The Role of Social Workers in Responding to Cases of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C).

Overview: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting is often thought of as an isolated cultural practice occurring only outside of the US. In reality, FGM/C is a growing problem in the U.S and many girls are at risk. In addition, survivors face many challenges to access needed services.Proposal text: Recent statistics have shown that “507,000 girls and women in the United States today have either undergone or are at risk of FGM.” These high numbers show that there is a high chance for service providers in the US to meet with survivors and/or girls at risk. Survivors have many needs and the focus of the workshop will be to do an overview of the practice, including where it is happening and reasons behind the practice. During this workshop, the presenter will share tools to assess the physical and psychological effects of FGM on survivors, clinical interventions to decrease trauma related symptoms, and ways to raise awareness and understanding of related issues and engage communities in an ongoing dialogue.
Working with survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) requires a deep understanding of the cultural belief behind the practice as well as the challenges women and girls face when seeking services. At Sanctuary for Families, we have developed an assessment tool that allows us to identify survivors of FGM and those who are at risk without stigmatizing or re-traumatizing them. We create an atmosphere where clients can communicate freely their feelings around a very misunderstood and stereotyped topic. This client centered approach guides clients in an introspective process to explore the impact of their experience. The relationship between clients and clinicians at Sanctuary for Families is a two-way interaction that allows clients to think realistically and objectively about the presenting issue.
Because survivors of FGM are generally traumatized, we use a trauma focused approach using the most current best practices to help clients feel validated, respected, informed, and connected with other social service agencies. We believe that clients need to be given a voice and a choice in order to feel empowered. Feeling a sense of mastery help survivors in the process of healing.