Cut Off: A True Life FGM Story

I was 13 years old when I was cut. It was a hot summer day in my village in Somalia. My parents had arranged for me to be circumcised, a traditional practice that is common in my country. I was told that it was a necessary part of becoming a woman, and that it would make me more desirable to men.

Cut off: A true-life FGM story

by Andrew Miller

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3603 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	43 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

I was terrified. I had heard stories about what FGM involved, and I knew that it was painful. But I didn't want to disappoint my parents, so I agreed to go through with it.

On the day of the circumcision, I was taken to a traditional healer's hut. The healer was an old woman with a sharp knife. She told me to lie down on a mat, and then she began to cut.

The pain was excruciating. I screamed and cried, but the healer just kept cutting. When she was finished, she left me lying on the mat, bleeding and in pain.

I lay there for hours, until my parents finally came to take me home. They were horrified when they saw what had happened to me. They took me to the hospital, where I was given antibiotics and pain medication.

I spent the next few weeks recovering from my circumcision. The physical pain was bad, but the emotional pain was even worse. I felt ashamed and dirty. I didn't want anyone to see me, and I didn't want to talk about what had happened.

After a few months, I started to heal. I began to talk about my experience with other girls who had also been circumcised. I realized that I was not alone, and that there were other people who understood what I had been through.

Today, I am a survivor of FGM. I am a wife and a mother, and I have a successful career. I am also an advocate for the end of FGM. I believe that every girl has the right to make her own decisions about her body, and that no girl should be forced to undergo FGM.

FGM is a harmful and dangerous practice that has no place in our society. It is a violation of human rights, and it is a form of violence against women and girls.

If you are concerned about FGM, there are a number of things you can do to help. You can educate yourself about the issue, and you can talk to your friends and family about it. You can also support organizations that are working to end FGM.

Together, we can make a difference. We can end FGM and create a world where every girl is safe and respected.

Cut off: A true-life FGM story

by Andrew Miller

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3603 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	43 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE