The Truama and Effects of Breast Ironing
Credits: Sarah Barns, Sun News Online, Daily Mail, and CutieeBrain
Breast ironing is the brutal flattening of a young girl's developing cheat to 'protect her from rape and sexual harassment'. This practice affects 3.0 million women around the world according to UN report. The process uses large stones, a hammer or a spatula that has been heated over hot coals to compress or mutilate the breast tissue and make the adolescent look less 'womanly'. It is widely spread in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa with the girl's mother being the abuser in 58% of cases, according to the Department of Public Health Services.
However, much like female circumstision or Femal Genital Mutilation, breast ironing is also widely considered to be just another from of hidden abuse. Checkout some reports from breast ironing victims.
Cindy, 14 years old: "Every morning, before going to school, my mon makes me lift my top so she can make sure I haven't taken my bandage off. Its been 2years now and she still checks it on daily basis. Its humiliating. I'd like to stop her. When i grow up, I want to be a lawyer or play piano. I hope wearing bandage will help me to continue my education."
Gaelle, 26 years old: "At night, my mother would make me wear a really tight elastic band around my chest. During the day, she'ld massage me with a spatula, a pestle, a stick, or a rock. It really hursts. I asked her to stop and eventually she did. But after the ironing, my breasts grew really fast. Like really, really fast. I was so ashamed. People on the street would scream at me about my boobs. By my twenties, my breasts has started sagging like those of a 50-year-old woman."
Lisette, 34 years old: "My mother told me that my breasts were go attract men. So she brought me to a traditional healer. He grabbed a knife, cut my breasts, one after the other, and sucked the insides out with a tube. He told me, 'If you donot do it, people will think you are a prostitute'. I fainted from the pain, it took days for me to recover and heal".
Cathy, 27 years old: "Pestles remind me of my childhood pains. That same piece of rock people use to crush spicies has been used to crush women's beauty and wilt teenagers' skin. My breasts began to grow when i was 10 and my family tought massaging was the solution. When i was 16 and i got pregnant, it also darkened. A black fluid would come out every time I tried to breastfeed. I have a hard time remembering it all. I decided to forget it and to fight violence against women".
According to others, from researches we recorded that; "Breast ironing is a well-kept secret between the young girl and her mother. Often the father remains completely unaware. The girl beliebves that what her mother is doing is for her own good and she keeps silent. This silence perpetuates the phenomenon and all of its consequences".
While also suppressing developing breast ironing also exposes girls to numerous health problems such as cancer, abscesses, itching and discharge of mil, infection and dissymmetry of the breasts. Girls are also likely to experience cysts, breast infections, severe feever,tissue damage and even complete disappearance of one or both breasts.
The charity organisation stated that: 'Adolescemts are traumatised, mutilated. This is a serious damage not only on their physical integrity, but also on their social and psychological wellbeing. And we must stop it'
Stay entertained, Stay entertained with the right informations, & Share what you know.
Breast ironing is the brutal flattening of a young girl's developing cheat to 'protect her from rape and sexual harassment'. This practice affects 3.0 million women around the world according to UN report. The process uses large stones, a hammer or a spatula that has been heated over hot coals to compress or mutilate the breast tissue and make the adolescent look less 'womanly'. It is widely spread in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa with the girl's mother being the abuser in 58% of cases, according to the Department of Public Health Services.
Why is Breast Flattening done?
The rationale is to prevent girls from developing breasts between 11 and 15 years old in the beleif that a flat childlike appearance will discourage unwanted male attention and premarital pregnancy. The mother often warrants the ritual, removing signs of puberty, so her daughter can pursue education for longer rather than being seen as 'ready for marriage'.However, much like female circumstision or Femal Genital Mutilation, breast ironing is also widely considered to be just another from of hidden abuse. Checkout some reports from breast ironing victims.
Health Effects of Breast Ironing.
Emmanuelle, 23 years old.: "She was my mom, so i had to obey when she called for me. Even if i ran, she'ld catch me; when i went to bed, she'ld grab me; when i was washing myself, she'ld grab me and start massaging. It felt like she was stabbing something on my chest. She is dead now. I never understood what she was thinking if she thought she was helping me, or punishing me. My cousin raped me when i was 13 and i ended up giving birth to his child. I needed to produce milk but i no longer had breasts. We tried to use driver ants. When they sting you, your breasts inflate and its suppose to encourage milk production. I've had three children and despite the ants, i've never being able to breastfeed."Cindy, 14 years old: "Every morning, before going to school, my mon makes me lift my top so she can make sure I haven't taken my bandage off. Its been 2years now and she still checks it on daily basis. Its humiliating. I'd like to stop her. When i grow up, I want to be a lawyer or play piano. I hope wearing bandage will help me to continue my education."
Gaelle, 26 years old: "At night, my mother would make me wear a really tight elastic band around my chest. During the day, she'ld massage me with a spatula, a pestle, a stick, or a rock. It really hursts. I asked her to stop and eventually she did. But after the ironing, my breasts grew really fast. Like really, really fast. I was so ashamed. People on the street would scream at me about my boobs. By my twenties, my breasts has started sagging like those of a 50-year-old woman."
Lisette, 34 years old: "My mother told me that my breasts were go attract men. So she brought me to a traditional healer. He grabbed a knife, cut my breasts, one after the other, and sucked the insides out with a tube. He told me, 'If you donot do it, people will think you are a prostitute'. I fainted from the pain, it took days for me to recover and heal".
Cathy, 27 years old: "Pestles remind me of my childhood pains. That same piece of rock people use to crush spicies has been used to crush women's beauty and wilt teenagers' skin. My breasts began to grow when i was 10 and my family tought massaging was the solution. When i was 16 and i got pregnant, it also darkened. A black fluid would come out every time I tried to breastfeed. I have a hard time remembering it all. I decided to forget it and to fight violence against women".
According to others, from researches we recorded that; "Breast ironing is a well-kept secret between the young girl and her mother. Often the father remains completely unaware. The girl beliebves that what her mother is doing is for her own good and she keeps silent. This silence perpetuates the phenomenon and all of its consequences".
While also suppressing developing breast ironing also exposes girls to numerous health problems such as cancer, abscesses, itching and discharge of mil, infection and dissymmetry of the breasts. Girls are also likely to experience cysts, breast infections, severe feever,tissue damage and even complete disappearance of one or both breasts.
The charity organisation stated that: 'Adolescemts are traumatised, mutilated. This is a serious damage not only on their physical integrity, but also on their social and psychological wellbeing. And we must stop it'
Stay entertained, Stay entertained with the right informations, & Share what you know.
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