As old forms of torture disappear, new ones swiftly roll in. In Cameroon and some parts of West Africa, girls between the ages of eight and twelve today suffer a procedure, often at the hands of their mothers, known as breast “ironing.” A grinding stone, broom, belt, or another object is heated, then used to press a girl’s budding breasts flat. The goal is to keep her looking like a child for as long as possible, so people assume she hasn’t yet entered puberty. Aside from the psychological impact and immediate pain, breast ironing can cause long-term medical problems including scarring and
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