Valerie Lolomari, Healthwatch Essex Trauma Ambassador, is a survivor of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and bravely shared her story with us in order to raise awareness of this practice and to reach out to other survivors, to offer them support, through her own CIC Women Of Grace. We are resharing her story as part of our 16 Days of Activism series.
Content warning – please be aware that this post discusses FGM, which some people may find triggering. Do not read unless you feel comfortable to do so.
Valerie recorded a podcast with us which you can listen to here. She told us:
‘As the name implies, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injuries to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is an old-age barbaric, cultural practice rooted in misogyny. This harmful tradition so ate into the system that parents felt they were doing their daughters’ a favour by mutilating them.
FGM is a heinous violation of a right of the girl child and a distortion of her womanhood that affects their sexual and reproductive health in the long run. Asides from these major effects, it also affects both her mental wellbeing and her level of confidence. (Unicef) Statistics said, at least 200 million girls and women alive today living in 31 countries have undergone FGM.
UNFPA estimates 68 million girls are at risk of being mutilated between 2015 and 2030. A more recent study estimates an additional two million girls to be at risk of this harmful practice due to COVID-19. Protecting girls will take a significant push to accelerate the elimination of this harmful, often deadly, practice.
To promote the elimination of female genital mutilation, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed, and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights, gender equality, sexual education and attention to the needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences.’
If you would like to access support around any of the issues mentioned in this post, or to share your own lived experience, give the Healthwatch Essex Information & Guidance Service a call on 0300 500 1895, email [email protected] or text/WhatsApp on 07712 395398.
If you would like to find out more about the Trauma Ambassador Group and our work, you can find out more here.