“The Law against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Can Scare People from Performing FGM, but It Doesn't Change Their Attitudes”: Findings of a Qualitative Study in Leeds, United Kingdom

The Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Act was passed in 2003 to prevent FGM in the United Kingdom. Initiatives, including “Tackling FGM,” and programs managed by other NGOs followed in its wake. Nonetheless, between 2016 and 2017, the National Health Service reported about 112 new cases, and in February 2019, a woman in the UK was prosecuted for excising her 3-year-old daughter. Our research identified reasons behind the persistence of genital cutting despite awareness campaigns, existing laws, and widespread domestic initiatives to prevent these procedures. For this purpose, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 women, aged 20 to 49 years, from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, resident in Leeds. Only respondents with tertiary education understood the acronym FGM as interchangeable with female circumcision. Participants were unaware of ongoing FGM practices in Leeds but believed that the law had not changed general attitudes. They urged proactive community engagement to improve understanding of FGM and to influence standpoints and behavior. Participants also called for sensitive design of context-specific interventions.