When was female circumcision banned in the us

FGM, the partial or complete removal of the clitoris for nonmedical reasons, is a criminal offense in 27 U. Michigan passed a ban last year against the practice, soon after the first federal case was opened in that state. Friedman agreed. The judge said the government did not show FGM as a commercial activity or interstate market that would be subjected to federal law, like other illegal markets.

If there is an interstate market for FGM, why is this the first time the government has ever brought charges under this statute? Of those, more than , who are at risk live in the 23 U. Over 10, at-risk girls live in Michigan alone. Gina Balaya, a spokesperson for the U. Nagarwala will be tried in April on the other charges, including conspiracy to travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and she and other defendants face obstruction charges as well. Khan: There are cultures that think FGM is more hygienic, and that it keeps a woman clean.

And in some cultures, it's also seen as a way to increase fertility, when it fact it does not. These are all misconceptions and myths that come along with the practice. Phillips: I know in Africa at least, the rates of FGM have gone down enormously, thanks largely to activism that has gone on at the grassroots. Khan: We're excited about that.

It gives us hope that this can be stopped, and we thank them for their efforts. Khan: At the U. This law has been in place since , and it's been at the center of U.

It really was a blow to all of us, but especially to survivors. However, we see some opportunities in that it raises awareness of the issue here. We need to really unite on this to push for an appeal and to make sure that the evidence and the voices of survivors are amplified and are part of the main national conversation. Search Search. Home United States U. Cutting and other procedures that injure the female genital organs of a girl under 18 are prohibited under U.

She has not violated any U. You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. Globally, more than million girls and women have been cut, often in the name of religion or tradition, according to U. Related Coverage. Government agencies will also have to report to Congress on the estimated number of women and girls who have undergone or are at risk of FGM, and on efforts to prevent the practice.

Although Congress passed a law against FGM in , attempts to prosecute a doctor accused of cutting nine girls in Detroit collapsed in when a Michigan federal judge ruled the law was unconstitutional and said it was a state issue.