female genital mutilation, the ritual practice of altering the genital structures, at times excising the entire clitoris without anesthetic. The practice is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Female genital mutilation is classified into four major types: (1) clitoridectomy, the partial or total removal of the clitoris or in very rare cases only the prepuce; (2) excision, the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora; (3) infibulation, the narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal formed by cutting and repositioning the inner or outer labia, with or without removal of the clitoris; and (4) all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for nonmedical purposes, e.g., pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, and cauterizing the genital area. Also called clitoridectomy.
