ABSTRACT
Female genital mutilation (FGM) differs from most forms of gender-based violence because women are not only the victims of the practice but women are also involved in perpetration. It is carried out on all girls in a practising community and since it is promoted as a highly valued cultural practice and social norm, it has been preserved for centuries (WHO, 2012). It is estimated that more than 200 million girls and women have undergone FGM globally (UNICEF, 2016) and despite efforts to eradicate the practice, every year approximately three million girls and women are at risk of this violence and the potential negative health consequences (UNICEF, 2013).
