This paper reviews the
current knowledge on cultural change after migration in the practice of female
circumcision, also named genital cutting or mutilation. Explorative studies
show trends of radical change of this practice, especially the most extensive
form of its kind (type III or the 'Pharaonic' type). The widespread
interpretation that Islam would require circumcision of girls is questioned
when, for example, Somalis meet other Muslim migrants, such as Arab Muslims,
who do not circumcise their daughters.
The few criminal court cases for
circumcision of girls that have taken place in Western countries corroborate
the conclusion that substantial change in the practice has occurred among
migrants. In this literature review, an absence of reports is identified from
healthcare providers who have witnessed circumcision after migration.
Concurrently, a substantial knowledge exists on how to take care of already
circumcised women and girls, and there is a system of recommendations in place
regarding best practices for prevention. There is a great potential for healthcare
providers to encourage this development towards general abandonment of
circumcision of girls. The challenge for the future is how to incorporate
culturally sensitive efforts of prevention on the one hand, and the examination
of suspicious cases of illegal circumcision on the other.
We recommend using -
in a cautious way - the existing routines for identifying child abuse in
general. Experiences from African contexts show that failure to generate
significant change of the harmful practices/tradition may be due to the lack of
multidisciplinary collaboration in different sectors of the society.
In Western
societies, the tendency toward abandonment of the practice could be reinforced
by professionals who work toward better inclusion of men and women originally
from countries where circumcision is practised.
Full article at:
By:
- 1Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, 205 06 Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: sara.johnsdotter@mah.se.
- 2Department of Women's and Children's Health/IMCH, Uppsala University, University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
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