Help End Breast Ironing in Cameroon

[Snowbird]

As I was looking for a petition to sign for Jane Burgermeister, I ran into this petition.

Our world is truly going insane.

End Breast Ironing in Cameroon

In a desperate attempt to prevent sexual assault and teen pregnancy, Cameroonian mothers are literally ironing their daughters' breasts with hot stones to make them less attractive.

Breast ironing is not an acceptable form of pregnancy prevention or a replacement for sex education.

The ritual affects a quarter of all women in Cameroon and as soon as they show signs of puberty, sometimes as young as nine. The girls cry as they're held down and scalding hot stones are pressed onto their breasts.

The possible damage of this practice can be severe, including bruises, deformities, abscesses, and even the disappearance of one or both breasts.

Cameroon mothers may think breast ironing is "for their [daughters'] own good," but it's not the way to prevent sexual violence and early pregnancy. Urge UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to speak out against breast ironing and to advocate for adequate sex education in Cameroon.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/154/051/021/

[Tuza]

Signed with a few other petitions as well.

[Shairia]

I applaud the efforts of those willing to take a stand and try to do something about this situation. However, I fail to see how a petition will accomplish anything. If it is successful it will make it a criminal offense and those practing this atrocity will be jailed or worse leaving their families forever torn apart. I would think the key lies in education and you don't need a petition for that. This is my opinnion and good intentions don't allways improve these situations.

[John Parslow]

Hello Snowbird

Many thanks for this link, signed and duly noted.

Love and peace to you my friend. JP :cool:

[lightblue]

..

maybe prosecute and imprison the men committing asaults?..

[Snowbird]

I applaud the efforts of those willing to take a stand and try to do something about this situation. However, I fail to see how a petition will accomplish anything. If it is successful it will make it a criminal offense and those practing this atrocity will be jailed or worse leaving their families forever torn apart. I would think the key lies in education and you don't need a petition for that. This is my opinnion and good intentions don't allways improve these situations.


..

maybe prosecute and imprison the men committing asaults?..

Perhaps a few torn families would make an impression on those who commit this abusive crime against small children. The real abusers are the men who attack these girls. But of course, they will never be brought to justice because in these countries, as in the Arab countries, the men rule. This will soon change. But not soon enough for these little girls who will grow up deformed both physically and emotionally. Who protects these children? No one.

[greybeard]

My partner Rosaline is from Cameroon I will ask her via e mail about the situation there.
I will explain a little further.
I met her three years ago when she came to Scotland to successfully get a Masters degree in Entrepreneurship at Napier University.
Unfortunately she was unable to renew her visa due to the clamping down off immigration in UK and had to vacate Scotland two weeks ago.
Neither of us are overjoyed with the situation
She is currently in Cameroon and applying again for a visa from there.
Cameroon is a modern thriving country in the main and she gets frustrated with Cameroon portrayed as a place of mud huts etc
There is no food shortage or starving people there.
Rosaline has just set up a charity called "Learning Tools for Self Development" no web site as yet as we are waiting for funding to do this properly.
As part of this there would be help for the pupils in Cameroon with sex education, which is much needed there as everywhere.
Scotland has more than its share of single mothers too.
If she is willing I will post in a comment from her.
We correspond by e mail every day.
Chris.

[Shairia]

I'm assuming it is the mother's carrying out this instruction from the head of the family. My statement about tearing the families apart is due to the fact that the women will be held responsible.

This is similar to the practice of female circumcision a practice that still continues to this day, but is finally less frequent than ever before due to education and educated families speaking out about the practice.

My point was simply that education is what will finally end this abuse. Third world countries have different atttitudes about dealing with these sort of practices and what will work here will not work there.

The petition helps to bring attention to the rest of the world as to what is happening but my point was I can't see it doing anymore than that sadly.

[greybeard]

Different cultures have different ways of dealing with situations.
As said already what works in the west will not necessarily work for others, at least yet.
It was the tradition in parts of Cameroon that the bride to be had to be seen naked and examined by the Aunts of the husband to be.
So in that case it does not make sense to mutilate breasts.
The good intentions of outsiders do not necessarily help the situation.
The West answer to most things is to throw money at problems and that can spread corruption.
If the men honored the women then the mothers would not do what they allegedly do.
Education and a raising of consciousness the answer I think.
Chris

[Celine]

Different cultures have different ways of dealing with situations.
As said already what works in the west will not necessarily work for others, at least yet.
It was the tradition in parts of Cameroon that the bride to be had to be seen naked and examined by the Aunts of the husband to be.
So in that case it does not make sense to mutilate breasts.
The good intentions of outsiders do not necessarily help the situation.
The West answer to most things is to throw money at problems and that can spread corruption.
If the men honored the women then the mothers would not do what they allegedly do.
Education and a raising of consciousness the answer I think.
Chris

Cameroon is beautiful...and never gets the light it deserves and needs.

Who ...how.... did these women learn to do this? What is the logic?

The guilty truly victimize all..women, men..children, elders...when they do this act.

my heart to all..sigh

love,
celine

[greybeard]

Having spoken to Rosaline via e mail it would appear that the petition though well meaning is based on gross miss-information.
There is a small tribe in the south of Cameroon who did this but it is unlikely to be for the reasons given.
Therfore the pecentage given is very far from the truth. More like 0001% if that.
Rosaline had not even heard of the practice and had to ask around.
Rosaline comes from a small village so would have been likely to have heard if this practice was prevalent.
It isnt.
She herself is well educated, though from modest background.
She loves music, tastes from Beyonce to classical.
Our view of Cameroon etc is distorted by media and charities looking for donations.
They have their problems but even in a civilised town like Inverness there are homeless -- those who cut on themselves and murders.
Think we have to try and get our own back yard in order too.
Appreciating the compassion and concern rightly shown here.
With love Chris