Where does FGM happen?
By Alice Pavlou
FGM in the UK: Hidden experiences of FGM
At Nistawi, we believe that addressing gender-based violence requires more than laws and headlines. It requires listening to survivors, challenging assumptions, and working from within the very communities where silence has long reigned. Through this blog, we aim to shine a light on the hidden harms, amplify underrepresented voices, and advocate for survivor-centred responses.
FGM preconceptions
When asked the question ‘Where does FGM happen?’, it is common for organisations to name countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The UK government’s FGM health guide names 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia as countries where FGM is ‘commonly practiced’.
The reality: FGM happens, and can happen, anywhere
FGM is a dangerous practice which happens all over the world, including within the UK. A 2015 study published by City University estimated that 137,000 women and girls were living with FGM in England and Wales. The study does not quantify the prevalence of FGM among women and girls nor the number of girls at risk of FGM throughout the UK, arguing that these judgements should only be made on a case-by-case basis by the relevant professionals.
More recent data shows that locally in Nottingham, almost two dozen FGM victims have been seen by NHS services this year, with 15 of those patients being new patients. Across England, 2,245 FGM victims were seen by healthcare providers in the period January to March – a 7 percent rise from the same period last year. Women and girls are also at risk of being taken abroad to have FGM performed on them, with reports that around 50 girls have been taken from the UK to Somalia for FGM, accompanied by their relatives, including mothers and grandmothers. These findings show that FGM is a problem within the UK – and organisations tackling FGM must seek to address these hidden, unrecorded experiences.
While evidence around the number of girls affected by FGM in the UK is extremely limited, these estimates generate enough concern that FGM does occur to women and girls living in the UK. Failing to acknowledge these experiences led to the dangerous misconception that FGM happens only within the Global South. The reality is that many women and girls overseas are living with FGM, including in the UK, who remain unidentified and therefore untreated for the physical and psychological harms caused by the practice.
Who is at risk?
FGM is an intergenerational problem: Reham ElMorally’s insightful chapter on decolonising FGM practices sheds insight on how FGM is culturally embedded and seen as normal within practicing communities. Mothers particularly internalise the beliefs about female circumcision as necessary for chastity and conserving womanhood. ElMorally asserts that mothers are therefore the dominant perpetrators of FGM; they actively encourage FGM to be performed on their daughters, due to the beliefs and customs instilled in them by their communities.
Young girls are particularly at risk of having FGM performed on them without their consent or knowledge. This is consistent with the Guardian’s data showing that around 86 per cent of women and girls surveyed in the UK stated that they were under 10 years old when the FGM procedure was carried out. With an estimated 60,000 girls are born to mothers with FGM in the UK, the risk of FGM remains pressing even for those young girls growing up in the UK.
Why is this harmful?
No matter what life stage FGM has been performed at, FGM has dangerous long-term effects on women. Physical effects include, but are not limited, to chronic vaginal infections and complications, painful intercourse, prolonged labour and birth complications, alongside psychological effects like trauma, anxiety, and the risk of developing PTSD. The Guardian find that many FGM victims are only identified during pregnancy. This means many women are not receiving adequate support until very late into their lives. It also leaves non-pregnant survivors unidentified and unsupported.
To ensure all women and girls affected by FGM receive adequate support, we must improve ways to identify women and girls who are affected by FGM. The Vavengers’ ‘One question’ campaign proposes a simple yet effective solution. It aims to have the question “Have you been subjected to FGM/C?” mandated on all healthcare intake forms across the UK. The campaign also calls for free reconstructive surgery and sustained mental health services to FGM/C survivors. This campaign is a necessary step in helping women who have been subjected to FGM get the necessary treatment.
Support offered by Nistawi
Nistawi provides a safe, confidential space for women and girls affected by FGM.
At the heart of our work is the belief that healing begins when women are empowered, supported, and seen. We believe spreading advocacy and awareness is necessary to tackle FGM and work with local healthcare professionals to conduct workshops on women’s health, FGM, and welfare, targeted to communities where FGM is a recognised practice.
Whether you’re a survivor or someone seeking to learn more about FGM, we invite you to be part of our community. We want to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind.
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