FGM, or Female Genital Mutilation, has been practiced worldwide for several thousand years in more than thirty countries throughout the world. While it is mostly practiced in muslim countries, some may be surprised that it's not isolated to such areas; rather, it has been reported in lower Africa and Asia as well, where the muslim religion is much harder to find among the local inhabitants.
Many may not even know what Female Genital Mutilation is. FGM is defined as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or non-therapeutic reasons. It has been set into four types, including: excision of the prepuce, with or without the excision of all or part of the clitoris; excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora, excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching/narrowing of the vaginal opening, and finally, this includes pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and/or labia; stretching of the clitoris and/or labia cauterization by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissue.
There are numerous reasons why the practice has been performed; mostly religious, but it's also been known to be done due to the fact that the surrounding culture doesn't believe in the pleasure of females during sexual intercourse, and at the same time believing that giving birth with such mutilated privates should make the birthing of a child unecessarily more painful (What is Female Genital Mutilation).
There are issues and controversies over allowing the practice of FGM to continue throughout the world. To their credit, some famous women have come to grips with the mutilation of their bodies and have chosen to become advocates against the practice of FGM. There are cultures that DO provide cleaner, and overall better conditions for the practice; but most choose to be more brutal in their tactics concerning FGM.