Victims of FGM are being supported by a dedicated service in the Black Country.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there's no medical reason for this to be done.
It's also known as female circumcision or cutting and is illegal in the UK. FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts.
In the Black Country, there are two dedicated clinics offering support for pregnant women and non-pregnant women, run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.
The clinics opened back in 2019 and have recently been commissioned for a further three years by the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board. The service is run by specialist lead midwife Alison Byrne, who has more than 22 years’ experience within this field.
Basma Kamel, 32, was born in Egypt and underwent FGM when she was just nine years old. She moved to the UK in 2019 and was referred by her GP to the FGM clinic for non-pregnant women at Summerfield Primary Care Centre, where she received support.
She said: “I remember being nine years old and going to a clinic in Egypt with my mother to see a doctor who performed an exam on me. During the exam he said I needed to be circumcised, and I was booked in the next day to have the procedure. I was only given local anaesthetic during the procedure, so I was awake during the whole thing, and I could feel everything. They tried to give me a bigger dose of anaesthetic, but it didn’t work, and I can still vividly remember feeling the scissors as they cut me. Because of this, the circumcision wasn’t fully completed and still have part of my labia left which has caused quite a few health issues over the years.
“I moved to the UK back in 2019 and when I went to see my local GP, he referred me to the FGM clinic where I received both physical and psychological support by Alison and the team. It was the first time since I had FGM as a little girl that I’d received any professional support, and it’s made such a difference. It’s been more than five years since I was first referred to the clinic and I’ve since moved to London, but Alison still checks in on me every now and again to see how I am which is lovely.
“There’s such a taboo when it comes to FGM, and people don’t talk about it. As women, we learn to suffer in silence but there is support out there. I would urge anyone who is a survivor of FGM to come forward and get help, whether its physical treatment or wellbeing support.”
Alison said: “FGM is very painful and can seriously harm the health of women and girls. It can
also cause long-term problems with sex, childbirth and mental health.
“Survivors of FGM deserve to be heard and supported which is why our FGM service is so important. We know that damage caused by FGM affects women differently and so we ensure every woman’s care package is tailored to their specific needs, whether that’s physical or emotional.
“We have two clinics, one for pregnant women and one for non-pregnant women which run twice a month and is available for all women and girls who have been affected by FGM. The services we offer help many women who sometimes are unsure about how to access care or treatment after undergoing this procedure.
“The service is discreet and care is provided in the strictest of confidence, so I would encourage anyone who needs to support to get in touch.”
The clinic for pregnant women is held in the Maternity Department at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick. Community or antenatal midwives will refer women into this particular clinic The clinic for non-pregnant women is held at Summerfield Primary Care Centre, in Heath Street, Winson Green, which is near the Midland Met. Women can self-refer or be referred by their GP, or alternatively anyone can refer a woman to the clinic.
