AUGUSTA, Maine, March 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lt. Col. (Ret.) Samantha Nerove, CEO of America Matters and head of the #StopFGM Coalition, spoke at a public hearing at Maine's State House on Monday. The hearing provided a chance for the public to listen and speak about two proposed bills outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM)—LD 1819 and LD 1822 sponsored by representatives Heather Sirocki and Barbara Cardone, respectively.
Ms. Nerove spoke specifically of the life-long trauma survivors face, the necessity to hold all participants of the practice accountable, and that the response to FGM needs to be in the best interest of little girls and survivors. "Laws don't stop all crime from occurring, but without a law, you have no ability to stop an action. The response to FGM needs to be absolute. Absolute meaning in the absolute best interest of the girls," says Nerove.
Numerous other citizens, including doctors, nurses, survivors, activists, and District Attorney Maeghan Maloney, also provided testimonies during the four-hour hearing. Following her testimony, Rep. Sirocki was asked about the differences between male circumcision and FGM, and why FGM needs to be outlawed and male circumcision is permissible—a common question that arises in discussions about FGM. Recently, #StopFGM coalition members and Muslim physicians, Drs. Jasser, Khan, and Mahboob, offered expert analyses of how FGM is vastly different from male circumcision based on the severe physical and emotional trauma it inflicts.
America Matters and the #StopFGM Coalition fully support states and lawmakers who are actively working to protect the estimated 513,000 at-risk girls in the United States through proposed anti-FGM legislation. 24 states do not have specific FGM laws. Individuals can take action by contacting representatives in their states and signing the #StopFGM petition to tell policy makers to enact laws now.
Samantha Nerove is Founder/CEO of America Matters, a 501(c)(3) foundation that focuses on issues people care about not party or politics. She's a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, paratrooper, and combat veteran.
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SOURCE America Matters
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