The female breast mutilation nobody is talking about. In the UK, cases of ‘breast ironing’ have been increasing. This violent and brutal practice originates in Cameroon and consists of pressing a hot object to a young girl’s chest to prevent the natural growth of breasts. It is carried out on girls aged between eight and 11, ostensibly to deter unwanted male attention and behaviour such as harassment and rape as well as early pregnancy. But the most serious thing, which has led to the United Nations placing the practice among the most common crimes against women, is that women themselves are keeping it secret. Even the fathers often have no idea of what has taken place, despite the deep wounds that are left. The victims themselves also remain silent once the screaming and crying is over; they are reassured by grandmothers and mothers that their breasts will grow again when they are older. This is small comfort for the pain, wounds and deformations that are reported and which do not heal. This puts breast ironing in the same category as female genital mutilation.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 19:03:46 +0000