A practice that the World Health Organization calls a violation of human rights could soon be outlawed in New Jersey.
The state Assembly today plans a vote on a bill (S1171) that would ban female genital mutilation on minors.
The AHA Foundation – a group founded by a victim of mutilation that drafted the model legislation – said the procedure is typically practiced on girls age 4 to 14 to “ensure their virginity until marriage.” The foundation said that, while genital mutilation has no basis in Islamic scripture, it is practiced mainly in Muslim communities.
“Because this is a private ritual that occurs within the secrecy of the family, there is no way of knowing exactly how prevalent (female genital mutilation) is in the U.S.” the foundation wrote on its website. “There have been few reported cases… being performed in the U.S.; however, numerous authorities suspect that the actual numbers are far higher.”
The bill passed the state Senate in March 2012 by a vote of 39 - 0. If passed by the Assembly today, it will go to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk.
The World Health Organization estimates 140 million women around the world have been victims of the procedure. The bill before the Assembly today estimates that 228,000 women and girls in the U.S. either have undergone mutilation or are at risk for it.
Those who perform the procedure on minors would face three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The World Health Organization says that genital mutilation offers no health benefits but many dangers, including severe pain, infections, childbirth complications, infertility, and the need for future surgeries.