ABSTRACT
Women may have a more difficult time articulating the grounds of persecution, especially when the violence is gender based. When a refugee arrives in the United States and seeks asylum, the first step in the process is that the refugee must present a credible claim. Claims that involve sexual privacy and violation, genital cutting, domestic violence, and forced sexual submission might be very difficult for women from traditional, more modest cultures to articulate, especially to an immigration officer who is a complete stranger, and who is likely to be male. People who have been traumatized have great difficulty providing a narrative of their experiences, further intensifying the shame and reserve of these refugees. Female genital circumcision, or female genital mutilation, or forced female circumcision is a traditional practice used in Africa to control women's sexuality and independence. Despite United Nations sanctions and despite lip service to the local laws, this practice continues in many African countries.
