Should I Circumcise My Daughter?’ Exploring Diversity and Ambivalence in Egyptian Parents’ Social Representations of Female Circumcision (2014)
This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Amy Abdelshahid,Catherine Campbell
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To draw on social representations theory to highlight such nuances,while identifying the psychosocial factors that shape parents’ decisions to circumcise or not circumcise their daughters.
Study Population: 11 mothers and 5 fathers
Findings: Thematic analysis revealed the co-existence of positive,negative and ambivalent representations of female circumcision amongst parents and within the individuals themselves. Although some parents positively represent female circumcision as ensuring the daughter’s chastity,safeguarding her femininity and preserving community identity,they feel distress about its potential harms,such as pain,bleeding and terrifying experience on the daughter. Fathers further acknowledge its negative impact on marital sexual relationships. In some cases,parents challenge the ritual and refuse to circumcise their daughters.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Northern Africa
Country(ies):Egypt