Painful breast ironing in women

Painful genital mutilation in Cameroon

26/10/2013

In Cameroon, an otherwise rarely known form of genital mutilation is widespread. In girls, the growth of the breast should be delayed there. They forcibly become the breast with hot stones „ironed“.

Victim tells of the agony
In West African Cameroon, a largely unknown, painful and very serious form of genital mutilation is widespread: the „breast ironing“. As the 31-year-old Raissa Nana reports, her mother had started the extremely painful procedure when the girl showed the first signs of puberty: „I was eleven years old when my mother began massaging my chest with hot stones.“ The Cameroonian remembers: „Every night we went to the kitchen and stones were thrown into boiling water and then pressed several times on my chest.“ Even today, she still gets angry when she tells: „It was so hot that I screamed and my aunts had to hold me.“

Mothers who do violence to their daughters
The fate of Raissa Nana is also shared by many girls in countries such as Togo, Guinea, Nigeria and Chad. But most common is this form of violence against girls in Cameroon. 6,000 of them are from there „breast ironing“ affected. The anthropologist and employee of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Flavien Ndonko, explains why this mutilation occurs: „The mothers do not want their daughters to be sexually active at a young age, get pregnant, and then leave school.“ He continues: „They do not seem to understand how traumatic breast ironing is. This is a very painful procedure.“

Twelve percent of the female population affected
In the case of mutilation different methods are used. For example, hot millstones are firmly pressed onto the breasts and moved back and forth. Or press bandages, for example from hot towels, are placed around the chest together with heated stones. At least twelve percent of Cameroon's female population was affected, according to a new GIZ study. Experts had interviewed around 6,000 girls and women between the ages of 10 and 82 years. It was said that nationwide awareness campaigns had been effective and therefore the numbers were declining. In 2006, GIZ empirically examined breast ironing for the first time and at that time 24 percent of all girls were affected.

Sexual violence spread in Cameroon
According to a government study from Cameroon in 2011, a quarter of all girls before the age of 16 become pregnant. Until 2009, they were therefore excluded directly from school lessons. In the meantime expectant mothers are now allowed to attend classes until shortly before childbirth. This was decided by the Ministry of Education to control breast ironing. Sexual violence is widespread in Cameroon. For example, four percent of all girls and women were raped. Mothers often excuse breast ironing by pointing out that their daughters will be spared sexual abuse. Raissa's mother Emilienne also justifies her actions: „The tradition is transferred from the mothers to the daughters, I have also lived through it.“

Ten percent of all breast cancer cases due to breast ironing
The consequences of breast ironing are serious for the victims. Ten percent of all cases of breast cancer in Cameroon are attributable to this. In addition, normal breastfeeding is hardly possible later. „In addition, the girls get cysts, infections or asymmetrical breasts that can traumatize them and lead to psychological problems and sexual frustration“, said Sarah Ako, spokeswoman for the Cameroonian aid organization RENATA. Together with the country's competent authorities, the NGO is conducting education campaigns against the practice of mutilation and advocating the use of contraceptives and condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Her slogan is: „Do not iron breasts, they are a gift from God.“

Protecting future generations from violence
The effect of the flat breasts hoped for by the mothers, the sexual abstinence, usually lags behind. Raissa also says: „I was not protected from expecting a child at the age of 16. I had to quit school.“ And further: „Dozens of other girls I know were pregnant at the age of 17.“ Many of the victims today work for RENATA to help protect future generations from this form of violence against women. „I hope no girl ever has to endure such pain“, so Jeanne Bella, who had to undergo this form of mutilation at the age of ten years.“I would never do that to my children and I am working for RENATA today to put an end to this phenomenon.“ (Ad)