Claire Bonello in her column (The Sunday Times, May 24) trivialised such a serious subject as female genital mutilation (FGM). I have come to expect no better from her writing.
Her attempt to ridicule me as a "valiant warrior and defender of female genitalia" is a manifestation of her superficiality and lack of understanding on this physical abuse on women.
Contrary to what she states, it was not me who chose to "defend female genitalia" as she so coarsely put it .
It was actually the United Nations, which declared February 6 as the International Day against female genital mutilation.
The UN did this when faced with more than two million young girls who are still being mutilated every year in African countries like Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia.
FGM is abuse by women on women - it is the removal of the external female genitalia, including the labia and the clitoris.
When performed it is hardly likely to be advertised in The Sunday Times nor in the five-star environment where sometimes slaps in the face have been dispensed.
FGM is no slap in the face - it is sexual mutilation and is widespread in African countries where most of our illegal immigrants come from.
Needless to say there is no consent to this barbaric "surgery".
Babies and young girls are being mutilated - in the belief that all females are evil and that women are temptresses to men - so it follows that women should not be allowed any form of sexual pleasure so as not to tempt men.
This is in the name of religion or culture - beliefs which are completely alien to us.
We are coming into contact with these beliefs through our contact with immigrants from these African countries.
Both the UK and the US have granted refugee status to immigrant women on the grounds that these women were at risk of FGM. So FGM is related directly to the problem of illegal immigration.
FGM has been defended legally, in other countries, on the grounds of sunna - i.e. as a religious belief and requirement.
Therefore some countries have felt the need to outlaw FGM by enacting specific laws. In the UK, the law banning female 'circumcision' was passed after more than 75,000 immigrant girls were found to have been mutilated.
Many Africans coming to Malta hold this belief - a belief which needs to be outlawed because it is not in conformity with our laws, nor with our understanding of human rights.
We need a specific law against FGM in Malta - hence the relevance of my answer to Herman Grech in his searching questions in the Times online interview .
I believe that we must face the challenges which illegal immigration is bringing to our country and I personally do this with strong, sound and humane arguments.
Frivolous comments such as those made by Dr Bonello demean women and make no substantial contribution to our society.