Influence of Female Genital Cutting on Sexual Experience in Southern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Female genital cutting (FGC) is a persistent social norm in the Liben district of southern Ethiopia. This study explores whether the sexual experiences of married men and women differ by women's FGC status. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 women with different types of FGC (or no FGC) and 21 husbands. Compared to others, women with more severe FGC reported traumatic sexual experiences and decreased sexual desire. Nonetheless, participants largely endorsed FGC for daughters, revealing pressure to maintain the practice. Opportunities for change exist, as women and men recognized the sexual pleasure and healthy birth experiences of uncut women.

KEYWORDS:

• Female genital cutting/mutilation
• gender norms
• sexuality
• ethiopia
• qualitative methods

Acknowledgments

We thank the women and men of Liben for sharing their experiences and beliefs openly and honestly with us and Save the Children for hosting the research. We also thank the interviewers, Tekalign Gebremarian and Melkenesh Ketema for their patience and dedication throughout the fieldwork. This work was funded by the Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, under the Global Field Experience program.