Reporting female genital mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) can lead to “a plethora of lifelong and complex difficulties”(1), warns Jennifer Bourne, a sexual violence independent consultant. As well as difficulty passing urine, sexual and reproduction complications, tears in the perineum, lower back and lower abdominal pain, she states that “the psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and anger, are also vast”.

Nurses have an important role in eradicating FGM, but some may be afraid to report it for fear of being seen as culturally insensitive. Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery lecturer Niall McCrae insists: “Nurses need to know that there is a law in place against FGM, that it is a child protection issue, and that this takes priority over cultural rituals.”

Since April 2014, it has been mandatory for healthcare workers in acute hospitals to record information on a national database about women who have undergone genital mutilation. The information is shared with other healthcare services, social services and the police. A government multi-agency practice guidelines on FGM issued in 2011 seeks to provide advice to health professionals who are a key to providing support to victims and intervening to detect and report FGM. For FGM specialist midwife Comfort Momoh, “it is important to work with the victims to raise legal issues. From my experience, half of the pregnant women do not have any knowledge of the legal issues.”