There are nine states and the District of Columbia who do not have state legislation against the practice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 513,000 girls and women are at risk or have already undergone FGM in the United States.
FGM occurs in more than 92 countries across the globe. In the top five countries where it is practiced, the number of women who experience FGM is extraordinarily high.
Organizations like STOP THE CUT NOW! Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation and our partners are working hard to eliminate FGM and to help those affected by it. Efforts include:
Providing therapeutic support for FGM survivors
Influencing public policy and practice
Raising awareness
Offering community education
Supplying scholarships, uniforms, books, and sanitary pads for girls whose families choose not to cut them
Connecting women with opportunities for clitoral restorative surgery
