Female adolescents and the future of female genital mutilation/cutting: a report from an endemic area.

Grace G Ezeoke,Munirdeen A Ijaiya,Adegboyega A Fawole,Kikelomo T Adesina,Abiodun S Adeniran,Adebunmi O Olarinoye

doi:10.4314/ahs.v21i4.38

Grace G Ezeoke, Munirdeen A Ijaiya + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v21i4.38

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Abstract

Despite collaborative efforts aimed at its eradication, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) continues in endemic areas. To evaluate the experience and preparedness of female adolescents to protect their future daughters from FGM/C. A cross-sectional survey involving adolescent secondary school girls in North Central Nigeria. Participants were secondary school students who completed the study's self-administered questionnaire after informed parental or participant's consent. Data management was with SPSS 20.0 (IBM, USA), P-value <0.05 was significant. There were 2000 participants aged 13-19 years (mean 15.56±1.75), prevalence of FGM/C was 35.0%, awareness was 86.1%, mutilation was performed between infancy and eight years of age (mean 3.85±3.24 years), 644(32.2%) desire to mutilatetheir future daughters, 722(36.1%) expressed support for FGM/C and 63.1% of victims of FM/C reported adverse post-mutilation experiences. Support for FGM/C was associated with low social class (P0.0010), opinion that FGM/C has benefit (P0.001) and desire to mutilate future daughters (P0.001) while awareness of efforts to eradicate FMG/C was 813(40.7%). FGM/C remains prevalent with potential support for its continuation among female adolescents despite reported adverse post-mutilation experiences. The multi-pronged approach to eradicate FGM/C should prioritize re-orientation for adolescent girls, rehabilitation of mutilated girls and girl child formal education.

Highlights

Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C) is the removal of part or whole of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons.[1,2] It is an act of violence perhaps unintended against females with cultural and social coloration making it a mark of social integration in some communities.[1]
The prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) among adolescent girls in the study was 35.0%; participants were mutilated at infancy to early childhood and about half could still recollect the trauma associated with the mutilation
Determinants of support for eradication of FGM/C were awareness of efforts aimed at its eradication and participants who had seen a victim of FGM/C previously while those who presumed that FGM/C has some benefits or expressed desire to circumcise future daughters supported its continuation

Summary

Introduction

Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C) is the removal of part or whole of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons.[1,2] It is an act of violence perhaps unintended against females with cultural and social coloration making it a mark of social integration in some communities.[1]. Health Sciences License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Despite collaborative efforts aimed at its eradication, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) continues in endemic areas. Results: There were 2000 participants aged 13-19 years (mean 15.56±1.75), prevalence of FGM/C was 35.0%, awareness was 86.1%, mutilation was performed between infancy and eight years of age (mean 3.85±3.24 years), 644(32.2%) desire to mutilatetheir future daughters, 722(36.1%) expressed support for FGM/C and 63.1% of victims of FM/C reported adverse post-mutilation experiences. Conclusion: FGM/C remains prevalent with potential support for its continuation among female adolescents despite reported adverse post-mutilation experiences.

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