Washington, DC — "Make no mistake about it, cutting of girls genitals is abuse, and the American Academy of Pediatrics got it wrong when it released a policy statement that suggested offering a 'ritual nick' of the genitals of girls may be a 'compromise' to the practice of female genital cutting (FGC)," said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group and author of The Latina’s Guide to Health: Consejos and Caring Answers.
In a policy statement released May 5, 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in a discussion of offering the alternative of a "ritual nick", stated that:
There is reason to believe that offering such a compromise may build trust between hospitals and immigrant communities, save some girls from undergoing disfiguring and life-threatening procedures in their native countries, and play a role in the eventual eradication of FGC. It might be more effective if federal and state laws enabled pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual nick as a possible compromise to avoid greater harm.
According to Dr. Delgado, "the Alliance is a leading advocate for cultural proficiency in health care. The ‘compromise’ of offering ritual nicks is not about offering culturally proficient care. It is abuse of a child, goes against the medical profession’s credo to ‘do no harm’ and legitimizes female genital mutilization. The American Academy of Pediatrics should return to its 1998 policy that classifies ritual cutting as a form of female genital mutilation (FGM) and opposes all forms of FGM and issue a strong statement to all its members emphasizing that ritual nicks are a form of FGM."
###
About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health: The Alliance is the nation's foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year, making a daily difference in the lives of Hispanic communities and families. For more information, visit http://www.hispanichealth.org or call the Alliance's Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645.