Great Women Gone Missing

One week after authorities found the body of Katoucha Niane, in the River Seine, Waris Dirie was reported missing. Seeing as these women are both involved in the political battle against FGM, suspicions are rising. Dirie has since been found, but the mystery behind her disappearance remains.

Both of these African-born women used to be models in the French fashion world. They have also both undergone female genital mutilation, FGM, and since written books describing their ordeals. Dirie's book, "Desert Flower", shocked the world as a best seller. Katoucha's story, "Katoucha, In My Flesh" was published very recently, and given it's practically-post-humus release it will likely make quite a splash.

The autopsy for Katoucha revealed no signs of foul-play, but her family holds their suspicions. Given their common connection it seems likely that many people will suspect the "coincidental" nature of these cases.

Whether it is a coincidence or on purpose, I believe there is a silver lining: this story will make it into many news sources, bringing awareness to an issue that has been too long in the dark. Hopefully enough light will be shed to make a difference, no matter how small.

Katoucha Niane

This Guinean-born model did many extraordinary things in her life. She experienced genital mutilation as a child. She ran away to Europe to be a model, where she became a muse for Yves Saint Lauren. She used her fame and status to speak out against FGM.

She was found dead in the Seine river this past week.

While some will specualte that this was an assasination for her efforts against female circumcision, the common theory is merely that she fell in the river while intoxicated. She lived in a houseboat, where her purse was found. The autopsy did not suggest foul play.

This beautiful, soulful woman experienced FGM at age nine. She later wrote a book, dedicated to her three children, that described the whole ordeal. "Katoucha, In My Flesh" was published last year.

Katoucha, like many women I deeply admire, used her pain, her suffering and her truth to help other women. Rather than hiding in pain and shame she acted out against a horrible crime. For that she deserved better than a meek ending in a watery grave. Let her story encourage you to share your pain with someone it can heal.