threatening when performed by an untrained person; if the operator makes any mistake, the parents would not take the child to a hospital out of fear of being criminally charged with child abuse.
             About 4 mutilation cases are seen each year at clinics. All this has done is indanger these little girls and not brought on good education to the parents to convince them of not conducting such acts.
             On Feb 3rd, 1999 a person by the name of Hawa Greou went on trial in France on charges of "voluntarily bodily injury causing mutilation or permanent disability." She had admitted to mutilating the genitals of about 50 young girls. Also charged were the parents of the victims. The defendant's lawyer said "If the trial can help bring about an end to this custom, then it will be useful. But punishment is not as effective as education and prevention...This is an African custom that has existed for centuries. It takes a long time to change habits."
             Thus I believe that a 5 year sentence is not enough, there needs to be more public education.
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