For some Kenyan women, female circumcision is part of their culture.
Two female immigrants to Australia have been told that they are going to be deported back to Kenya to face genital mutilation by the cults to which they belong.
Grace Gichuhi, 22 and Teresia Muturi, 21 went to Australia in July of last year on tourist visas. They then applied for protection with the Australian Immigration Department which was subsequently refused.
Both Grace and Teresia left Kenya in fear for their safety. Grace’s mother was killed for refusing to be circumcised and now Grace faces the same threats on her life. Teresia has fled an arranged marriage to a 70 year old man and has angered her family by also refusing to be circumcised.
Female circumcision is a controversial practice that still exists in parts of Africa, although it has been made illegal by the Kenyan government. It is mainly done for cultural reasons and is seen as an initiation into womanhood. It is usually done by older women using anything from broken glass to a tin lid. However Grace states that forced genital mutilation of a female adult is done with 10 men holding the women down, whilst another cuts her clitoris off with a knife.
Both Grace and Teresia are now terrified of what fate will lie in wait for them if they are deported back to Kenya.
A spokesman from the Australian Immigration Department said: “Under the refugee convention, they weren’t found to engage with Australia’s international obligations.
The girls, along with Sister Aileen Crowe, a Franciscan nun who is supporting them, launched an appeal to the Australian Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, but he rejected that appeal. A second appeal has now been launched and the girls are awaiting the results but have been told to prepare for deportation.
Ironically new legislation is due to be introduced to Parliament that would ensure protection for the girls. The legislation is called Complementary Protection and it expands the criteria under which a refugee can apply for protection.
Five other Kenyans who applied for the same protection under the same circumstances, had their applications granted without the need for appeals, leading Sister Aileen Crowe to say: “There are some immigration officials who follow processes to the letter of the law, … It all depends on who they get to interview them.”
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12 Responses to “Refugee Girls Face Deportation and Mutilation”
Comment by Marilyn Shepherd — September 21, 2009 @ 5:42 pm
One can only hope the women in the department of ignorant criminals have nightmare visions of having their own clitoris cut off and give these girls a break.
While we whine that people smugglers have no regard for human life we would happily send these women back to that torture and mutilation.
Hypocrites they name is Australia.
Comment by Ron Low — September 21, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
Both FGM and male circumcision kill hundreds per year, send thousands to the hospital with complications, and disfigure countless innocents for life. Both are strongly defended by many victims. Both are done by force and coercion.
Male circumcision typically removes about half a male’s sensual pleasure-receptive nerve endings (20,000 of which are concentrated near the tip of the foreskin). Circumcision eliminates the exquisite frictionless rolling/gliding mode of stimulation, and removes the protection for the glans and adjacent mucosa, leaving them to get dry and numb from air and abrasion with clothing.
FGM can range from a pin-poke to draw a ceremonial drop of blood, a non-amputating slit to the hood, to the more barbaric excisions and infibulations. All are disgusting superstitious blood rituals and are illegal for 94% of the world’s females with no religious exemption.
The typical male cirumcision is far more destructive than the non-amputative forms of illegal FGM, yet we allow them to happen. People can send out party invitations to view the barbarism of their children. If I arrived at such a party I would call the police to intervene.
Comment by Peter Letitoya — September 22, 2009 @ 10:59 am
I am a German citizen and originally kenyan. I hate to see how this kikuyu women spoil the name of our beautiful land kenya. am a maasai and its our tribe which practise FGM.. but ever since the practise is stopping. there are laws in kenya that stop this.. I have my sisters who I told my parents not to circumcise and they obeyed why cant this girls from kikuyu tribe just look for other ways to stay in australia instead of shaming our kenyan names… this are economic refugees…
Hypicrites are this girls…but no wonder they are from a tribe called kikuyu as their names suggests……
just stay in australia but dont use fake excuses
Comment by Vivienne — September 23, 2009 @ 12:22 am
They should have come a students then they could stay here! Only the relatively well-off and educated are welcomed in Australia.
Comment by Anne G. — September 23, 2009 @ 6:54 am
Peter, it is a shame you already sound so tribalistic in your reply.if you think the girls are faking just say so instead of bringing out something we are trying to get rid of in kenya. Tribalism is not the way forward. as for the girls, if they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that their life is under threat then the decision lies with the immigration department in Australia.
Comment by Sumi-Assumpter Akumu — September 29, 2009 @ 5:51 am
Whoever wrote this story needs to get a few things right – With all due respect, just who told you “for many Kenyan women, female circumcision is part of their culture�??? Who is “many�? The elegant little girls dancing in the photo there, perhaps? I won’t be surprised to find that this is a photo you just fished from somewhere to fit the story. Check ABC,SBS and The Australian for facts.You need to realize the two ladies took it upon themselves to state their fears are as a result of an OUTLAWED [aka illegal] sect. That’s all we know at this stage, no one knows if their claims are true or false. While it is true it is done ILLEGALLY in some remote parts of Kenya, where these girls might be from, FGM is not Kenya’s culture. FGM is widely fought in Kenya even as I write. I trust the Australian government in more ways than one and I’m sure this matter will be well considered. So leave it to them to solve and stop flagging “many� Kenyans are inhuman and FGM nation.Be a good journalist and stop reporting “your own spin�. Unless this in an opinion piece, kindly avoid lopsided reporting – that’s what I was taught in Journalism school.
Comment by Lisa Valentine — September 29, 2009 @ 9:36 am
Thank you for your comments. In answer to your criticisms I’ll quote my sources from the World Health Organisation and the African Ministry of Health. In 1998 the Ministry of Health found that 38% of Kenyan women between the ages of 15 and 19, and more than half of women over the age of 35 had been circumcised. In the Kisii and Masai tribes the numbers were 97% and 89% respectively. In fact the WHO put the worldwide number at 100 to 140 million girls and women who have been circumcised and they stated that another 3 million were at risk. FGM is practiced in 26 out of 43 African countries. Therefore I believe that my wording as ‘many Kenyan women’ is correct in that context.
Whilst you are correct about it being illegal in Kenya, unfortunately the law is not adhered to in some tribes who still consider FGM as a woman’s rite of passage. Happily though the numbers of girls being forced to endure this practice is declining.
The photograph was one of the less controversial I had in my possession.
Due to the media attention the girls case has attracted, Senator Chris Evans has now promised to personally look into the case.
Comment by Sumi-Assumpter Akumu — September 30, 2009 @ 3:47 am
I am glad you took the time to respond; thank you. The issue is not whether the media ‘helped’ their case. These girls could be in real danger here.I just found ‘many’ a bit overboard. I believe this wasn’t an opinion piece, so your statistics and sources would have been helpful in THE INITIAL report. This matter has been well reported by other media sources. Did you perhaps ‘just forget’ to mention the illegal sect? Somehow most of the Australian media sources did not forget this important bit. In fact, the lady herself didn’t [forget] in her interview. And, do you know the current female population in Kenya? I would rather not venture into tribal outlines as that’s exactly what hurts Kenya most. Don’t get me started on why we as a country had to have a President as well as a Prime Minister in the same jurisdiction. All in all, balanced reporting was the issue. Well explained; only, it is has come AFTER your initial report. Delayed, don’t you think? I have given my true details on your site, contact me by email if you deem it necessary.
Comment by Jenna Crowford — October 1, 2009 @ 2:27 am
It is unfortunate if these girls faced such a problem and ran to Australia for refuge only to face deportation back to the country where they are at risk. From the way the story sounds, the sect I am aware of in Kenya is Mungiki which the government seems to be having a difficult time controling. The immigration of Australia should intervene for the safety of these girls by negotiating with the Kenyan government to investigate and make it safe for them to go back. I would propose the australian govt. to grant them some funds for their fees or start bisnesses so that they do not have to depend on their relatives.
In turn the girls should keep off their relatives as much as possible possibly move to another town (kenya is big country). Also I hope and pray that the girls are not lying as FGM is not an experience one would wish for. There are some girls who are in serious need and if they learn their stories they should think twice. I know of rescue centers in Maasai land where girls run to take refuge from FGM and forced marriages. I hope these girls explored various opportunities before they left for Australia.
Comment by Jenna Crowford — October 1, 2009 @ 2:35 am
One word for Peter. TRIBALISM………… that is what you have in ur blood. You bring up another different topic worse than this. Remember how many people died in that beautiful land in 2007 while you were possibly safe in Germany.. You are really foolish man!
Comment by Jenna Crowford — November 13, 2009 @ 3:00 am
Comment by Lisa Valentine — September 29, 2009 @ 9:36 am You need to carry out a less biased research. The statistics you provided are from Kristin Whiting… a national geographic news reporter…. don’t we all know what extents media is willing to go to get the news out there and out do each other.
I suggest you carry out a valid research that is not misleading before you put forward your facts. Kenya is approximately home to 42 ethnic communities and out of the 42, less than 50% of the women have undergone female genital mutilation given that its not a practice in all the 42 cultures…. i’d suggest you look in further there is overwhelming studies conducted out there that is misleading and potrays the African woman’s sexuality with alot of unflattering remarks.. your biased statement does not even help those vulnerable girs and women who are going thro’ FGM instead it kinda like promotes some form of indirect racism….
Comment by Lisa Valentine — November 13, 2009 @ 11:06 am
Hi Jenna, as you can see the story has promoted a lot of comments, some would agree with you and some would disagree. The statistics I quote are from the World Health Organisation, a trusted body. This story is a news story only as it was widely reported on in the national media. I don’t claim to make any judgements about it, what I do strive to do is to report facts as accurately as I can. I am happy to provide details of my sources, therefore if you believe those statistics to be inaccurate then I suggest you contact those sources and get back to me should they agree to amend them.
Many thanks for taking the time out to comment.