“FGM is with us Everyday“ Women and Girls Speak out about Female Genital Mutilation in the UK
There is inadequate information on the practice of
female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK, and there are often
myths and perceptions within communities that influence the
effectiveness of prevention programmes. This means it is difficult to
address the trends and changes in the practice in the UK.
To this end, FORWARD undertook novel and innovative research
using the Participatory Ethnographic and Evaluative Research
(PEER) method to explore the views of women from Eritrea, Sudan,
Somalia and Ethiopia that live in London and Bristol (two UK cities).
Women-s views, taken from PEER interviews, reflected reasons for
continued practice of FGM: marriageability, the harnessing and
control of female sexuality, and upholding traditions from their
countries of origin. It was also clear that the main supporters of the
practice were believed to be older women within families and
communities.
Women described the impact FGM was having on their lives as
isolating. And although it was clearly considered a private and
personal matter, they developed a real sense of connection with their
peers within the research process.
The women were overwhelmingly positive about combating the
practice, although they believed it would probably take a while
before it ends completely. They also made concrete
recommendations on how to improve support services for women
affected by FGM: Training for professionals (particularly in
healthcare), increased engagement with, and outreach to,
communities, culturally appropriate materials and information made
available and accessible to communities, and more consequent
implementation of legislation.
Finally, the women asked for more empathy and understanding,
particularly from health professionals. Rather than presenting FGM
as a completely alien and inconceivable practice, it may help for
those looking into these women-s lives and working with them to
understand the social and economic context in which the practice
takes place.
[1] E. Dorkenoo, L. Morison, and A. MacFarlane. A Statistical Study to
Estimate the Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in England and
Wales. FORWARD in collaboration with London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine and the Department of Midwifery at City University.
2007. Funded by the UK Department of Health.
[2] Eliminating
[3] WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNIFEM and others. Female genital
mutilation: An interagency statement. 2008. Available at
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/
publications/fgm/fgm_statement_2008.pdf.
[4] S. Johnsdotter. Female Genital Cutting among immigrants in European
countries: Are risk estimations reasonable? Conference Paper. 2004.
[5] S. Johnsdotter & B. Essén. Sexual Health among Young Somali Women
in Sweden: Living With Conflicting Culturally Determined Sexual
Ideologies. 2004.
[6] N. Price & K. Hawkins. Researching sexual and reproductive behaviour:
a peer ethnographic approach. Social Science & Medicine. 2002. 55:
1325-1336.
[7] Chapter 1 of the ÔÇÿWestminster Primary Care Trust Public Health Annual
Report 2004/2005- which can be found at http://www.westminsterpct.
nhs.uk/pdfs/phar0405_chapter1.pdf.
[8] http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/council-anddemocracy/
statistics-and-census-information/.
[9] Ismail L & Home A. Waiting for the Sun to Rise. An introductory paper
examining the health effects and social implications of khat use for
Bristol-s Somali community. Research commissioned by Bristol-s
ÔÇÿCommunity at Heart-. 2005. Available at
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cmsservice/
stream/asset/?asset_id=29371083.
[1] E. Dorkenoo, L. Morison, and A. MacFarlane. A Statistical Study to
Estimate the Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in England and
Wales. FORWARD in collaboration with London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine and the Department of Midwifery at City University.
2007. Funded by the UK Department of Health.
[2] Eliminating
[3] WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNIFEM and others. Female genital
mutilation: An interagency statement. 2008. Available at
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/
publications/fgm/fgm_statement_2008.pdf.
[4] S. Johnsdotter. Female Genital Cutting among immigrants in European
countries: Are risk estimations reasonable? Conference Paper. 2004.
[5] S. Johnsdotter & B. Essén. Sexual Health among Young Somali Women
in Sweden: Living With Conflicting Culturally Determined Sexual
Ideologies. 2004.
[6] N. Price & K. Hawkins. Researching sexual and reproductive behaviour:
a peer ethnographic approach. Social Science & Medicine. 2002. 55:
1325-1336.
[7] Chapter 1 of the ÔÇÿWestminster Primary Care Trust Public Health Annual
Report 2004/2005- which can be found at http://www.westminsterpct.
nhs.uk/pdfs/phar0405_chapter1.pdf.
[8] http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/council-anddemocracy/
statistics-and-census-information/.
[9] Ismail L & Home A. Waiting for the Sun to Rise. An introductory paper
examining the health effects and social implications of khat use for
Bristol-s Somali community. Research commissioned by Bristol-s
ÔÇÿCommunity at Heart-. 2005. Available at
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cmsservice/
stream/asset/?asset_id=29371083.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:62809", author = "Susana Oguntoye and Naana Otoo-Oyortey and Joanne Hemmings and Kate Norman and Eiman Hussein", title = "“FGM is with us Everyday“ Women and Girls Speak out about Female Genital Mutilation in the UK", abstract = "There is inadequate information on the practice of
female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK, and there are often
myths and perceptions within communities that influence the
effectiveness of prevention programmes. This means it is difficult to
address the trends and changes in the practice in the UK.
To this end, FORWARD undertook novel and innovative research
using the Participatory Ethnographic and Evaluative Research
(PEER) method to explore the views of women from Eritrea, Sudan,
Somalia and Ethiopia that live in London and Bristol (two UK cities).
Women-s views, taken from PEER interviews, reflected reasons for
continued practice of FGM: marriageability, the harnessing and
control of female sexuality, and upholding traditions from their
countries of origin. It was also clear that the main supporters of the
practice were believed to be older women within families and
communities.
Women described the impact FGM was having on their lives as
isolating. And although it was clearly considered a private and
personal matter, they developed a real sense of connection with their
peers within the research process.
The women were overwhelmingly positive about combating the
practice, although they believed it would probably take a while
before it ends completely. They also made concrete
recommendations on how to improve support services for women
affected by FGM: Training for professionals (particularly in
healthcare), increased engagement with, and outreach to,
communities, culturally appropriate materials and information made
available and accessible to communities, and more consequent
implementation of legislation.
Finally, the women asked for more empathy and understanding,
particularly from health professionals. Rather than presenting FGM
as a completely alien and inconceivable practice, it may help for
those looking into these women-s lives and working with them to
understand the social and economic context in which the practice
takes place.", keywords = "Female Genital Mutilation, FemaleCircumcision/Cutting, Participatory Research, PEER method.", volume = "3", number = "6", pages = "1213-6", }