What shocked me about this procedure is the extent to which families would go to have their children receive this "treatment." The article cites numerous cases in which children are flown out of the country; this has been such a problem that laws have been created to prevent this from continuing. I think its also shocking that in many West African villages, the mother's consent is not needed to carry out the procedure. For such a potentially psychologically-harming event to be treated in a cavalier manner, I feel, presents the need to influence cultural perception. This is one of those cases in which public health understands the science, that the treatment is actually not beneficial, but needs to overcome a cultural barrier. That this treatment is already controversial in nations that allow the procedure indicates that cultural norms in around the world are at the very least being challenged.
Another aspect that struck me is the level of psychological trauma many young girls feel regarding this event. Many of them describe it as the worst day of their lives. This trauma could have a severe impact on the future mental health stability of these young women. In addition, these girls could face social stigmatism, especially in the United States, where the cultural norms of other countries may not be understood nor appreciated.
While I completely agree that this is a horrific practice, and that public health here needs to be a dissenting voice against a cultural practice, I think in being that voice you must also be careful to consider the outcomes of dissent. Many dissent movements look at immediate prohibitive legislation as the answer to a problem. Here I don't think that's the case. If that was the choice, the effects could be potentially worse as the practice would likely continue for some time (especially since it does not require a specialized setting or advanced tools) but would occur in altogether less sanitary and less safe environments (not that it is particularly even know). I think here is where the educational component of public health really comes in. This is where women's empowerment is important as well; women can speak up for themselves and each other. Like you said all the issues coupled with this makes it difficult to handle: mental health, cultural health, etc. Horrible issue with tricky but necessary action required.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought as I read this was I wondered how public health officials are able to suppress their emotions enough and move forward in an effective manner to try and tackle this problem. For me, if I was exposed first hand to the victims of this, I would absolutely be irate and I would probably act irrationally from that point forward, because it would be difficult to consider any reasoning behind such an act because I myself cannot see any. I have a great amount of respect for people that are willing and able to see the root of these problems and understand both sides in order to devise solutions. These issues in which people are committing acts that violate standards of public health are probably honestly the most difficult to deal with.
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