The victims of Cameroon's breast ironing tradition...

"Breast ironing" is the Cameroonian custom of massaging young girls chests with hot tools – spatulas and pestles being the most common – in an attempt to flatten their developing breasts. This is done with the intention of postponing their first sexual relationships by making their bodies less attractive to men. Parents often fear that the girls won't finish their studies if they meet a man and become pregnant.

For the most part, the flattening is carried out by female family members, either at home or with the assistance of a healer. The process begins as soon as the girls hit puberty – for some, that means as early as eight years old. The consequences of this can be disastrous for the victim's health – cysts, breast cancer and breastfeeding issues are all common, not to mention the abundance of psychological consequences linked to the practice. According to a 2011 GIZ report, one out of every 10 Cameroonian girls has been subjected to breast ironing.

French photographer Gildas Paré recently travelled to Cameroon to photograph some of those victims and take note of their stories. We sat him down for a chat about his work and this traditional act of mutilation. More + photos...

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