A Growing Problem
On the heels of the news of the death of Badour Shaker from a botched surgery that was supposed to make her a more “manageable” wife to a future husband comes the following: “Concern grows in Britain over female genital mutilation”. Of course, this isn’t the only trend gifted to the West from developing nations on the rise. Although the recent stories of the Jordanian man sentenced for killing his pregnant sister in Amman and the stoning death of 17 year old Dua Khalil in Iraq, both so-called honor killings, may seem remote (Apart from the small headlines buried in the “World” sections of some periodicals, did they receive much attention?), the case of 20 year old Banaz Mahmod Babakir Agha in England is more immediate. Of course, before casting stones, it’s important to look at the United States’ own problem with violence against women.
Check out these resources for more information:
- Violence Against Women at WomensHealth.gov
- Stop Violence Against Women at Amnesty International
- International Campaign Against Honour Killings
- Female Genital Mutilation Education and Networking Project
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Update: Here’s a recent CBS article on the continuing problem in the UK, “Mutilated Girls; U.K.’s Ignored Secret”.