Abusing female children by circumcision is continued in Egypt

SummaryFemale circumcision is a frank picture of female child abuse that is practised widely in many countries especially in Africa. This procedure is considered a fundamental violation of human rights. The procedure is expected to be declining in Egypt in response to the recent medicolegal litigation in 2007. The aim of this study is to record the prevalence of female circumcision in 2010, in the region of Cairo and Giza, seeking to show if there is difference in the practice after the change in the law and banning of the procedure. A formatted questionnaire for 244 female volunteers was conducted. Statistical analysis revealed that 63.9% of the sample had been victimised by circumcision. The mean age of circumcision was 10.846 ± 1.98 years. Circumcision took place at victim’s home in 56.5%, private clinics in 38.5% or at hospitals in 5%. The procedure was performed by medical personnel in the majority of cases. The motivation behind the practice was primarily traditional beliefs (64.1%) followed by religious considerations (35.9%). Experienced complications were emotional trauma in 94.9%, haemorrhage in 33.3% and dysuria in 7.7%. Sexual problems were exclusively reported by the victimised subjects in 72.7% of sexually experienced subjects.