamophobia, a stance that babble has taken in the past, but which I personally deplore because it throws women's rights under the bus. We can discuss FGM in a culturally enlightened way. For instance, the reason FGM is on the decline is because of efforts made by women's groups and medical professionals in those countries.

Mr Magoo wrote:
So the headline should really read "Population of Women From Countries Where FGM is Common Triples in 25 Years".

FGM is often used to pump up anti-immigrant sentiment and justify Islamophobia.

Mon, 2015-02-09 14:25

#22

rhubarb

I recognize, through my experience on the thread, now titled, Male Circumcision, that there are those who find the word "mutilation" as applied to them a vicious assault. I recognize now that no human being wants to be defined as "mutilated" and that whether harm is intended or not, the term itself is so offensive that using it is not only disrespectful but does do harm.

As a consequence, I will in future use the term, "Female Genital Modification" which acknowleges the practice but does not debase another human being. It also recognizes that there is a wide range of of modifications that occur.

I am ashamed of my stupidity. And I am sorry that I supported the term here and elsewhere.

I have not changed my posts on this thread, so as to reflect my prior ignorance.