Female genital mutilation is defined by the WHO as the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for nonmedical reasons. The practice causes severe pain and interferes with the normal functioning of girls’ and women’s bodies and has long-term consequences for women’s physical health. It is estimated that between 100-140 million girls are currently living with the effects of these procedures. A recent study on data out of Iraq shows what many psychologists suspected but little research had confirmed. Researcher Jan Ilhan Kizilhan found “alarmingly high rates” of PTSD (44%), depression (34%), anxiey (46%), and somatic disturbances (37%) among a group of 79 circumcised girls in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, aged 8-14, who did not otherwise suffer any traumatic events. These rates were seven times higher than among noncircumcised girls from the same region and were comparable to rates among people who suffered early childhood abuse. The results are published in the European Journal of Psychiatry. Last year, shortly after hearing results of the research, the Kurdish parliament in northern Iraq banned FGM. I find it amazing that it has taken this long for scientists to investigate the mental health effects of FGM but it is heartening that after seeing the data, officials took action. I just hope that this ban has enforcement behind it and it not a token gesture.