被禁止的性行为与性暴力

性暴力: 性器官毁损: 藉口 2

人种学、神话学和古代史学者就性器官毁损的起初含义做了推测，并且已经逐渐总结出一些富有迷惑力的理论。例如：在一些史前宗教里，只有神才被赋予既拥有女人的能力也拥有男人的能力，而且它们并不想人类与之竞争。因而，作为凡人的男性必需献祭出他们的“女性”元气(element)，这种元气蛰居于阴茎包皮里；而作为凡人的女性必须切除她们的“男性”元气，这种元气位于阴蒂之内。不过，这些林林总总的迷惑人的推测出来的理论，超出了本教程的篇幅限度。在此，我们将全神贯注于讨论一些现代有实用价值的论争要点。

传统习俗的藉口
大多数为性器官毁损习俗辩护的妇女提出了传统习俗的藉口。违反这个传统可能会使她们被社会唾弃。这种手术是进入部落生活的象征，并且它通常伴有精心策划的仪式和典礼。简而言之，它是一个女孩将来得到人们承认准备做妻子和母亲角色的部分条件。一个拒绝这种仪式的女孩因此也会拒绝这种角色——在一些社会等同于自毁社会交往的举动。不管怎样，不仅女孩本身，而且女孩的父母都感到了遵从这种习俗规则的压力。
只有帮助这个部落改革它们的传统习俗才能够解除这种压力。

Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence: Mutilation of Female Sex Organs: Justifications 2

Scholars of ethnology, mythology, and ancient history have speculated about the original meaning of sexual mutilations and have developed some intriguing theories. For example: In some prehistoric religions, only the gods were allowed to possess both female and male powers, and they did not want human beings to compete with them. Thus, mortal males needed to sacrifice their “female” element which resided in their penile foreskin, and females had to excise their “male” element residing in the clitoris. These and other fascinating speculations, however, go beyond the scope of this course. Here, we concentrate on a few practical modern arguments.

Tradition
Most women who defend the practice of sexual mutilation point to the role of tradition. Violating this tradition would make them social outcasts. The operation is a symbol of initiation into the community, and it is usually accompanied by elaborate rituals and ceremonies. In short, it is an established part of a girl’s preparation for her future role as a wife and mother. A girl rejecting the initiation would thereby also reject this role -  an act that would amount to social suicide in some societies. In any case, the pressure to conform is felt not only by the girls themselves, but also by their parents.
This pressure can be lifted only by helping the entire community to reform its traditions.