What is FGM/C?

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) refers to “any partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or any other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” ¹

The practice is not confined to any single region or religion. According to the latest data, more than 230 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to FGM/C worldwide, and the practice has been documented in at least 94 countries. ^{2 3}

Both traditional practitioners and professional healthcare providers may carry out the cutting. ^{4 5}

FGM/C predates Abrahamic religions and is not rooted in any single faith, despite widespread misconceptions. ³ 
In many communities, girls who are not cut may face social pressure, stigma, or diminished marriage prospects. ⁶ 
Different languages and cultures use varied terms to describe the procedure.

Most girls are cut between infancy and early adolescence. ¹ 
When performed at an age when girls can remember it, the experience can have long-term effects on mental health.

International human-rights organizations have universally condemned FGM/C because it causes lifelong harm to women’s and girls’ physical, sexual, and psychological health. ¹

Common short- and long-term complications include severe pain, infection, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic reproductive-tract infections, and complications during childbirth. ⁷  

It is illegal under federal law to perform FGM/C or to transport a minor outside the United States for the purpose of FGM/C. The STOP FGM Act of 2020 (HR 6100) was enacted on January 5, 2021, significantly strengthening federal criminal penalties and closing legal gaps previously identified in federal court cases.⁸

Beyond federal protections, the majority of U.S. states now have specific laws criminalizing FGM/C, and Washington, D.C. enacted its own prohibition in 2022, establishing penalties for performing, assisting, or facilitating the practice.⁹