Deconstructing the psychosexual myths of female circumcision among the Pokot in Eastern Uganda: hints for public health campaigns

ABSTRACT

Sexualization of the woman’s body has for years been used to promote the practice of female circumcision in practicing communities. In this study, we provide an insight into the constructive psychosexual experiences of uncircumcised Pokot women in Eastern Uganda. This phenomenological study was based on thirty-five In-depth interviews with uncircumcised women. A thematic analysis revealed six constructive psychosexual experiences; less exposure to early marriages, fewer complications during menstrual periods, amplified sexual pleasure, ease to reach orgasms, less exposure to sexually transmitted infections, and good reception by men from non-female circumcision communities. These experiences provide grounds for public health campaigns against female circumcision and fighting stigmatization of uncircumcised women.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychosexual experiences
• deconstruction
• Pokot
• uncircumcised women
• public health campaigns

Abbreviations

CDO	=	Community Development Officer
FM	=	Female Circumcision
FGM	=	Female Genital Mutilation
RDS	=	Respondent Driven Sampling
UDHS	=	Uganda Demographic and Health Survey
UWEP	=	Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme
MAKSSREC	=	Makerere University School of Social Sciences Research and Ethics Committee
UNCST	=	Uganda National Council for Science and Technology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by Makerere University School of Social Sciences Research and Ethics Committee (MAKSS), registration number REC09.21.493. The study was also approved by Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), registration number SS1046ES. Permission to conduct research was also obtained from the Amudat District authorities. The study participants were thoroughly informed of the study objectives, and written informed consent was obtained from them. Participants who could not write, a thumbprint was used as approved by the Ethics Committee (MAKSS REC & UNCST).