{"title":"英国封锁期间女性生殖器切割创伤和心理健康支持:探索女性经历","authors":"P. Mulongo, Roxanne Khan, S. McAndrew, M. McKeown","doi":"10.1108/jacpr-05-2022-0712","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Purpose\nThe purpose of this study is to report findings from interviews with seven African-heritage women attending a female genital mutilation (FGM) Clinic in the north of England, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Clinic, established several years before the pandemic, provides specialist therapeutic support to women and girls from minority ethnic communities who are affected by harmful “traditional” practices, including FGM. The services provided by the Clinic include early interventions, peer support, community engagement and empowerment around FGM.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nData was collected during an online focus group discussion with seven women who had received counselling for FGM, to gain insight into their lived experiences of therapeutic support during the pandemic.\n\n\nFindings\nUsing Braun and Clarke (2006) six-step thematic analysis, four superordinate themes derived from the data: consistency and continuity; safety in shared experience and creativity; feeling heard, feeling stronger; and altruism and desire for change.\n\n\nResearch limitations/implications\nIt is important to recognise some limitations within this study. It is based on one focus group discussion that involved seven participants, who had experienced FGM, were living in a targeted area and whose mental health had been further compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\nPractical implications\nThe findings of this study indicate that it is essential to consider participants’ experiences of receiving therapeutic support during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was observed that emotional stressors linked with participants’ experiences of FGM may be exacerbated by those related to COVID-19.\n\n\nSocial implications\nThere is a need to conduct similar research, perhaps on an individual basis, that would reach a wider sample of women from ethnic minority populations who are survivors of FGM, including those from FGM practicing communities who have been hospitalised through their deteriorating mental health. This would add to the small but growing body of evidence, to provide a better understanding of the experiences of their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps better identify effective therapeutic interventions.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nThese themes provide an insight into these women’s experiences of the trauma associated with FGM and receiving mental health support during the pandemic.","PeriodicalId":45499,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Female genital mutilation (FGM) trauma and mental health support during the UK lockdown: exploring women’s experiences\",\"authors\":\"P. Mulongo, Roxanne Khan, S. McAndrew, M. McKeown\",\"doi\":\"10.1108/jacpr-05-2022-0712\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"Purpose\\nThe purpose of this study is to report findings from interviews with seven African-heritage women attending a female genital mutilation (FGM) Clinic in the north of England, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Clinic, established several years before the pandemic, provides specialist therapeutic support to women and girls from minority ethnic communities who are affected by harmful “traditional” practices, including FGM. The services provided by the Clinic include early interventions, peer support, community engagement and empowerment around FGM.\\n\\n\\nDesign/methodology/approach\\nData was collected during an online focus group discussion with seven women who had received counselling for FGM, to gain insight into their lived experiences of therapeutic support during the pandemic.\\n\\n\\nFindings\\nUsing Braun and Clarke (2006) six-step thematic analysis, four superordinate themes derived from the data: consistency and continuity; safety in shared experience and creativity; feeling heard, feeling stronger; and altruism and desire for change.\\n\\n\\nResearch limitations/implications\\nIt is important to recognise some limitations within this study. It is based on one focus group discussion that involved seven participants, who had experienced FGM, were living in a targeted area and whose mental health had been further compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.\\n\\n\\nPractical implications\\nThe findings of this study indicate that it is essential to consider participants’ experiences of receiving therapeutic support during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was observed that emotional stressors linked with participants’ experiences of FGM may be exacerbated by those related to COVID-19.\\n\\n\\nSocial implications\\nThere is a need to conduct similar research, perhaps on an individual basis, that would reach a wider sample of women from ethnic minority populations who are survivors of FGM, including those from FGM practicing communities who have been hospitalised through their deteriorating mental health. This would add to the small but growing body of evidence, to provide a better understanding of the experiences of their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps better identify effective therapeutic interventions.\\n\\n\\nOriginality/value\\nThese themes provide an insight into these women’s experiences of the trauma associated with FGM and receiving mental health support during the pandemic.\",\"PeriodicalId\":45499,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research\",\"volume\":\" \",\"pages\":\"\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":0.7000,\"publicationDate\":\"2023-01-05\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"1\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"1085\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-05-2022-0712\",\"RegionNum\":0,\"RegionCategory\":null,\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q4\",\"JCRName\":\"CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jacpr-05-2022-0712","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
Female genital mutilation (FGM) trauma and mental health support during the UK lockdown: exploring women’s experiences
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to report findings from interviews with seven African-heritage women attending a female genital mutilation (FGM) Clinic in the north of England, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Clinic, established several years before the pandemic, provides specialist therapeutic support to women and girls from minority ethnic communities who are affected by harmful “traditional” practices, including FGM. The services provided by the Clinic include early interventions, peer support, community engagement and empowerment around FGM.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected during an online focus group discussion with seven women who had received counselling for FGM, to gain insight into their lived experiences of therapeutic support during the pandemic.
Findings
Using Braun and Clarke (2006) six-step thematic analysis, four superordinate themes derived from the data: consistency and continuity; safety in shared experience and creativity; feeling heard, feeling stronger; and altruism and desire for change.
Research limitations/implications
It is important to recognise some limitations within this study. It is based on one focus group discussion that involved seven participants, who had experienced FGM, were living in a targeted area and whose mental health had been further compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
The findings of this study indicate that it is essential to consider participants’ experiences of receiving therapeutic support during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was observed that emotional stressors linked with participants’ experiences of FGM may be exacerbated by those related to COVID-19.
Social implications
There is a need to conduct similar research, perhaps on an individual basis, that would reach a wider sample of women from ethnic minority populations who are survivors of FGM, including those from FGM practicing communities who have been hospitalised through their deteriorating mental health. This would add to the small but growing body of evidence, to provide a better understanding of the experiences of their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps better identify effective therapeutic interventions.
Originality/value
These themes provide an insight into these women’s experiences of the trauma associated with FGM and receiving mental health support during the pandemic.