Savera UK provides support for professionals dealing with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Honour Based Abuse and Harmful practices, more information can be found on their wesite.
What is FGM?
Female Genital Mutilation (or cutting) comprises of all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons (World Health Organisation WHO, 2013).
FGM has no health benefits and harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural function of girls’ and women’s bodies. The harmful practice causes severe pain and has several immediate and long-term health consequences, including difficulties in childbirth also causing dangers to the unborn (Savera UK, 2024).
As well as being known as Female genital mutilation or FGM the practice is also known under the following pseudonyms
- Female genital cutting
- “The cut”
- Female circumcision
- Initiation
- Sunna (type 1, type 4)
- Khifad
- Khitan
- Khatana
- Bondo
- Pharaonic (type 3)
- As there are a lot of terms – Please refer to National FGM Centre for more information
HM Government - Multi agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation
Normal female genital anatomy
The 4 different types of FGM
Type 1 Clitoridectomy: Involves removing the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris with or without excision of part or all of the clitoris, a small sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals.