Female genital mutilation should never be presented as a choice. It comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
As a survivor, expert in this field and mother to a daughter who is free from this practice, I'm saddened that yet again an article claiming FGM is a choice has been published. Last month, The Economist shared this view: "Instead of trying to stamp FGM out entirely, governments should ban the worst forms, permit those that cause no long-lasting harm and try to persuade parents to choose the least nasty version, or none at all."
I will never understand when abuse becomes a choice, and I wonder whether this dialogue would be taking place on the pages of the mainstream media if it concerned a blonde, blue-eyed girl? I wonder if those having this discussion would 'choose' for their daughters to be mutilated? FGM is abuse - and we should never entertain the idea that abuse could be a choice just because it is wrapped up in a bouquet of cultural practice.
Current statistics published by UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF estimate over 200 million girls and woman globally are living with FGM. This is an increase of 70 million on previously published estimates as it takes in previously uncounted women. The number doesn't surprise or shock many of us who work in this field, but it is a reminder why statistics are so important in giving us a true picture of the issue. Two hundred million girls didn't choose to be cut, they were abused and the world watched in silence - will the world ignore them now?
I became a psychotherapist when I first realised the effects FGM had on my emotional wellbeing. I also run a counselling service - The Dahlia Project - for FGM survivors. When dealing with the effects of FGM, our health services, GPs and hospitals focus on the physical consequences, such as chronic urinary tract infections, painful periods and acute and chronic pelvic infections which can lead to infertility. The emotional and psychological effects are regularly ignored.
I am no stranger to talking about this; one of the hardest aspects of FGM is learning to live with it as part of your life. Sometimes the emotional wounds are harder to heal than the physical. When the documentary The Cruel Cut finally aired, it gave a voice to many survivors who were afraid to speak out. The British public stood with survivors and recognised the importance of this campaign. You spoke out to say that FGM is child abuse and one of the worst forms of violence against women, and many of you asked the government to put an end to it by signing my E petition. The 100,000 signatures helped us gain a debate in the Houses of Parliament and an inquiry was launched. One of its outcomes was that it is now mandatory to report and record FGM, and we have a civil protection order that we can now use if we feel a girl is at risk.
We now have the FGM Zero Tolerance Day on 6 February as a reminder that female genital mutilation is a global issue; it should not, however, be the only day we remember that. Every minute five girls undergo FGM. This year we celebrated FGM zero tolerance day by bringing together FGM professionals, campaigners, survivors, experts and communities from across England, to share knowledge and discuss practical action as we work together to safeguard women and girls. It proved how far we have come in the past three years in term of tackling FGM, and showed we are finally working in a multi-agency and holistic approach.
There is also now a global identity to the movement to end FGM. The Girl Generation - funded by the UK Department for International Development - brings together campaigners from all over the world to push for change more effectively. Presenting FGM as a choice, and advocating for a softer approach in the battle will not do this. I urge you all, instead, to be part of the movement to end FGM.