FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: A THEOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-CULTURAL EXAMINATION
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), domestic violence, and sexual violence remain significant challenges affecting the dignity, health, and well-being of women and girls in many African societies. Although these practices are sometimes defended on the basis of culture, tradition, marriage, sexuality or social acceptance, they have serious physical, psychological, social and human-rights implications. Female Genital Mutilation involves the removal or injury of healthy female genital tissue and has no established health benefit. Rather, it may result in pain, infection, sexual difficulties, complications during childbirth, and other long-term consequences. Similarly, domestic and sexual violence against women manifests through physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, coercion, intimidation and other forms of gender-based violence. This paper examines FGM/C and domestic and sexual violence against women, paying particular attention to the cultural and social factors that sustain these practices. It also considers the biblical and theological responsibility of the Church in confronting practices that undermine the dignity and wellbeing of women. The experiences presented in the study demonstrate that women and girls may suffer not only from the original violence but also from silence, victim-blaming, inadequate institutional response and cultural pressure. The paper argues that the Church, government, families, communities and law-enforcement agencies must work together to protect women and girls, educate communities, support victims and challenge harmful practices. It concludes that cultural traditions should not be allowed to justify practices that violate human dignity, bodily integrity and the fundamental rights of women and girls.
Keywords: Female Genital Mutilation, domestic violence, sexual violence, women, culture, Church, human rights, Nigeria.