Often performed without anesthetic under septic conditions by lay practitioners with little or no knowledge of human anatomy or medicine, female circumcision can cause death or permanent health problems as well as severe pain. ... For example, the Prophet Mohammed is recorded saying "Do not cut severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband (Ahmad, 2000)." ... In communities where a person's place in society is determined by lineage traced through fathers, female circumcision reduces the uncertainty surrounding paternity by discouraging or preventing women'...

• Word Count: 2909
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate