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heidla
Me and the guys
Member since 5/05 4024 total posts
Name:
Heidi
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Breast Ironing!!!
'Breast ironing' to stunt girls' growth widespread
1 in 4 girls in Cameroon suffer this abuse to protect against rape
Friday, July 7, 2006; Posted: 9:49 a.m. EDT (13:49 GMT)
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (Reuters) -- Worried that her daughters' budding breasts would expose them to the risk of sexual harassment and even rape, their mother Philomene Moungang started 'ironing' the girls' bosoms with a heated stone.
"I did it to my two girls when they were eight years old. I would take the grinding stone, heat it in the fire and press it hard on the breasts," Moungang said.
"They cried and said it was painful. But I explained that it was for their own good."
"Breast ironing" -- the use of hard or heated objects or other substances to try to stunt breast growth in girls -- is a traditional practice in West Africa, experts say.
A new survey has revealed it is shockingly widespread in Cameroon, where one in four teenagers are subjected to the traumatic process by relatives, often hoping to lessen their sexual attractiveness.
"Breast ironing is an age-old practice in Cameroon, as well as in many other countries in West and Central Africa, including Chad, Togo, Benin, Guinea-Conakry, just to name a few," said Flavien Ndonko, an anthropologist and local representative of German development agency GTZ, which sponsored the survey.
"If society has been silent about it up to now it is because, like other harmful practices done to women such as female genital mutilation, it was thought to be good for the girl," said Ndonko.
"Even the victims themselves thought it was good for them."
However, the practice has many side-effects, including severe pain and abscesses, infections, breast cancer, and even the complete disappearance of one or both breasts.
The survey of more than 5,000 girls and women aged between 10 and 82 from throughout Cameroon, published last month, estimated that 4 million women in the central African country have suffered the process.
"You ask me why I did it?" said Moungang. "When I was growing up as a little girl my mother did it to me just as all other women in the village did it to their girl children. So I thought it was just good for me to do to my own children."
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Posted 7/7/06 12:08 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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lorich
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Member since 6/05 9987 total posts
Name:
Grammie says "Lora Gina"
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:09 PM |
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oneday
<3
Member since 5/05 4319 total posts
Name:
Pam
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
 
I can't even imagine!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:10 PM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
Once again I am really glad I am raising a daughter here.
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:10 PM |
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Boobobunny
Live in the Present
Member since 5/05 3572 total posts
Name:
Dannielle
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
I'm just glad that I was born a raised here. I guess I might feel differently if I was from another culture...but I think that any type of mutilation that is forced upon someone is Cruel.
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:11 PM |
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Stacey1403
Where it all began....
Member since 5/05 24065 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
The things that are done to women, especially young girls in other parts of the world are truly frightening
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:16 PM |
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Ambersmom
Straight up nasty
Member since 5/05 7740 total posts
Name:
Sharon
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
Posted by Boobobunny
I'm just glad that I was born a raised here. I guess I might feel differently if I was from another culture...but I think that any type of mutilation that is forced upon someone is Cruel.
I agree
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:17 PM |
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janet
WITH LOVE MY ANGEL MISS YOU!!!
Member since 5/05 12823 total posts
Name:
janet
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
that is wrong just so wrong!!!! my daughters chest is huge for her age but never in a million years would i ever EVER DO THAT!!!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:19 PM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:20 PM |
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tray831
Dee-licious!
Member since 3/06 5355 total posts
Name:
His Baby
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
Im in pain just reading it!!!!!!!!!!! 
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:23 PM |
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nylisa
My Children
Member since 5/05 7905 total posts
Name:
MaMa
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
I just read about this on CNN too and could not believe it.
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:23 PM |
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Tany
Becoming a different woman
Member since 5/05 24460 total posts
Name:
Tania
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
wow.
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:23 PM |
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IluvBo
NICKY & EVIE
Member since 6/05 3321 total posts
Name:
Rose
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
What is wrong with people? Thank God I'm raising my daughter here
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:28 PM |
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kaklesmay
Love my baby boy!
Member since 9/05 1151 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
Speechless.
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:28 PM |
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jilmadison
Another on the way!
Member since 3/06 1267 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:34 PM |
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LadyMaravilla
Fall Is Here
Member since 5/05 12023 total posts
Name:
Sonia
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:35 PM |
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saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!
Member since 5/05 16555 total posts
Name:
I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
thats like the practice of removing the clitoris so they don't enjoy sex. so horrifying thats this happens. its a form of abuse
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:38 PM |
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Myrockette
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Member since 5/05 5632 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:38 PM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:55 PM |
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IluvBo
NICKY & EVIE
Member since 6/05 3321 total posts
Name:
Rose
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
Posted by BNL2005
thats like the practice of removing the clitoris so they don't enjoy sex. so horrifying thats this happens. its a form of abuse
Are you serious? Where do they do that? OMG that's horrendeous!
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| Posted 7/7/06 12:58 PM |
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saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!
Member since 5/05 16555 total posts
Name:
I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
yes, i'm not sure where, parts of africa, i believe. i was floored when i heard of this
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| Posted 7/7/06 1:00 PM |
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IluvBo
NICKY & EVIE
Member since 6/05 3321 total posts
Name:
Rose
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
OMG that's all I can say!
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| Posted 7/7/06 1:00 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
OMG! that is HORRIBLE! it's like female genital mutilation that happens in Africa
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| Posted 7/7/06 1:04 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
link to all the items that came up in Google
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| Posted 7/7/06 1:05 PM |
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PEACH28
LIF Adult
Member since 2/06 974 total posts
Name:
Denea
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Re: Breast Ironing!!!
wow how awful! can't even imagine
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| Posted 7/7/06 1:19 PM |
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