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Imagine a seven-year-old girl, lured by gifts or sweets, taken to an unknown place where she is subjected to a procedure that traumatises her for the rest of her life. She never consented to it;  she did not even understand what was happening to her. And the most shocking part is that her own family did it, the people she had trusted blindly as a child.

This happens in India today to thousands of girls every year. And the most disturbing fact is that most people have never heard of it. Today, we are talking about Khatna,  also known globally as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

This article contains sensitive information that may be distressing. Please read at your own discretion.

What Is Khatna?

Khatna, also known as Khafz, is the local Indian name for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),  a procedure performed on a girl child that has no medical justification whatsoever. It is predominantly practiced within the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shia Muslim sect.

Globally, FGM affects over 230 million girls and women, and India is part of this crisis, yet it is rarely included in global conversations on the issue. Within the Dawoodi Bohra community in India, surveys indicate that 75% to 85% of women have undergone the procedure.

It is performed on girls as young as six or seven years old, who have no voice, no choice, and no understanding of what is being done to them.

What Actually Happens?

The procedure involves the cutting or removal of the clitoral hood or the clitoral glans. It is performed without anesthesia, typically by a community practitioner with no medical training, in non-sterile conditions.

Every major medical body in the world, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), has confirmed that this procedure offers absolutely no medical benefit. Instead, it leaves children permanently harmed both physically and psychologically.

Immediate physical risks include:

  • Severe hemorrhage (uncontrollable bleeding)
  • Shock and serious infection
  • Extreme pain
  • Death, in cases of excessive blood loss

Long-term physical consequences include:

  • Chronic pain and recurring urinary problems
  • Painful intercourse and sexual dysfunction
  • Life-threatening complications during childbirth due to scar tissue

In short, the body of a six-year-old girl is permanently altered without her consent or understanding in the name of cultural belief, not medicine.

Why Is It Done?

The stated purpose of this procedure is to reduce a woman's sexual desire to ensure she remains "pure" before marriage and "faithful" afterwards. It is rooted in the belief that female sexuality is inherently dangerous and must be controlled.

Beyond cultural belief, the practice is also sustained by intense social pressure. Families fear being shamed or ostracised by their community if they refuse to comply. It is passed down from grandmothers to mothers, which makes it feel like tradition rather than what it truly is: a violation.

It is also important to state clearly: this practice is not mandated by Islam. Islamic scholars across the world are divided on this issue, and the vast majority of Muslim communities worldwide do not practice FGM in any form.

The Psychological Core: Betrayal Trauma

This is the least discussed aspect of Khatna and arguably the most damaging. Because the child is taken by her own family members, the trauma is not only physical. It is a fundamental betrayal of trust and safety.

When a child is lured with sweets or gifts before being subjected to this procedure, it causes her to associate love and reward with pain and violation. Psychologists call this "betrayal trauma", a condition that arises when the very person you depend on for safety and care is also the source of your harm.

The child is then told to keep it a secret, which isolates her within her own family and community. A conspiracy of silence forms around her trauma, one that can last decades.

Long-term psychological consequences include:

  • PTSD and chronic anxiety
  • Depression and body dysmorphia
  • Sexual dysfunction and a lifelong sense of shame about their own body
  • Feeling permanently empty and disconnected from their own body

The damage reaches far into adulthood, affecting relationships, intimacy, and a survivor's sense of self-worth.

The Legal Vacuum in India

India does not have any law specifically dedicated to banning FGM. The practice currently falls partially under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, 2012) when the victim is a minor, but enforcement is virtually non-existent.

A landmark Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court of India by Sunita Tiwari against the Union of India, demanding a specific law against the practice. However, no concrete legislative action has followed. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued guidance, but no enforceable steps have been taken to stop Khatna.

This sends a clear message: the state does not consider this practice urgent enough to name and outlaw specifically. Countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and most of Europe have explicit, dedicated anti-FGM laws with criminal penalties. India does not, and many of its citizens are not even aware that the practice exists.

The Stigma and the Silence

One reason Khatna remains largely invisible in Indian public discourse is that the Dawoodi Bohra community is small, educated, urban, and economically well-off. It does not fit the popular stereotype of who suffers from such practices which is precisely why it goes unnoticed.

Those who speak out face criticism, public shaming, and rejection by their community. The practice is rarely reported to the police, rarely discussed openly, and almost never acknowledged publicly. Many survivors only discover the name for what was done to them in adulthood, years after the procedure leaving them to process their trauma alone and without language for their experience.

The Survivor Movement: Breaking the Silence

Organisations like Sahiyo and WeSpeakOut, both led by survivors, have been at the forefront of documenting, researching, and publicly naming Khatna in India. Through surveys and advocacy, they have brought the issue into media and legal conversations, ensuring that the truth can no longer be easily ignored.

Survivors are speaking out at enormous personal cost, facing family rejection and community hostility in order to protect the next generation of girls. The women who suffered are now the ones demanding change.

A six-year-old girl cannot consent to having part of her body permanently removed when she cannot yet understand what is being done to her. No cultural or religious belief gives anyone the right to subject a child to such a practice. India cannot claim to protect its children while leaving Khatna unnamed in law and unpunished in courts.

Knowing about this is the first step. Awareness is the foundation of change, and change is long overdue.

References

Global Statistics and Research

India-Specific Studies and Community Research

Medical and Psychological Perspectives

Legal Documents (India)

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