Month: November 2017

When you shop during the year at Amazon, please select Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation as your charity of choice. When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Global Woman Peace Foundation. Bookmark the link below and support us every time you shop.

In your charitable contributions and donations in 2017, please consider Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation by either through the DONATE BUTTON or by sending a check to Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, 14001A Grumble Jones Court, Centreville, Virginia 20121.  Your generous donations are tax deductible.  Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Save-these-Dates

• The education toolkit – Now Available and downloadable at https://www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org/prevention-school-resource-fgm-toolkit/
• Giving Tuesday – November 28^th
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Year-End Board Meeting – December 2^nd
• Holiday Special Edition – December 19^th
• Year-in-Review Edition – December 26^th

We will update this calendar as the year progresses.  Please mark your calendars, as we work together for a prosperous 2017.

This section is for special announcements.  If you have an announcement you would like to run in this section, please follow these guidelines.

The guidelines to submit an announcement are to appear in this newsletter:

• The length of announcement must be no more than a paragraph of 6 lines.
• Your announcement is free of any charges.
• Your announcement should be something that pertains to women, girls or students, such as events, walk-a-thons, conferences, etc.
• If there is an accompanying image, it must be no less than 72 dpi, preferably in jpeg.
• Your announcement must be received no later than the Thursday 5:00pm prior to the following Tuesday publication.
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation reserves the right to deny a submission if it is not within our guidelines.

Do you enjoy playing with words?  This is a fun way to see how well you can unscramble the following words.  We will reveal the unscrambled words in next week’s edition of the newsletter.  If you enjoyed this, write and give us your feedback to info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

Can you unscramble the following five words?

This Week’s Scrambled Words

GNIVIG

DAYTUES

KCALB

DAYFRI

NOZAMA

 

Last Week’s Scrambled Words                                  Last Week’s Unscrambled Words

KSNAHTIGIVNG                                                                   THANKSGIVING

PAWMAPANOG                                                                     WAMPANOAG

GRIMSLIP                                                                               PILGRIMS

KEYTUR                                                                                  TURKEY

ROSITYENEG                                                                        GENEROSITY

We give you five scrambled words each week.  We hope you enjoy playing.

Here are some of the ways you can help and support our programs in 2017:

• Donations (including in-kind donations) globalwomanpeacefoundation.org
• Partnering (collaborating in one of our programs and/or events)
• Joining our Internship or Student-Ambassadorship Program
• Volunteering
• Donate through employer payroll deduction (through Your Cause, United Way or the government employee giving program)

Important Contacts in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area to Keep Handy

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation               703-818-3787

National Child Abuse Hotline                              800-422-4453

Fairfax County Office for Women                       703-324-5730

Virginia Crime Victim Assistance                        888-887-3418

Montgomery County Abused Persons Program   240-777-4673 (24 hours)

Prince Georges County Sexual Assault                301-618-3154

Prince Georges County Child Advocacy Center  301-909-2089

Baltimore City Child Abuse Center                     410-396-6147

Frederick County Child Advocacy Center           301-600-1758

Howard County Listening Place                           410-313-2630

Washington County Child Advocacy Center       240-420-4308

District of Columbia Metropolitan Police           202-727-9099

Alexandria Victim/Witness Program                    703-746-4100

Arlington County Victim/Witness Program         703-228-7273

Loudon County Victim Witness Program             703-777-0417

Prince William County Victim/Witness               703-392-7083

Attention: The U.S. government opposes FGM/C, no matter the type, degree, or severity, and no matter what the motivation for performing it. The U.S. government considers FGM/C to be a serious human rights abuse, gender-based violence, and, when done to children, a form of child abuse. It is against the law to perform FGM/C in the United States on a girl under the age of 18 or to send or attempt to send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed. People who violate this law can face prison time and significant immigration consequences. Additionally, anyone who performs FGM/C on a woman 18 years old or older without her consent may be charged with a crime under other laws.  If someone performed FGM/C on you, you have not violated any U.S. laws and are not at fault, call 1-800-994-9662.

When you shop during the year at Amazon, please select Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation as your charity of choice. When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Global Woman Peace Foundation. Bookmark the link below and support us every time you shop.

In your charitable contributions and donations in 2017, please consider Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation by either through the DONATE BUTTON below or by sending a check to Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, 14001A Grumble Jones Court, Centreville, Virginia 20121.  Your generous donations are tax deductible.  Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Save-these-Dates

• The education toolkit – Now Available and downloadable at https://www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org/prevention-school-resource-fgm-toolkit/
• S. Thanksgiving Day – November 23^rd
• Giving Tuesday – November 28^th
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Year-End Board Meeting – December 2^nd
• Holiday Special Edition – December 19^th
• Year-in-Review Edition – December 26^th

We will update this calendar as the year progresses.  Please mark your calendars, as we work together for a prosperous 2017.

This section is for special announcements.  If you have an announcement you would like to run in this section, please follow these guidelines.

The guidelines to submit an announcement are to appear in this newsletter:

• The length of announcement must be no more than a paragraph of 6 lines.
• Your announcement is free of any charges.
• Your announcement should be something that pertains to women, girls or students, such as events, walk-a-thons, conferences, etc.
• If there is an accompanying image, it must be no less than 72 dpi, preferably in jpeg.
• Your announcement must be received no later than the Thursday 5:00pm prior to the following Tuesday publication.
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation reserves the right to deny a submission if it is not within our guidelines.

Do you enjoy playing with words?  This is a fun way to see how well you can unscramble the following words.  We will reveal the unscrambled words in next week’s edition of the newsletter.  If you enjoyed this, write and give us your feedback to info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

Can you unscramble the following five words?

This Week’s Scrambled Words

KSNAHTIGIVNG

PAWMAPANOG

GRIMSLIP

KEYTUR

ROSITYENEG

 

Last Week’s Scrambled Words                                  Last Week’s Unscrambled Words

AVENEG                                                                                  GENEVA

SIRAP                                                                                       PARIS

TUTITSNI                                                                                INSTITUT

AIBAL                                                                                       LABIA

YREGRUS                                                                                SURGERY

We give you five scrambled words each week.  We hope you enjoy playing.

Here are some of the ways you can help and support our programs in 2017:

• Donations (including in-kind donations) globalwomanpeacefoundation.org
• Partnering (collaborating in one of our programs and/or events)
• Joining our Internship or Student-Ambassadorship Program
• Volunteering
• Donate through employer payroll deduction (through Your Cause, United Way or the government employee giving program)

Important Contacts in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area to Keep Handy

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation               703-818-3787

National Child Abuse Hotline                              800-422-4453

Fairfax County Office for Women                       703-324-5730

Virginia Crime Victim Assistance                        888-887-3418

Montgomery County Abused Persons Program   240-777-4673 (24 hours)

Prince Georges County Sexual Assault                301-618-3154

Prince Georges County Child Advocacy Center  301-909-2089

Baltimore City Child Abuse Center                     410-396-6147

Frederick County Child Advocacy Center           301-600-1758

Howard County Listening Place                           410-313-2630

Washington County Child Advocacy Center       240-420-4308

District of Columbia Metropolitan Police            202-727-9099

Alexandria Victim/Witness Program                    703-746-4100

Arlington County Victim/Witness Program         703-228-7273

Loudon County Victim Witness Program             703-777-0417

Prince William County Victim/Witness               703-392-7083

Attention: The U.S. government opposes FGM/C, no matter the type, degree, or severity, and no matter what the motivation for performing it. The U.S. government considers FGM/C to be a serious human rights abuse, gender-based violence, and, when done to children, a form of child abuse. It is against the law to perform FGM/C in the United States on a girl under the age of 18 or to send or attempt to send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed. People who violate this law can face prison time and significant immigration consequences. Additionally, anyone who performs FGM/C on a woman 18 years old or older without her consent may be charged with a crime under other laws.  If someone performed FGM/C on you, you have not violated any U.S. laws and are not at fault, call 1-800-994-9662.

By: A.M. Peabody

 

Last Tuesday I traveled to Paris to visit the Institut en Sante Genesique (the Institute for Sexual and Genital Health).  I was invited by Dr. Pierre Foldes and Ms. Frederique Martz to visit their Institut to get an idea of the approach they use in treating women that have experienced female genital mutilation (FGM).  I was accompanied by Elisabeth Wilson, (2016 Global Woman Awardee) of the Swiss based organization, Global Alliance against FGM.  Elisabeth and I boarded an early morning train from Geneva to Paris to visit the Institut.  Upon arrival in Paris, we took the Metro to the last stop of that particular line to the Saint Germain area of Paris.  I was fortunate to have Elisabeth with me, who is fluent in French.

 

We were warmly welcomed by a member of the staff at the Institut, who ushered us to the waiting room.  The waiting room was well furnished and decorated with comfortable sofas and chairs.  While we waited for Frederique to come and take us to her office, a young lady joined us in the waiting room.  She was a patient.  She seemed comfortable and familiar with her surroundings.  I figured she was a regular patient to the Institut.

 

Frederique came to the waiting room and escorted us to her office.  I readily chose one of the wooden African chairs in her office.  She smiled and asked, “Do you like the African chair?”  I told her how comfortable those chairs are.  Shortly after we were seated, another lady joined us in the office.  Frederique introduced her us and offered her a seat.  I was asked to tell the lady about the women whom we service that have undergone FGM.  She wanted to know their origins, backgrounds, etc.  That lady happened to be a donor and volunteer to the Institut.  We chatted with her, while she expressed her interest in the women and the work that is done to help restore their lives to normalcy.

 

Just before the meeting began, another lady joined us in the office.  She is the Head Psychologist at the Institut.  Originally from Egypt, she explained that she was brought in because many of the patients speak and understand Arabic, and do not speak or understand French.  She too was interested in the work we do in the U.S. with the survivors of FGM.  I explained our approach and the services we offer.

 

Although I had witnessed Dr. Foldes’ and Frederique’s presentation on Thursday, October 19^th in Washington, D.C., visiting their Institut was an experience which I will never forget.  Frederique explained the importance of their holistic healing. She told us that the surgery is only a fraction of their holistic service.  The following is what the Institut says about their work and healing process:

 

“To receive appropriate assistance, a survivor seeking help must find acknowledgement and understanding of her trauma’s complexity from the professionals, clinicians and surgeons she consults. They in turn can assuage genital and sexual pain, taking her environment into account, which includes her work, society, family, and children.”

 

The statement from the Institut continued, “Given the heterogeneity of our clientele, the most important skill is listening. We hear what she has to say and respect her will. She is our guide.  Enabling her to formulate her own needs and to express personal desires is our foremost aim, and achieving this articulation is required for success. Within our protective walls, confidentiality and security are guaranteed.”

 

According to the Institut, excision constitutes a criminal pathology of human origin whose compelling consequences affect the total personality.

 

• Physical: Excision is a mutilation that impacts, at the very least, all gynecological and obstetric functions

 

• Psychological: Excision produces trauma that resonates intellectually, physically and socially.

 

The Institut takes a precision approach to the healing of their patients.  “If you are only going to do the surgery, then do not bother to do it at all,” said Dr. Pierre Foldes, the Urologist who developed the surgery to physically repair women that have undergone FGM.

 

The Institut requires a patient to meet with them for an initial physical examination, followed by three weeks of consultation.  The consultation includes meeting with one of their psychologists, therapist and gynecologist.  After consultations with all such staff members, only then will the decision to undergo surgery is made; and that decision is made by the patient and not the staff.  If the patient decides to undergo FGM repair surgery, she is still required to have another three weeks of post-surgery consultations.  During the post-surgery consultations, the patient receives guidance in walking properly, psychological healing and close observation.  Therefore the total time a patient must be prepared to spend at the Institut is six weeks, if she decides to undergo surgery.

 

Co-founding the endowment fund for the Institut en Sante Gensique in 2013 with Ms. Frederique Martz, Dr. Pierre Foldes is a Surgeon Urologist.  He has been a member of “Médecins du Monde” since 1978.  He developed and promoted the surgical technique to restore the damage done during the ritual excision of female genital mutilation.  Dr. Foldes has conducted research on the anatomy and physiology of the human clitoris since 1991.  He has headed special surgical missions in Africa and Asia.  His first publication on the surgical technique was in 2003, and he has since released 6 additional publications to date.  He has administered 5,500 surgical cases of FGM and provided 15,000 consultations since 2004.  In 2006, Dr. Foldes became a member of the scientific committee of Equilbre et Populations and a Forensic Expert.

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation realized that Dr. Foldes and Ms. Martz work collectively and the work of one is not recognized without the work of the other.  Therefore this past October both Foldes and Martz were awarded the Global Woman Award in the Medical Category for 2017.  Frédérique Martz coordinated the actions of an organization of liberal female doctors for a decade. For twenty years she held a leading position in a press group and a professional publishing house.  Frédérique Martz now assures the direction of the Institut en Santé Génésique, with a multidisciplinary team of 21 professionals (infirmaries, doctors, jurists, lawyers, psychologists). She is the inventor and organizer of the colloquium “Au Cœur des Violences: quand les femmes prennent la parole” (At the Heart of Violence: When Women Start Talking) on November 13, 2015.  She was also elected Ashoka Fellow in 2015.

 

The Institut states, “In France we have won recognition from social security and the national health care systems. These institutions recognize female sexual mutilation as a condition that merits coverage by social security for surgical repair.  Many solutions exist, and all of them must be accessible to all women and sustainable through follow-up consultations over a period of time.”  According to them, all proposed approaches start with respect for the woman’s words and her choices, and they expect every professional on their staff to keep this in mind. This includes strict adherence to confidentiality vis-à-vis the patient’s family and friends.  “Treating female genital and sexual mutilation can only be effective in the long term.  Sustained follow-up is essential to success.”  The explanation of their holistic approach continued, “Surgery can involve not only repair of the clitoris but also restoration of the labia minora, the posterior perineum and whatever scars may exist.  When restoration is chosen, the staff must remain available to talk to patients whenever necessary, for counseling and reassurance, during the first few weeks after the operation. When a patient may return to work, continue usual physical activities and resume intimate relations will be adapted to the speed of individual recovery.”

At the end of our meeting with Frederique and the staff, Dr. Foldes appeared in scrubs.  He had just come from performing surgery at the hospital across the street.  He proceeded to give us a tour of the Institut himself.  They have several rooms for consultations, offices, a conference room where they meet with patients in a roundtable setting, a reception room and a waiting room.  Elisabeth and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and everything about our visit.  After posing with the staff for a few photos, it was time for us to leave for the train station.  We later took a three-hour train ride back to Geneva.

 

I was inspired to return to the U.S. and share what I witnessed and learned on the holistic approach from the Institut en Sante Genesique with our folks here at Global Woman P.E.A.C.E.

 

Send all comments and questions about the preceding article to info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or call (703) 818-3787.

When you shop during the year at Amazon, please select Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation as your charity of choice. When you #StartWithaSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Global Woman Peace Foundation. Bookmark the link below and support us every time you shop.

In your charitable contributions and donations in 2017, please consider Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation by either through the DONATE BUTTON below or by sending a check to Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, 14001A Grumble Jones Court, Centreville, Virginia 20121.  Your generous donations are tax deductible.  Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Save-these-Dates

• The education toolkit – Now Available and downloadable at https://www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org/prevention-school-resource-fgm-toolkit/
• Giving Tuesday – November 28^th
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Year-End Board Meeting – December 2^nd
• Holiday Special Edition – December 19^th
• Year-in-Review Edition – December 26^th

We will update this calendar as the year progresses.  Please mark your calendars, as we work together for a prosperous 2017.

This section is for special announcements.  If you have an announcement you would like to run in this section, please follow these guidelines.

The guidelines to submit an announcement are to appear in this newsletter:

• The length of announcement must be no more than a paragraph of 6 lines.
• Your announcement is free of any charges.
• Your announcement should be something that pertains to women, girls or students, such as events, walk-a-thons, conferences, etc.
• If there is an accompanying image, it must be no less than 72 dpi, preferably in jpeg.
• Your announcement must be received no later than the Thursday 5:00pm prior to the following Tuesday publication.
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation reserves the right to deny a submission if it is not within our guidelines.

Do you enjoy playing with words?  This is a fun way to see how well you can unscramble the following words.  We will reveal the unscrambled words in next week’s edition of the newsletter.  If you enjoyed this, write and give us your feedback to info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

Can you unscramble the following five words?

This Week’s Scrambled Words

AVENEG

SIRAP

TUTITSNI

AIBAL

YREGRUS

 

Last Week’s Scrambled Words                                  Last Week’s Unscrambled Words

EGARRUB                                                                               BURRAGE

ECITSUJ                                                                                  JUSTICE

NOITACIDARE                                                                      ERADICATION

GNITANIMON                                                                       NOMINATING

EETTIMMOC                                                                         COMMITTEE

We give you five scrambled words each week.  We hope you enjoy playing.

Here are some of the ways you can help and support our programs in 2017:

• Donations (including in-kind donations) globalwomanpeacefoundation.org
• Partnering (collaborating in one of our programs and/or events)
• Joining our Internship or Student-Ambassadorship Program
• Volunteering
• Donate through employer payroll deduction (through Your Cause, United Way or the government employee giving program)

Important Contacts in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area to Keep Handy

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation               703-818-3787

National Child Abuse Hotline                              800-422-4453

Fairfax County Office for Women                       703-324-5730

Virginia Crime Victim Assistance                        888-887-3418

Montgomery County Abused Persons Program   240-777-4673 (24 hours)

Prince Georges County Sexual Assault                301-618-3154

Prince Georges County Child Advocacy Center  301-909-2089

Baltimore City Child Abuse Center                     410-396-6147

Frederick County Child Advocacy Center           301-600-1758

Howard County Listening Place                           410-313-2630

Washington County Child Advocacy Center       240-420-4308

District of Columbia Metropolitan Police            202-727-9099

Alexandria Victim/Witness Program                    703-746-4100

Arlington County Victim/Witness Program        703-228-7273

Loudon County Victim Witness Program            703-777-0417

Prince William County Victim/Witness               703-392-7083

Attention: The U.S. government opposes FGM/C, no matter the type, degree, or severity, and no matter what the motivation for performing it. The U.S. government considers FGM/C to be a serious human rights abuse, gender-based violence, and, when done to children, a form of child abuse. It is against the law to perform FGM/C in the United States on a girl under the age of 18 or to send or attempt to send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed. People who violate this law can face prison time and significant immigration consequences. Additionally, anyone who performs FGM/C on a woman 18 years old or older without her consent may be charged with a crime under other laws.  If someone performed FGM/C on you, you have not violated any U.S. laws and are not at fault, call 1-800-994-9662.

By Hilary Burrage

What an experience this visit to Washington DC turned out to be! Angela Peabody, the Founder-Director of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, made us all so warmly welcome as we met again friends and colleagues from different parts of the world, and discussed various issues with some of the leading medical and legal female genital mutilation (FGM) experts in the USA. And we saw the 2017 GWPF nominees receive their awards for outstanding service to end that cruel and harmful traditional practice.

My (post-event) thoughts on what we discussed follow, with a focus on

*Medical ‘vs’ legal understandings
*Male ‘vs’ female circumcision (MGM and FGM) and human rights / bodily integrity
*Patriarchy incarnate, eg FGM and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM)
*Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
*Data on FGM prevalence
*Surgical and other treatment and support for FGM survivors
*’Market segmentation’ to maximize the impact of #EndFGM programmes.

THURSDAY

For some of us arriving earlier the visit began on Thursday 19 October.  French lawyer Linda Weil-Curiel, with Dr Pierre Foldes and Frederique Martz who founded the Paris sexual health institute which serves women with FGM, and I, met with attorneys and other colleagues of Susan Masling in the Department of Justice and FBI programs to end FGM in the USA, before moving on to an evening event at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Those three excellent sessions raised a lot of questions.  My thoughts….?

On both sides of the Atlantic there remains a significant divergence of perspective between the legal and medical aspects of addressing FGM.

Clinicians are loathe to report FGM, or may not even know that in some circumstances the law requires them to do so. This is especially perplexing when one considers that probably almost all legal systems require professionals who are aware a child is at risk to report that risk – which in the case of juvenile FGM may be both to the girl herself, and to any sisters or, eg, female cousins.

Lawyers however continue to maintain that there are few legal cases for suspected FGM-related activity, because clinicians and others such as teachers won’t report their fears. Nor is there uniformity of legislation between all states in the USA or even between the nations of the UK, let alone wider afield around the world.

It is clear that greater mutual understanding and trust is required, and that clinicians need reassurance both about the reliability and security of mandatory reporting routes and about the due care which must be accorded to women and girls who seek help or advice.  It seems that adequate processes to accommodate required reporting are widely viewed as not yet in place.  This is a matter for legislators and policy to resolve.

The continuing insistence that male ‘circumcision’ – MGM / male genital mutilation – is acceptable is misplaced and muddying the waters.

Circumcision is still routinely experienced by about half of boys in the USA, and it is also apparently acceptable to the most senior judge in the English Family Court. 

It is true that the anatomical and physiological impacts of routine Western male circumcision differ in some respects from those of various forms of FGM: Pierre Foldes tells us that eg the embryonic development of the clitoris and its skin / nerves is different from that of the penis.

It is also true that men cannot experience the further risks which women face whilst giving birth.  Nonetheless, both MGM and FGM are inflicted most often on juveniles who cannot give consent, and in each case there is exposure to risk.

Nonetheless, in non-Western countries where genital mutilation may be imposed on adolescents of both sexes, the male version can be much more perilous – though even one child damaged anywhere is always one too many – than in surgically controlled circumstances.*  Penile amputation as a result of traditional practices leads to deaths and deformity every year.**
*Note too however, that sometimes the medicalization of FGM has resulted in more extensive ‘cutting’ than via some traditional methods.
**See also below, re patriarchy incarnate.

Further, there is evidence that in some traditional communities women claim it isn’t ‘fair’ that the men are ‘allowed’ circumcision whilst women are not.  This repercussion has not as far as I know been acknowledged or considered in respect eg of using male circumcision to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS. What possibly – it’s not clear – reduces the risk for men may increase various attending risks for women.

On human rights, bodily autonomy and public health grounds, if we are serious about eradicating FGM  it will be critical to address some of these issues.

The current MGM problem may, however, be similar to that of addressing FGM in communities where almost all women have experienced it: a large number of the senior men in Western societies have been circumcised.  But there are a not as yet noted any instances of this personal interest being declared in judicial or legal circles.

(An aside: Linda Weil-Curiel reports that in France defendants in FGM cases were asked, why, if you took your infant sons to hospital for circumcision, did you not do the same for your daughters?  Maybe it’s because you know that FGM has been made illegal, whilst MGM has not?)

It is not generally helpful to think of FGM as fundamentally distinct from eg child, early or forced marriage (CEFM).  Both these practices are examples of patriarchy incarnate, the imposition of (some) men’s wills on women’s bodies.

We don’t have to look very far to see that patriarchy incarnate exists in all societies – including modern Western ones.  This patriarchy, underlying almost all male (and some female) violence against women (and, again, against some less powerful males) must be acknowledged for what it is.

That acknowledgment allows us to perceive FGM, CEFM and other abuse for what it is.

Without the lens which reveals patriarchy we are fire-fighting, not tackling underlying causes.

But to acknowledge patriarchy is, definitively, not to exclude men who want to see justice and equality.  And, just as many would argue that male circumcision is also a result of the exercise of male power, obversely women can act on behalf (as agents) of patriarchy.

FGM is the root of many conditions and illness, physical and psychological.  It is very likely that some survivors at least will experience the sort of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also experienced by military veterans.

As Dr Bessel van der Kolk explains in his work on military veterans (‘vets’), PTSD can be a fundamental influence on post-trauma behaviour, sometimes for life.  Those who have experienced the trauma are likely to return to it often, to bond closely with others who have also had that experience, and not trust anyone outside that close group.

This well-established PTSD pattern of behaviour is a protection of sorts for stress survivors, but it can also produce further dis-ease.  And it produces challenges for anyone who seeks to support survivors back into ‘normal’ (in this case non-FGM) communities.  Does it help some women, for instance, if the therapist or counsellor is herself a survivor of FGM; or, in other cases, is a positive more outcome more likely if the therapist is not involved in an FGM-practising community?

And further, what are the implications for legal professionals who must determine what has happened to a person with FGM (or indeed any similar traditional harmful practice)? How can evidence be obtained in the most verifiable (and also, for the interviewee, least stressful) way?

Data on the incidence of FGM in any given location continues to be uncertain or circumstantial.  This makes both the formulation of public health policy and eradication enforcement difficult.

The epidemiology and profiling of FGM, and especially of where it was done, to what extent in what demographics, and by whom, is weakened by inadequate proven evidence. In both the UK and the USA substantial estimating and recording data is now the norm. Over time this will reveal more about where the focus of treatment and enforcement programs must be.

But even then problems remain.  UK data does not reliably tell us where FGM was imposed (in what location or country), nor almost anywhere do medical and clinical professionals have consistent and straightforward ways to share substantiated information.  The actual practice of FGM varies significantly between different communities, not only in respect of severity but also in terms of how it was done; but where can medical and legal professionals go to find the facts?

There is a need for information sharing on the actual physical details of how FGM is inflicted and what therefore the ‘evidence’ is in different places.  In the absence so far of routine data sharing between medics and lawyers, this may be an issue for medical anthropologists to address.  Prosecutors for instance need to know what exactly medical examiners (as expert witnesses) must look for, if any particular case is to go forward. Ideally this procedure-specific information should be readily accessible to those medical and legal professionals who need it.

We are still in the first stages of determining how best to support women and girls who have undergone FGM.  Surgical reconstruction is increasingly requested, and other psychological, pastoral and social aspects are also often at least as important.

In these respects the experiences and observations of four survivors who have been honored by GWPF are especially important.  Francess (F.A.) Cole – who revealed that she very recently underwent reconstruction in the care  of Dr Marci Bowers – Severina Lemachotoki, Mariya Taher and the much respected Dr Edna Adan Ismail of her autonomous hospital in Somaliland all spoke at various points during our visit about their experiences and how they have coped and want to help others.

And to that must be added the increasing caseload experience shared with us over the three days by the surgeon Dr Pierre Foldes and his colleague Frederique Martz who runs their clinic for survivors of gendered violence in France, and Dr Marci Bowers in the USA.

FRIDAY

Three of us took time out later on Friday afternoon for a guided tour of the National Press Club in Washington, of which Diane Walsh is a member (and, like me, also a member of the GWPF Nominations Committee which selects Awardees).

But most of Friday was our time to visit the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation offices, when we met GWPF officials and volunteers, and several 2017 Awardees, firstly at the GWPF address and later, for those who could get there, at a delightful pizza supper hosted by Susan Gibbs.

Discussion ranged over many aspects of our work, and how each of us can contribute to making FGM history.  There is room for everyone: survivors, community campaigners, lobbyists, carers and other professionals, researchers, policy makers and politicians.  But sometimes perhaps these different aspects of seeking justice, amelioration and eradication become blurred.

As with various other very worthy causes, sometimes there is more energy than strategy in moving forward.  How can activists of all sorts, with distinctly different perspectives, ensure there is synergy to maximize positive results?

All complex activities encompass many different types of action.  It is therefore vital that there be some recognition of the different roles we can all play.

In marketing circles this differentiation is thought of as segmentation – each part of the equation requires specific engagement/s.  As one example, the parts most likely best played by survivors and policy makers respectively may demand very different types of skill sets and knowledge.

The potential for greater impact (‘efficiency’) which segmentation of tasks and focus could achieve, thereby ensuring all involved are accorded respect and play to their strengths is still a long way off.  Such an approach would require strong central leadership and political and financial clout adequate to support all ‘segments’ of the action appropriately.

SATURDAY

The Awards Day itself. This was the day when everyone came together at the National Sylvan Theater, on the Washington Mall. A day when brave survivors spoke of their fierce desire to stop FGM forever, and others – including Keynote Speaker Senator Richard Black of Virginia, who recently steered legislation through his senate – assured us of their full commitment also to this aim.

The Awardees for 2017 were:

Edna Adan Ismail (Education),

Senator Richard Black (Political),

Adama Diaby (Student Ambassador),

Pierre Foldes and Frederique Martz (Medical),

Tobe Levin von Gleichen (Literary),

Arifa Nasim (Advocacy), Maggie O’Kane (Media),

Mariya Taher (Survivor Activist) and

Linda Weil-Curiel (Legal).

And so we came to the end of our visit.

After the Walk-A-Thon Francess Cole and I had time to chat – I could listen to her amazing story for hours. Then in the evening a group of us continued to talk over dinner, affording time to get to know more about the work of Marci Bowers  and the two people who inspired her, Pierre Foldes and Frederique Martz. And it was also very good to catch up more on the news from Linda Weil-Curiel and Diane Walsh.

These occasions offer invaluable opportunities to exchange information and views off-stage as well as in the public domain, and we put every minute of our visit to full use.

These three days around the 2017 GWPF Walk-A-Thon comprised an excellent event for which final thanks must go to Angela Peabody, GWPF’s Founder and Executive Director.  We all share with her a strong wish to eradicate FGM and to provide however we are able support for women and girls who have undergone this cruel experience.

Every year that GWPF holds an event such as this, we move a step closer to our ultimate ambition.

~ ~ ~ ~

Hilary Burrage sits on the Awards Nominating Committee of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation.  She is also a 2016 Award Recipient of the Global Woman Awards.  She is the author of Female Mutilation and Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation.  

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Save-these-Dates

• The education toolkit – Now Available and downloadable at https://www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org/prevention-school-resource-fgm-toolkit/
• Giving Tuesday – November 28^th
• Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Year-End Board Meeting – December 2^nd
• Holiday Special Edition – December 19^th
• Year-in-Review Edition – December 26^th

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Do you enjoy playing with words?  This is a fun way to see how well you can unscramble the following words.  We will reveal the unscrambled words in next week’s edition of the newsletter.  If you enjoyed this, write and give us your feedback to info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org.

Can you unscramble the following five words?

This Week’s Scrambled Words

EGARRUB

ECITSUJ

NOITACIDARE

GNITANIMON

EETTIMMOC

 

Last Week’s Scrambled Words                                  Last Week’s Unscrambled Words

AVENEG                                                                                  GENEVA

SIRAP                                                                                       PARIS

NOSLIW                                                                                  WILSON

TRALUTSOP                                                                          POSTULART

EGEWKWUM                                                                        MUWKWEGE

We give you five scrambled words each week.  We hope you enjoy playing.

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Important Contacts in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area to Keep Handy

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation               703-818-3787

National Child Abuse Hotline                              800-422-4453

Fairfax County Office for Women                       703-324-5730

Virginia Crime Victim Assistance                        888-887-3418

Montgomery County Abused Persons Program   240-777-4673 (24 hours)

Prince Georges County Sexual Assault                301-618-3154

Prince Georges County Child Advocacy Center  301-909-2089

Baltimore City Child Abuse Center                     410-396-6147

Frederick County Child Advocacy Center           301-600-1758

Howard County Listening Place                           410-313-2630

Washington County Child Advocacy Center       240-420-4308

District of Columbia Metropolitan Police            202-727-9099

Alexandria Victim/Witness Program                    703-746-4100

Arlington County Victim/Witness Program         703-228-7273

Loudon County Victim Witness Program             703-777-0417

Prince William County Victim/Witness               703-392-7083

Attention: The U.S. government opposes FGM/C, no matter the type, degree, or severity, and no matter what the motivation for performing it. The U.S. government considers FGM/C to be a serious human rights abuse, gender-based violence, and, when done to children, a form of child abuse. It is against the law to perform FGM/C in the United States on a girl under the age of 18 or to send or attempt to send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed. People who violate this law can face prison time and significant immigration consequences. Additionally, anyone who performs FGM/C on a woman 18 years old or older without her consent may be charged with a crime under other laws.  If someone performed FGM/C on you, you have not violated any U.S. laws and are not at fault, call 1-800-994-9662.