Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and relationships with caregivers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of female genital cutting on parent-daughter relationships in British families
IRAS ID
177450
Contact name
Nimmi Parikh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
FGC is often said to lead to psychological problems. One of these problems is trust within the parent-child relationship (Lockhat, 2004). However, in countries where FGC is culturally normal, the psychosocial impact of FGC is believed to be insignificant (Black & Debelle, 1995). In some communities, girls who have undergone FGC have actually reported feeling closer to members of their community, presumably via cultural identification and a sense of belonging.
Women living in the UK who have experienced FGC abroad may represent a unique group who have been exposed to two oppositional sets of ideas about FGC. These women may struggle to make sense of what has happened to their body and how they identify culturally.
This study is the first attempt to explore in depth how British women may position themselves along the multiple realities of FGC. In particular, we wish to learn how they conceptualise the effects their relationships with the caregivers/elders responsible for procuring their FGC and whether these effects may influence their cultural identity and psychological wellbeing.
Our research questions are:
1) What do British women say about any social or psychological difficulties that they may have experienced as a result of having undergone FGC?
2) How do relationships with caregivers and cultural identities of women who have experienced FGC impact upon any social or psychological difficulties?
3) What kind of psychological support have women who have experienced FGC accessed or would consider useful?English-speaking women who have undergone FGC at UCLH will be invited to share their experiences through a semi-structured interview with a highly skilled interviewer. The meeting will last approximately 45 minutes either in clinic or at a different location of the woman's choosing. There will be a chance to debrief afterwards and access the support of the psychological team at UCLH.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0413
Date of REC Opinion
8 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion