Trigger warning: this article discusses a brutal and violent act against women.
Last month, on the 6th of February to be exact, was the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM – or “female genital mutilation”. The term refers to all procedures that involve the injury, partial removal, or total removal of the female genital organs. Reasons include tradition, culture, customs, religion, hygiene, purification, aesthetics, maintaining family honor, providing a sense of belonging to a group, protecting virginity, increasing marriage opportunities, increasing sexual pleasure for a husband, enhancing fertility, or other non-therapeutic motives. Female genital mutilation remains an issue – not so much but still present in the Middle East, comprising many Sudanese and Egyptian victims. This is exemplified through the more than 40 million Egyptian women who have been exposed to its long-term physical and emotional trauma.
Mental Health and FGM
With regards to mental health, the scarce research on the subject proves that possible consequences of female genital mutilation are depression, cognitive dissonance, memory dysfunction, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many women suffer from recurrent re-experiences of the procedure in the form of bad memories, nightmares, and flashbacks. They may also describe feeling intense fear, stress, helplessness, worthlessness, horror, guilt, and pain. Moreover, there is a heightened risk of suicidal thoughts and emotional distance, along with reduced social functioning.
Another problem comes up when many women underreport such symptoms due to various reasons. They may believe that unrelated factors other than the procedure are responsible for the symptoms. Taboos within their societies may also make them feel ashamed and embarrassed to share such issues and, because of the stigma, to even speak about mental illness to begin with. Also, they could feel reluctant to report their symptoms because of their belief that thinking or talking about their experience may cause the pain they suffered at that time to reappear.
Healing
What is important to note is that there is hope for survivors of female genital mutilation. The initial difficulty of looking past the societal taboo surrounding it and moving past the potential hesitation in seeking psychological help is recognized. However, psychological, psychosexual, and social needs can still be met through the accepting environment that therapy provides. Therapy can equip women with the several mechanisms that aid in coming to terms with their experiences, coping with daily life, finding pleasure, and promoting social integration to prevent social isolation. Furthermore, addressing the psychological impact of female genital mutilation can accelerate the process of eliminating it.