Research Report: Female Genital Mutilation and Community Workers

This report presents a research proposal examining the preparedness of community development workers to engage with mothers who consider Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) culturally significant. The study begins with an acknowledgement and abstract outlining the research's focus on the prevalence of FGM in the UK, the researcher's personal experience, and the need to understand how equipped community workers are to address this sensitive issue. A literature review explores the psychological impacts of FGM, including trauma and mental health disorders, as well as the infringement of human rights. The methodology proposes a qualitative study using interviews, detailing data collection, analysis, ethical considerations, and potential limitations. The report highlights the significance of the research and its potential implications for community development workers' practice and future research needs. The report includes detailed chapters on introduction, literature review, methodology, data findings and analysis, conclusion, and recommendations. It references existing literature and provides appendices with interview schedules and information on FGM types.

Running head: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Female Genital Mutilation
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Acknowledgement
Thank you to all of those who have helped listened and encouraged me throughout this study. I
am indebted to my supervisor ……………………. whose guidance, advice and patience have
been immeasurable. My sincere thanks to all members of the…………… [Mention your
university/college name], both staff and students, whose continuous support have made this
thesis possible.
I would like to thank all of the participants in the study: students, teachers and Local Education
Authorities, for the time and help given throughout. Without their participation, this research
would not have been possible. In this context, I am also thankful to them, whose research work
helped me to execute this paper well.
Finally, I thank my family, without whom this thesis would not have been started or completed!
Your encouragement and support have never faltered; thank you.

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Abstract
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widely talked about topic today in the United Kingdom.
The government has become extra responsive of Female genital mutilation among some
immigrant communities and a legislation has been implemented as the main tool to be used as
intervention. Due to increased migration of members from ethnic minority groups, the UK has
received families from countries where Female genital mutilation is practiced and considered as
a norm. Around 100,000 or more girls and women in the UK have been victims of Female
genital mutilation, thus, the main reason of choosing my research topic is having experienced
Female genital mutilation in my teenage as part of my cultural tradition and leaving in a
community where most people have been subject to the practice as well as studying my social
work degree. Upon listening to some mothers’ view in regards to Female genital mutilation, I
reflected on this as a community development student and thought of how equipped community
workers were if they are to work with such mothers. This has instigated me carry out a research
proposal in this area. In this research proposal, a literature review will first be carried out on the
existing literature on Female genital mutilation is a vital foundation to develop any research
study. This will be followed by the methodology, where a proposal of carrying out a qualitative
study using interviews will be outlined. An explanation of the data collection method and data
analysis method will be given, any ethical issues when conducting the research will also be
considered and how these issues will be addressed. Finally, a summary of the proposal’s strength
and limitation will be given then a consideration of potential implications for community
development workers practice and the need for future research will also be highlighted.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................5
Theme 1: Psychological impact...................................................................................................5
Theme 2: Infringement of Human Rights....................................................................................6
Chapter 3: Research Methodology..................................................................................................9
3.0 Overview................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Research Outline....................................................................................................................9
3.2 Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................9
3.3 Research Approach..............................................................................................................10
3.4 Research Design..................................................................................................................10
3.5 Research Strategy................................................................................................................10
3.6 Sampling technique and sample size...................................................................................11
3.7 Data Collection Process.......................................................................................................11
3.8 Data analysis technique.......................................................................................................11
3.9 Ethical Consideration...........................................................................................................11
3.10 Accessibility Issues............................................................................................................12
3.11 Summary............................................................................................................................12
Chapter 4: Data Findings and Analysis.........................................................................................13
4.0 Overview..............................................................................................................................13

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4.1 Data Findings and Analysis.................................................................................................13
4.3 Summary..............................................................................................................................18
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation...............................................................................19
Future Scope of Action..............................................................................................................21
Chapter 5: Research Log...............................................................................................................22
References:....................................................................................................................................23
Appendices:...................................................................................................................................27
Appendix 1: Interview Schedule...............................................................................................27
Appendix 2: Four types of female genital mutilation................................................................28

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widely talked about topic today in the United
Kingdom. (Elvin, 2013) stated that, the government has become extra responsive of FGM among
some immigrant communities and a legislation has been implemented as the main tool to be used
as intervention. There are four types of FGM ranging from type1-4 (please refer to appendix 2).
(Berg and Denison, 2012) argue that, there has been a great deal of press and political interest
about the lack of prosecution under the UK legislation.
Due to increased migration of members from ethnic minority groups, the UK has
received families from countries where FGM is practiced and considered as a norm. (Elvin,
2013) argues that, around 100,000 or more girls and women in the UK have been victims of
FGM, thus, the main reason of choosing my research topic is having experienced FGM in my
teenage as part of my cultural tradition and leaving in a community where most people have been
subject to the practice as well as studying my social work degree.
Leaving in a community and interacting with mothers who have undergone FGM has
caused me to encounter many arguments with mothers who still believe that FGM practice is
culturally important, upon all the impacts it has on a woman’s health and wellbeing. I have had
an insight of most mothers’ rational about the practice and their views when interacting with
them. I established that the culture an individual is raised in has a significant impact on an
individual’s thinking thus, imbedding cultural norms that maybe difficult to abandon.
Upon listening to some mothers’ view in regards to FGM, I reflected on this as a
community development student and thought of how equipped community workers were if they
are to work with such mothers. This has instigated me carry out a research proposal in this area.

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In this research proposal, a literature review will first be carried out on the existing
literature on FGM as Robson, (2007) argues that it is a vital foundation to develop any research
study. This will be followed by the methodology, where a proposal of carrying out a qualitative
study using interviews will be outlined. An explanation of the data collection method and data
analysis method will be given, any ethical issues when conducting the research will also be
considered and how these issues will be addressed. Finally, a summary of the proposal’s strength
and limitation will be given then a consideration of potential implications for community
development workers practice and the need for future research will also be highlighted.

7FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Chapter 2: Literature Review
A literature review is done in order to critically examine and summarise the present
information and research about FGM cultural practice and how equipped community
development worker are when working with mothers who believe FGM is culturally important.
This was attained by gathering resources which were significant to this research and each paper
was read deeply and analysed in a systematic manner. Babbie, (2007) argues that collating
resources that are relevant to the research allows critical analysis hence producing particular
themes. To help in the examination of the resources found, the procedure of literature reviewing
as shown by Punch (2014) was used (See Appendix 3) and in the next sections, two themes from
the resources gathered (as shown in appendix 4 the summary for papers selected for the
literature review) were identified and now will be discussed.
Theme 1: Psychological impact
(Costello et al, 2013) states that, Communities where FGM is practiced generally believe
that it is in the best interest of the girl or young woman yet globally, activist argue that this
practices cause severe pain and irreversible harm to girls and women. (Toubia1994) notes that
because of this practice, most women suffer from psychological and psychosomatic disorders
like lack of sleep, mood swings, cognition changes, depression, chronic anxiety, and panic
attacks.
The World Health Organization (2008) reported that there may be an immediate
psychological trauma that is caused after the procedure that stems from the pain, shock and
physical force used when performing FGM. In the long term, this may cause Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and memory loss. (Hussein 2015) stated that, a
study in African communities that practiced FGM in Bristol found that women who had

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undergone the procedure had the same level of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as those who
suffered early childhood abuse. (Dustin and Davis 2007) wrote that, women that have undergone
FGM may also suffer chronic pain syndrome and like any other causes of chronic pain, there can
be an increased risk of depressed mood resulting into reduced social functioning, feelings of
worthlessness, guilt, and suicidal ideation.
Furthermore, (Vloeberghs et al, 2012) wrote that this harmful procedure also causes other
psychological as well as psychical sequalae. In adolescent, girls suffer anxiety when they think
of the pain they will experience during menstruation each month. Women are worried and
terrified of their wedding nights and some are forced into anal sex as virginal sex may be
difficult which can lead to the woman suffering extra trauma from this specific sexual practice.
(Knipscheer, et al 2015) notes that women who have experienced FGM experience emotional
pain during sexual intercourse and this affects the intimacy in the relationship. Intercourses are
painful and difficult and thus, women avoid sex and this leads to martial dissatisfaction.
(Behrendt and Moritz, 2005) wrote that if a woman experienced type 1 and type 2 FGM
as a child, when they get married, the possibility of cutting them again is high as the hole that
was left for urination is too small for sexual intercourse, hence experiencing another
psychological trauma that can lead to depression.
Theme 2: Infringement of Human Rights
(Dustin and Davis, 2007), wrote that FGM is a children’s issue as well as women’s right
issue as this practice invades the rights of individual’s bodily integrity and being safe from harm.
(Dustin and Davis, 2005) further wrote that many countries that have passed laws in regards to
FGM base their laws on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 37a

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of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNICEF) which state that no one
should be subject to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(Pacho ,2015) wrote that FGM is a practice that is acknowledged as harmful which
breaches many basic rights for girls and women and that it is stated in Article 25 of the Universal
declaration of Human Rights that every individual has a right to a standard of living which is
acceptable for their health and well-being. In regards to this article, FGM violates the right of
health and bodily integrity of women and girls. Furthermore, (Pocho 2015) wrote that FGM was
widely recognised as being a harmful practice and in 2003; the African union protocol to the
Africa charter on Human Rights of the Rights of Women condemned this practice as harmful
which negatively affects the human rights of women.
(Hussien, 2010) argues that, this practice violates women’s right and manifests deeply
rooted discriminatory gender inequalities. This practice is seen as the un-talked about
continuation of a patriarchal cultural practice that controls women’s sexual behaviours. (Kalev,
2004) writes that, research carried out from practicing communities’ shows that the underlying
reason for FGM is the suppression and control of female sexuality. The explanation of FGM at
times seems to be grounded in the social desires of ending or reducing sexual feelings or arousal
in women in that they will be less likely to engage in pre-marital sexual relationship or adultery.
So, reducing the woman’s sexual activity hinders the woman’s right to a healthy sexual life yet
they have the absolute right to enjoy their sexual life and it is the society’s duty to this right.
(Pacho, 2015) wrote that the alleged reasons for performing FGM is that for men to have
more sexual pleasures, hence girls and women end up being treated simply as objects and this
undermines their integral human dignity which also conflicts with Kant’s “kingdom of end”
which is people must never be treated for others’ selfish ends. (Otoo et al, 2011) wrote that in

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communities where FGM is practiced, it is often linked to early and forced marriages where girls
from ages 10-15 years that have undergone the procedure are considered as women therefore
mature and ripe for marriage.
(Memon, 2014), states that the ancient practice defines the identity of a woman in
cultures where it is practiced. FGM is carried out for a range of social and cultural reasons. (El-
Defrawi et al 2001) notes that this tradition is a perpetuation criteria for marriageability. Since
women play a key role in socialising children, they except to see their daughters cut in order for
them to gain a marriageability status. Mothers believe that if their daughters do not go through
FGM, they will not find husbands and will not culturally be accepted in their society. (Costello et
al 2015) states that, FGM deeply rooted in cultural values relating to gender, identity,
beautification, and inclusion. It is entwined with family honour, virginity, purity, and child
bearing virtues for girls and women. (Kalev, 2004) Mothers believe that FGM is not malice or
violence as outsiders might assume. Parents decide to subject their daughters to FGM in the
belief that it is in their daughters’ best interest and that the benefits outweigh the risks. Thus, this
does not articulate the best interest of the child in the convention of the Rights of the Child.

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Chapter 3: Research Methodology
3.0 Overview
The main objective of this chapter is to analyze the various steps that enable the
researcher to effectively organize his or her research. The research aims to understand if the
community development workers are equipped to work with the mothers who believe that the
factor of female genital mutilation is culturally important. In this respect, the research uses the
research philosophy of positivism, design, strategy, sampling size, data collection and data
analysis techniques.
3.1 Research Outline
For the effective execution of the research, the positivist philosophy is used. In this
regard, the deductive approach will be used which tries to analyze the data which has been
gathered. In accordance with the research study, several community development workers have
been interviewed who were chosen with the help of random probability sampling. The primary
data gathered from such interviews and from the literature review has been analyzed in a
qualitative manner.
3.2 Research Philosophy
The research will employ the research philosophy of positivism. In the words of
Silverman (2016), the positivism research philosophy includes the description and observation
for the event under research investigation from the point of view of the research aim and research
objective. This philosophy also aids the researcher to undertake and facilitate the utilization of
statistical analysis. This will help the researcher to understand if the community development