The Lies in FGM: If You Go Into the Bondo Society, You Will Have Respect and Honor
By Ishmeal Alfred Charles
For generations, a powerful whisper has echoed throughout communities in Sierra Leone: “If you go into the Bondo Society, they will honour and respect you.”
It is a phrase passed down from grandmothers to mothers, and mothers to daughters. It paints a picture of sisterhood, high social status, and cultural pride.
But as humanitarians, parents, and citizens who deeply love our culture, we must stand up and speak the truth. Behind the veil of honor lies a devastating reality.
The central pillar of this initiation is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) a practice built on secrecy, sustained by fear, and destructive to the lives of our young girls.
It is time to look closely at what the data tells us, break the silence, and reshape what true respect means for the women of Sierra Leone.
The Reality Behind the Status
The Bondo Society is deeply woven into the fabric of our nation. For many young women living in poverty, the Bondo initiation is one of the very few times in their lives where they are celebrated, loved, and placed at the center of attention. It promises them a transition into adulthood, teaches them traditional domestic roles, and grants them acceptance.
The pressure to conform is immense, coming from family, neighbors, and a girl’s own conscience. Those who stand against it or remain uninitiated are heavily discriminated against, viewed as outcasts, and cut off from critical social networks. In some provinces, women are even barred from political leadership or contesting elections if they are not initiates, because the community refuses to vote for them.
But we must ask ourselves: Is it true honor if it requires a child to surrender her bodily integrity? Is it true respect if it is bought with pain and trauma?
Unveiling the Critical Issues
According to the comprehensive findings in “Forward-Bondo-Report-2017-Updated-Branding”, the persistence of FGM under the guise of the Bondo Society relies on several key issues:
1. A Staggering Prevalence Built on False Promises
An estimated eight out of ten women and girls over the age of 15 in Sierra Leone have undergone some form of FGM, primarily Type 2 (excision). This is only based on the data collected as the realities are far scary and higher.
Elders often justify this by claiming it reduces sexual feelings, prevents promiscuity, and guards against teenage pregnancy. Yet, the data reveals the opposite. Instead of protecting girls, FGM is directly linked to early marriage and school dropout, as girls as young as 13 are deemed “ready for a husband” the moment they leave the Bondo bush, this is what make it contradictory to the First Lady’s Hands of Our Girls Campaign which she will argue that it is in conformity even when realities are showing the results.
2. The Weapon of Secrecy and Fear
The greatest strength of the Bondo Society is its enforcement of absolute silence. Communities are gripped by the fear of spiritual curses, “demonic effects,” and lifelong illnesses if they speak out against the practice. Men who dare to discuss or question Bondo are heavily fined with cash, goats, or palm oil for committing an “abomination.” This wall of secrecy ensures that only the perceived “good” side of Bondo is spoken of publicly, while the physical and psychological suffering of our daughters remains hidden in the shadows.
3. Severe Health Consequences and Fatal Realities
FGM is a severe violation of human rights that leaves permanent scars. Immediately after the procedure, young girls face agonizing pain, severe hemorrhaging, urinary complications, and life-threatening infections. Because unsterilized cutting tools are frequently shared among large groups of initiates, it acts as a dangerous carrier for diseases like HIV/AIDS.
The report shares heartbreaking testimonies of Pikin Bondo, the initiation of underage girls and even infants. In tragic cases, young girls are sent to a husband’s home before their cutting wounds have even healed, leading to forced marital intercourse, unstoppable bleeding, and preventable death. Long-term psychological trauma, including PTSD and genophobia (the severe fear of sexual relations), haunts these women throughout their lives.
Our Call to Action: True Honor Employs Empowerment, Not the Knife
We do not seek to destroy our African traditions or erase the cultural identity that brings women together. The Bondo Society has the potential to be a beautiful, powerful space for mentorship, sisterhood, and cultural pride. But it must be purged of violence.
We call upon our leaders, our religious communities, and our families to champion a new path forward:
Break the Taboo: We must create safe, supportive spaces where families, mothers, and fathers can openly discuss the realities of Bondo without fear of retaliation or curses.
Sierra Leone needs robust, national legislation that completely prohibits FGM for all ages, backed by the political will to prosecute offenders.
Implement Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP): Let us celebrate our girls’ transition to womanhood by keeping the songs, the dance, the mentorship, and the cultural education, but let us replace the physical blade with comprehensive health, rights, and relationship education.
Prioritize Education Over Early Marriage: True protection from poverty does not come from controlling a girl’s body; it comes from economic and educational empowerment. An educated girl who finishes school is an asset to her family, her community, and her country.
Our daughters deserve to grow up healthy, educated, and whole. Let us redefine honor. Let us show our girls true respect by protecting their rights, celebrating their futures, and ending the lies surrounding FGM.
Reference Material
Primary Source: “If You Go Into the Bondo Society, They Will Honour and Respect You” – Summary Report: Research on Female Genital Mutilation in Freetown, Sierra Leone (October 2017). Published by FORWARD (Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development) and the Girl2Girl Empowerment Movement (G2G).
Document Reference: “Forward-Bondo-Report-2017-Updated-Branding-WEB.pdf”
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