Female genital mutilation threatens 500,000 American girls as families adhere to cultural tradition, shipping children abroad for deadly procedure

‘Contrary to popular belief, female genital mutilation is not an issue that is confined to remote African villages. In fact, more than half a million women and girls right here in the U.S. are believed to be at risk.
Female genital mutilation refers to any procedure that purposely injures or alters female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits, and is considered a violation of human rights. It’s typically carried out on young girls before the age of 15, and is done for cultural reasons.’
Read more: Female genital mutilation threatens 500,000 American girls as families adhere to cultural tradition, shipping children abroad for deadly procedure