Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and State Senator John Kissel share this commentary about female genital mutilation and why legislation must ban it.
As the lieutenant governor of Connecticut and the Senate ranking member of Judiciary, we sincerely urge the legislature to ban female genital mutilation and/or cutting (FGM/C) this legislative session. We are deeply committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and rights of women and girls in our state. It is with this responsibility, that we call on the state legislature to take decisive action against FGM/C by finally enacting a state law to explicitly ban these practices.
FGM/C is a practice rooted in gender-based violence, cultural coercion, and misinformation. It involves the cutting or removal of parts of female genitalia for non-medical reasons, leading to lifelong physical and psychological consequences. The World Health Organization has classified FGM/C as a violation of human rights, a form of gender inequality, and a form of torture.
Despite FGM/C being illegal under federal law, no case has ever been successfully prosecuted in the United States since the federal law’s adoption. Passing a state law in Connecticut would enhance local law enforcement’s ability to prosecute perpetrators, respond to and support survivors, and implement education and outreach programs to prevent this harmful practice.
Connecticut is one of only nine states nationally, and the only one in the Northeast, without a specific law banning FGM/C. This leaves Connecticut in a vulnerable position to become a safe haven, or even destination, for the practice. With more than 2,600 women and girls at risk or survivors of FGM/C, Connecticut must join other states in banning this horrific practice. We find ourselves in the same situation that we did in 2023 when we banned child marriage.
For the past several years, legislation banning FGM/C has been proposed in Connecticut. We’ve heard from survivors who have told their deeply personal stories and have testified. We know that this practice continues — we have heard women of different backgrounds, ages, and socioeconomic status bravely share their stories. Passing this legislation would solidify Connecticut’s commitments in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. We would be joining 41 other states that have already taken this crucial step to protect young girls from FGM/C.
Connecticut prides itself on being a state that champions equality and human rights. But as long as these harmful practices remain unaddressed in our state law, we fall short of those values. This is an opportunity for us to do better — to send a clear message that our state stands unequivocally for the safety, dignity, and rights of women and girls.
We urge legislators to join us in this effort. Let’s pass legislation to ban Female Genital Mutilation in Connecticut. Let’s lead with compassion, conviction, and courage. And let’s ensure that every child in our state is protected from harm, respected in their autonomy, and given the chance to thrive.
How can we predict that this OIB subject post does not fit the concerns of those who live here, read OIB, and are concerned with actual “quality of life issues”? So why does Grimaldi persist in posting, rather than covering changes in CITY COUNCILS rules or actual subjects routinely raised at public speaking sessions? For instance, did you realize that at the latest couple meetings of the Council in a hearing or in a Public Session, did you know that three of the 20 Council members stood to address their fellow Council members as if they were unable to raise issues when they caucus or gather in private? Puprose? Is this a candidate for OIB coverage?
Not that being the last State in the northeast to embrace legislation on FGM/C, or that there is Federal Law apparently, but is this really an issue that is a priority civil rights matter for legislation, enforcement, or added oversight like some others I can think of and raise? Or is this a distraction from everything else on “social media” or real media of critical import that does affect Bridgeport citizens? Time will tell.