Table 1 Description of the participants and motives for discontinuation of FGM/C for their daughters
From: The mothering experience of women with FGM/C raising ‘uncut’ daughters, in Ivory Coast and in Canada
Name | Country of residence | Age at FGM/C | Country of origin | Religion | Number of daughters | Reported motive(s) for not having daughters undergo FGM/C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aicha | Canada | 5–6 years old | Somalia | Muslim | 1 | 1- Not mentioned in the Quran. Not mandated by Islam. |
Bilal | Canada | 80 days | Ethiopia | Christian | 1 | 1-Does not want her daughter to suffer the consequences of FGM/C that she is enduring: a) intimacy is unsatisfactory, b) feeling of not being whole as a woman. |
Hanan | Canada | 7–9 years old | Djibouti | Muslim | 3 | 1- Does not want daughters to suffer the consequences of the practice (participant had a severe haemorrhage requiring urgent hospitalization). |
Fatou | Canada | 6–7 years old | Guinea | Muslim | 2 | 1- Suffered too much from the procedure and refuses to have her daughters undergo FGM/C. |
Fatma | Canada | 7 years old | Egypt | Muslim | 3 | 1- Husband does not want daughters to undergo FGM/C. |
2- Paediatrician advised her not to have FGM/C performed. | ||||||
3- Friends from the diasporic Egyptian community are against FGM/C and did not do it for their daughters. | ||||||
Binta | Canada | 6 years old | Guinea | Muslim | 1 | 1- Suffered deeply from the practice and refuses to have her daughter experience the pain of FGM/C. |
Mariam | Canada | 2 months old | Mali | Muslim | 1 | 1- Pediatrician advised her not to have daughter undergo FGM/C. |
2- Afraid that her daughter will be taken away by Youth Protection if her daughter has FGM/C. | ||||||
Helen | Ivory Coast | 18 years old | Ivory Coast | Christian | 2 | 1- Suffered physically from the procedure (fainted) and is concerned about the sexual consequences of FGM/C. Does not want her daughters to undergo the ritual. |
Amina | Ivory Coast | 10 years old | I Ivory Coast | Muslim | 3 | 1- Does not want her daughters and grandchild to suffer as she did. Perceives FGM/C as an antiquated practice. |
Alice | Ivory Coast | 10 years old | Ivory Coast | Christian | 1 | 1- Does not want her daughter to suffer as she did and currently does (recurrent infections and haunted by the memory of the event). |
2- Finds that FGM/C makes delivery more painful. | ||||||
3- Believes men nowadays prefer to be with “uncut” women, and so it would be detrimental to daughter to have her undergo FGM/C. | ||||||
Martine | Ivory Coast | 14 years old | Ivory Coast | Christian | 1 | 1- Suffered from the procedure (fainted) and does not want daughter to suffer as well. |
2- Believes men nowadays prefer to be with “uncut” women, and so it would be detrimental to daughter to have her undergo FGM/C. | ||||||
Awa | Ivory Coast | 16 years old | Ivory Coast | Muslim | 3 | 1- Her husband left her due to the consequences of FGM/C (sexuality was an issue). She does not want her daughter to have conjugal difficulties. |
Samira | Ivory Coast | 5 years old | Burkina Faso | Christian | 2 | 1- Believes FGM/C to be a harmful practice. |
Amina | Ivory Coast | 4 years old | Ivory Coast | Muslim | 1 | 1- Suffered from the practice and almost passed away (from haemorrhage). Believes the practice is harmful and highly dangerous. Does not want daughter to undergo the same experience. |
Rokhaya | Ivory Coast | 5–6 years old | Ivory Coast | Christian | 2 | 1- Suffered from the practice and knows of a child who passed away after undergoing FGM/C. Did not want to subject her daughters to the ritual. |