Lasting Trauma of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)

This piece concerns FGM in the Kisii region in Kenya. Kisii is about 503 square miles with a population of over two million, blessed by high green mountains and ample rain. Nearly 85 percent of girls in Kisii have had their genitals mutilated, with differing rates depending on the village (Population Council, 2019). In Kisii, the cuts are less severe than in other African, Middle Eastern, and Malaysian communities where FGM persists. Nevertheless, the suffering of Kisii women runs deep. Much of what I write here is applicable to FGM survivors in other parts of Kenya and the world—some is not.