FGM/C Survivors with Huda Mohammed, Vavengers

So can we first please, let's understand what is FGM forward C? I noticed that you say circumcision on the website, it says cutting, so I guess that's the same thing.

And can you explain what it is and who it happens to?

Okay, so female genital mutilation slash cutting slash circumcision is a paparic practice that happens to women.

It's global.

210 million or more girls are affected by this.

It happens in Africa, in Asia, in America, in Russia.

It's very global.

It doesn't have a color.

It's in the Middle East.

The reason they do is a culture belief.

Some people have a religion belief because of the traditional practice that's been happening for hundreds of years.

So it's kind of controlling women.

Like I say, it's a culture.

Sometimes they don't even know why they do this to women because that's what they know is best for the girls.

Well, what we know now is it doesn't have a place anywhere.

In our society, it's inhumane and affects women, you know, when it happens to them, it affects them in a way that you can never reverse it, no matter what we do.

So it's a pain, it's a trauma that a woman lives with, a long life trauma.

And at what age will these procedures be traditionally or typically carried out?

Carries start from birth, from when they're born.

Wow.

At any point.

We heard stories, women, countries who practice cutting, they will cut women even if they're in their deathbed, just to make sure that they go through the ritual properly.

Yes.

So from infancy to some community they do from eight to nine.

So women have a vivid experience that they were cut, they were held down.