---
title: "Breast Ironing: Mutilation for Protection?"
description: "Breast Ironing: Mutilation for Protection?"
---

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# Breast Ironing: Mutilation for Protection?

Posted by [Seth](https://info.opfistula.org/blog/author/seth) on Jan 20, 2014 7:59:40 AM

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Earlier this month, I read a [piece in the *Guardia*](http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/jan/07/empowering-girls-testify-breast-ironing?CMP=new_1194&et_cid=53278&et_rid=7525125&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2fglobal-development-professionals-network%2f2014%2fjan%2f07%2fempowering-girls-testify-breast-ironing%3fCMP%3d%%_p_cmp%%%23start-of-comments#start-of-comments)*n* about [breast ironing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5upAAPk_3I). Mothers mutilate their daughters in an attempt to protect them from rape and to keep them in school.

Research suggests that 1 in 4 Cameroonian girls, some as young as nine, are victims of this protective mutilation.

The *Guardian* piece featured a woman named Elizabeth Mbu, whose mother had "kneaded her naked, developing breasts with a hot stone twice a week to stop them growing" when she was only 11. Mbu explained for the article, "'Mothers say it's normal to do it, because it prevents the girl getting pregnant early and dropping out of school, or being raped. ... When they see their girl growing breasts, they think they will attract boys – they are protecting their girls.'"

A local organization called Came women and girls development organisation ([Came W&G](http://www.cawogido.co.uk)) is encouraging girls and their mothers to advocate against the practice of breast ironing.

The attached video gives much more color on this terrible practice.

 Topics: [Africa](https://info.opfistula.org/blog/topic/africa), [Global Health](https://info.opfistula.org/blog/topic/global-health), [Development](https://info.opfistula.org/blog/topic/development)

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