For immediate release –

USA-based Clitoraid, a non-profit organization launched by the spiritual leader Rael, announced today that it will not only sponsor a number of events around the world for Feb. 6, the United Nations-designated worldwide “Zero Tolerance Day” for the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) but will also promote the idea to go one step further and declare this day, 'Healing Day'.

“There are more than 130 million women in the world who have been mutilated. To prevent this barbaric tradition to happen ever again is definitely important but we must think of all the women who had an organ removed and who are still suffering now, physically and psychologically” declared Nadine Gary, spokesperson for Clitoraid. “It is possible today to repair the damage done by the mutilation and to not only restore these victim's dignity but also their sense of pleasure! The laws exist that will punish those who still dare to cut children again, let's now devote more efforts towards helping the victims and giving them their life back!”

Since 2006 Clitoraid has been able to train several doctors and have surgeries performed on many women in France and in the USA. “All of our patients have reported improvements after the surgery and about 60% of them have experienced orgasm which they thought would never happen for them ever” explains Nadine Gary. “ We are now half way through the construction of our 'pleasure hospital' in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina faso, where we will welcome women of the area and of West Africa to be repaired for free” adds Gary. “This is our main goal as too many women cannot afford to have this surgery done, it would take several years of their wage but they are hoping and waiting for us. ClitorAid Report

Clitoraid officials have long claimed that the best way to have the practice of FGM stop is to show the old women who still practice it in the dark that it is a waste of time as the victims will be repaired anyway. “Because we have no tolerance for debilitating tradition, we don't only denounce it, but we act, we repair the damages, we heal the wounds made by stupid traditions and we show the world that science is the only option to remove darkness” comments Brigitte Boisselier, PhD, head of Clitoraid and spokesperson of the Raelian Movement. “This is one of the main teachings of my spiritual leader Rael. It is of no use to cry when one sees sad events happening, we have to laugh about it and get the energy to repair it if it is possible. It is possible to heal 130 million women who deeply suffer today. We deeply hope that many will help us to heal the world and join our 'Adopt a Clitoris Program.”

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4 – Clitoraid, a non-profit, Las Vegas-based humanitarian organization dedicated to helping victims of female genital mutilation (FGM), will occupy booth 323 at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, to be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center Jan. 6-9.

New at Clitoraid’s booth this year are boxed chocolates that will be given to those who donate while supplies last. Tee-shirts will also be available. All donations will go to benefit FGM victims.
In addition, several adult video actresses, including Nina Heartly and Lynn LeMay, have said they will make appearances at the Clitoraid booth.

New at Clitoraid’s booth this year are boxed chocolates. Proceeds from sales of these chocolates will go to benefit FGM victims.

Clitoraid has almost completed construction of the very first “Pleasure Hospital” in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, where African women who wish to have their clitorises repaired and thus have their sexual pleasure restored will be able to do so at no cost to them!

According to a barbaric tradition, millions of female children in some parts of the world – especially Africa – are forced to undergo an excruciatingly painful procedure in which the clitoris is excised. The act is typically carried out without anesthesia and is often performed by female relatives, themselves earlier victims of the practice. Each year, millions of girls endure this brutal practice so they won’t enjoy sex and will be more likely to remain the “property” of men. Up to 98 percent of all women in some African countries have been genitally mutilated.

Founded by Rael, leader of the worldwide Raelian Movement of some 70,000 members in 104 countries, Clitoraid helps FGM victims benefit from an innovative surgical procedure that restores clitoral functioning and, consequently, the capacity for sexual pleasure. The procedure was developed by Dr. Pierre Foldes of France, who has already performed the surgery successfully for a number of African women sent to him through the assistance of Clitoraid.

Several Western doctors have volunteered their time for the new Pleasure Hospital, including Dr. Marci Bowers, M.D., who specializes in gynecology and pelvic and reconstructive surgery. She has already completed her training with Dr. Foldes in France and has performed several reconstructive surgeries at her former Trinidad (CO) office. She will perform 21 more at her new San Francisco office over the next few months.

At AVN and other events, Clitoraid hopes to reach thousands of open-minded people willing to help with the organization’s ultimate goal of eliminating FGM worldwide once and for all. Meanwhile, through Clitoraid’s “Adopt a Clitoris” campaign, AVN attendees can give someone they never met an unforgettable gift: the restoration of both physical pleasure and self-esteem.

Clitoraid will be supported again this year by UNLV professor Dr. Larry Ashley and his students, who have volunteered their time at Clitoraid's booth.

Montreal, November 25th, 2010 - As part of the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women”, Clitoraid invites the public to a silent march to be held Sunday, Nov. 28th in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto. (* see details below).

The United Nations General Assembly, in 1999, designated November 25th the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” (http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/violence) and invited governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to organize activities on that day designed to raise public awareness of the problem.

Unfortunately, in the list of acts of violence against women, female genital mutilation (FGM or “cutting”) appears as the most common.

The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide, 100 to 150 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation. Each year 2 million more girls are likely to suffer the same fate. Most of them live in 28 African countries, a smaller number in the Middle East and Asian countries. But there are more and more in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America.

In May 2006, in response to those stunning statistics, RAEL, the spiritual leader of the Raelian Movement, founded CLITORAID (www.clitoraid.org) a private non-profit organization whose objective is to raise public awareness of this terrible reality. Clitoraid’s main purpose is to raise funds to help African women, with very limited financial means, undergo surgery towards the reconstruction of their clitoris. This technique, which was scientifically validated by Dr. Foldes (France), currently allows women of all ages who have suffered “cutting”, to regain clitoral pleasure and to feel whole again.

For more information contact our press office, at: 1-877-793-3126
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A “Silent March” will be held in the following Canadian cities

Sunday, November 28th, 2010 :

QUEBEC :
Sunday Nov. 28th - 12:30 pm
Place d'Youville, in front of La Pointe des Amériques.


MONTREAL :
Sunday Nov. 28th - 1:30 pm
Phillips Square park, across from The Bay


OTTAWA :
Sunday Nov. 28th - 12:30 pm
Corner of Rideau and William, on the south side


VANCOUVER :
Sunday Nov. 28th - 1:00 pm
Robson Square, On Robson Street between Howe Street and Hornby Street


TORONTO :
11:00 am (Saturday, November 27th)
Dundas Square, corner of Yonge and Dundas


The public will be invited to make donations to support “cut” women!

Following the Aug. 10, 2010, publication of an Associated Press article, "Female circumcision victims seek out Colo. doctor," by Catherine Tsai, Clitoraid and Dr. Marci Bowers MD wish to clarify where donations should be sent and explain Clitoraid's role in the surgical process.

Nowhere in her article did Tsai mention Clitoraid, the parent, non-profit organization Dr. Bowers has been generously volunteering for since 2007. Therefore, the article failed to give a complete picture of the program's international implications. To be clear, Clitoraid (clitoraid.org) offers a humanitarian program to restore damage done by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in North America, Asia and especially in Africa. Clitoraid is in the final stages of building a hospital in Burkina Faso (West Africa) to treat all FGM victims free of charge. Dr. Bowers will inaugurate the hospital once it is ready.

Donations will go toward the Burkina Faso hospital. It is in that vicinity that the largest number of FGM victims reside and where such surgery represents a two-year salary if the average patient were to pay for it. Clitoraid has been a 501 (c) 3 non profit organization since 2006.
Therefore, circumcised women seeking repair and those making donations should contact Clitoraid at , not Dr. Bowers.

"Clitoraid should be given first consideration when considering a donation of any kind, especially out of respect for our busy staff," Dr. Bowers said, adding that she wants to thank those who have written to her office to make donations following publication of Tsai's article.

It's also important to note that Clitoraid handles all post-surgical sexual therapy care under the guidance of sex therapist Dr. Betty Dodson.

Both Clitoraid and Dr. Bowers' office request that the Associated Press publish this joint statement to properly inform the public about Clitoraid and Dr. Bowers' involvement in this far-reaching, humanitarian endeavor.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brigitte Boisselier, PhD, President of Clitoraid
Dr. Marci Bowers, MD, head Clitoraid Surgeon