Undoing female genital cutting: perceptions and experiences of infibulation, defibulation and virginity among Somali and Sudanese migrants in Norway

Abstract

This paper explores the dynamics of change in meaning-making about female genital cutting among migrants from Somalia and Sudan residing in Norway. In both countries, female genital cutting is almost universal, and most women are subjected to the most extensive form -infibulation -which entails the physical closure of the vulva. This closure must later be re-opened, or defibulated, to enable sexual intercourse and childbirth. Defibulation can also ease other negative health consequences of the practice. In Norway, surgical defibulation is provided on demand by the public health services, also beyond the traditional contexts of marriage and childbirth. This study explores experiences and perceptions of premarital defibulation. It explores whether Somali and Sudanese men and women understand defibulation as a purely medical issue or whether their use of the services is also affected by the cultural meaning of infibulation. This study analyses data from in-depth interviews with 36 women and men of Somali and Sudanese origin as well as participant observation conducted in various settings during 2014-2015. It reports that although all of the informants displayed negative attitudes towards infibulation, cultural meanings associated with virginity and virtue constitute a significant barrier to the uptake of premarital defibulation.

Blurred transitions of female genital cutting in a Norwegian Somali community

“…The association between infibulation and virginity has traditionally been closely related to perceptions of women's marriageability [25]. This was no longer perceived to be the case among men raised in the diaspora.…”

“…The limited change in the physical extent of FGC produced following the claimed change from infibulation to sunna is most likely due to the close link between the physical extent and the cultural meaning of infibulation. The traditional perception of the infibulation scar as the creation and safeguarding of virginity and virtue would suggest that performing a sunna with no or limited physical closure would fail to fulfil these values [21].…”

“…The discourse of abandonment in the form of change from infibulation to sunna has also been identified in the diaspora [9,[22][23][24][25][26][27]. In its less extensive form, such as pricking or nicking, such change has been welcomed and encouraged by some researchers and professional organizations as a form of harm reduction or a step toward abandonment [22].…”

“…In its less extensive form, such as pricking or nicking, such change has been welcomed and encouraged by some researchers and professional organizations as a form of harm reduction or a step toward abandonment [22]. However, as the understanding of sunna seems to be as blurred among Somalis in the diaspora as in their country of origin, acceptance of sunna could cover a wide variety of procedures and thus contributes to the continuation of several forms of FGC [9,[22][23][24][25]28]. The terminology may constitute another challenge to abandonment.…”

“…Despite such abandonment and low support for FGC, studies have also documented a sense of continuity in the underlying cultural values among Somalis in the diaspora [45,46]. A study including Somalis in Norway found a prevailing strong association between infibulation and its underlying cultural values relating to virginity and virtue [21]. These were the main reasons why premarital defibulation was perceived as socioculturally unacceptable, despite the fact that the procedure could ease many negative health consequences of infibulation and the negative attitude toward infibulation.…”