Abstract
This article is about how primary care health professionals can approach the problem of female genital mutilation (FGM) when it is encountered in everyday general practice. An introduction to FGM is given, in order to provide an overview that creates understanding and raises awareness. It is written through my perspective, as someone from an FGM-practicing community from the horn of Africa. I had the good fortune to be born into a family that did not practice FGM, but many millions were not so lucky and are living with its aftermath. It is often said that ‘prevention is better than cure’ and that cannot be more pertinent than in the case of FGM. As primary care health professionals, we find ourselves well-positioned to not only prevent future cases of FGM, but also provide support and assistance to those living with the trail of destruction it leaves behind.
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