The Reality and Scale

In many families of the Dawoodi Bohra community, young girls undergo a practice called Khatna or Khafz. It usually happens when the child is six or seven years old, an age when she cannot fully understand what is being done to her. Yet many women remember the moment clearly the pain they have gone through still gives them fear.

The procedure is often carried out in the silence of a private room at home.

Khatna is the community’s term for the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). It typically involves cutting the clitoral hood or part of the clitoral glans, which is medically classified as Type I FGM. Supporters often say it reduces a girl’s sexual desire so she remains “pure” before marriage and “faithful” afterwards. These beliefs come from cultural traditions and religious beliefs. Still, the practice continues because it has been followed through the generations.

Over the years, surveys and interviews have shown that around 75% to 85% of women in this community were subjected to Khatna as children. Because the practice is secret, the real number could be even higher and

Many women kept quiet for decades and they have been taught that the subject should never be discussed.

The Procedure and Its Medical Impact

There is no medical benefit to Khatna.

Instead, it brings serious physical risks. Immediately after the cut, girls can suffer from the severe pain, very heavy bleeding, shock, and infections, especially when unsterile tools are used. Even when performed by a medical professional, the harm remains the same, because the injury itself has no medical purpose.

The long-term effects can be equally damaging. The Scar tissue may lead to chronic pelvic pain, UTI, painful urination, reduced sexual function, and complications during childbirth. Many women have reported suffering lifelong discomfort or difficulty because of the damage done during Khatna. Medical experts and human rights organisations warn that even the mildest form of FGM can change a woman’s body forever and give a long term harms.

The Hidden Wound: Betrayal Trauma

One of the deepest impacts of Khatna is betrayal trauma. At such a young age, children trust their caregivers completely. They believe their mothers, grandmothers, and relatives will always keep them safe. But due to societal pressure and traditions of Khatna, it is often these same trusted people who take them to the cutter and keep them or hold them.

Many survivors describe being lured with sweets and toys. They were told it would be something harmless, only to make them feel not scared or go against it. And it gives them such trauma that the sweets that once made them happy become part of a painful memory. The silence they were told to keep afterwards, like being told not to cry or tell anyone, confuses the child, and it creates fear and shame that can last for years.

This emotional wound holds the survivors in their adulthood. Many reports say that survivors face PTSD, anxiety, nightmares, and sleep disorders in their day-to-day lives. Some feel disconnected or shame from their own bodies because their earliest memory of their private parts is linked to pain.

Silence, Social Pressure, and Survival of the Practice

Khatna continues largely because of silence and social pressure. Families fear being judged, excluded or isolated if they refuse to follow the custom.

Some older women perform Khatna because they experienced it themselves and believe it is a necessary tradition.

Awareness about sexuality, the female body, and bodily autonomy is often considered taboo and making it an open discussion is even more difficult. As a result, many girls grow up lacking knowledge about their own bodies.

This silence allows the practice to continue from one generation to the next.

Legal and Social Standing

India does not yet have a specific law for banning FGM. However, the performance of Khatna on a minor is already an offense under the POCSO Act which protects children from physical and sexual harm.

Despite this, the legal enforcement is necessary but challenging because the procedure is done secretly and rarely reported.

Many child rights activists, survivors, and legal experts have been calling for a clear national ban. A specific law that protect the child and would raise awareness, and provide stronger legal consequences for anyone involved in performing or arranging the cut. Several petitions have been filed to demand stronger protection and legal clarity.

A Movement for Change

In recent years, many survivors have begun sharing their stories through campaigns, petitions, and support groups. Many find strength in each other and in knowing they are not alone. Social media has created a space where women can speak openly about Khatna without fear of judgment.

And more mothers are choosing not to follow the tradition with their daughters. Educational programs, films, and community discussions are helping people question long-held beliefs. Some religious leaders have clarified that FGM is not a religious requirement, which has encouraged more families to step away from the practice.

Many child rights and women activists continue to push for strong laws, better awareness, and open conversations.

REFERENCES :

• UNICEF (2024 Global Report): Female Genital Mutilation: A Global Concern
• WHO Fact Sheet: Female Genital Mutilation Overview
• Equality Now (Global Data): FGM in Asia - The Invisible Reality
• Sahiyo (India Study): The Clitoral Hood: A Contested Site (Dawoodi Bohra Survey)
• WeSpeakOut (Survivor Reports): The "Khatna" Study - Understanding FGM/C in India
• Asia Network to End FGM/C: India Regional Brief
• PubMed / NIH (Mental Health Impact): Psychological consequences of female genital mutilation
• Journal of Sexual Medicine: Physical and Psychosexual Complications of FGM
• Supreme Court of India (PIL Case Status): Sunita Tiwari vs Union Of India
• Ministry of Women and Child Development (POCSO Guidance): The POCSO Act, 2012

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