Listening to African Voices - FPZ

Table 37: Knowledge of German law and attitudes towards the abandonment of FGM/C (Guinea)AllowsFGM/CLegislation% distribution of participants whobelieve that German lawDoes notallow itAttitudes towards abandonment% distribution of participantswho believe that FGM/C shouldDoes notmention it Don’t know Continue Be stopped Depends Don’t knowSexWomen 0 47.4 10.5 42.1 2.6 52.6 23.7 21.0Men 1.4 70.3 5.4 23.0 3.9 47.4 15.8 32.9Total 0.9 62.6 7.1 29.5 3.5 49.1 18.4 28.9at the same time they have preserved their own practices.This is why they keep a superior status.” (woman ofGuinean origin)5.5.12. Senegal5.5.12.1. Socio-demographic profileThe Senegalese community in Hamburg is small; thereare only 74 men and 39 women. Having no researcher ofSenegalese origin in the team, we reached only 23 peopleduring the quantitative survey and only two of them werewomen. Our sample is therefore far from being representative.The interviewees were all middle aged (between 27 and47 years) with an average age of 37 years. About one thirdwere married, one third were divorced and one third hadnever been married. Their level of education varied from 0to 23 years and more than half of them were working in lowwage positions as cleaners or as labourers in restaurants orwarehouses. About half of the interviewees came from ruralareas.5.5.12.2. Proportion of immigrant population concernedAccording to the DHS finalised in 2005, 28% of the womenin Senegal have undergone FGM/C and the rate is almostas high for the cohort of daughters. The practice is veryprevalent in the areas of Ziguinchor, Kolda, Tambacoundaand Matam where it ranges from 51-94%. It exists to a lesserextent in the regions of Kaolack, St. Louis and Dakar (11-50%) and is not common in the remaining regions (Fatick,Thies, Diourbel and Louga). The ethnic group is also a goodmarker: the Wolof and the Serer are non-practicing groupswhile the practice varies from 46-78% in the other groupsand is most prevalent in the group of the Soninke, Mandinga,Fula and Diola (Ndiaye and Ayad 2006).The participants interviewed were from five different ethnicgroups: Fula (2), Serer (1), Diola (6), Mandinga (8) and Wolof(6). The presence of practicing families was strong: 17 out of23 participants stated that FGM/C has been carried out intheir family. One of the two women had undergone FGM/C.In the sample of daughters (13 girls), half of them had undergoneFGM/C. None of these six girls, however, was living inGermany. No parent declared their intention to subject theirdaughter(s) to the practice.5.5.12.3. Perceptions related to the practiceFor 16 of the 23 interviewed participants, FGM/C wasperceived as an advantageous practice, ensuring the socialintegration of a woman in the society and guaranteeing herfaithfulness once married. Furthermore, three of the participantsperceived FGM/C as a religious obligation.“After this ceremony [of FGM/C], the woman reachesmaturity and can be considered a real woman. She attainssocial power. It is as though she enters the stage ofwisdom. It is as though she has endured an initiation towisdom during the period of female circumcision. Thatalso opens doors for marriage to her. She is well thoughtof within her community.” (man of Senegalese origin)5.5.12.4. Perception of disadvantages and knowledge ofrisks and consequencesMore than half (13 out of 23) of the participants showed acertain degree of awareness on the dangers of FGM/C andwere able to explain one or more effects of the practice.Others insisted that FGM/C was free of negative outcomeswith the exceptions of some accidents.“Like I explained before, there are no disadvantages.When I was still back home, I never saw any disadvantage.I know that this is good in 90% of the cases. Butnothing can be perfect. Some isolated cases are workaccidents. These isolated cases presenting inconveniencesare very rare cases that happen in any profession.” (manof Senegalese origin)“I was explained that after having been circumcised awoman is self-sufficient and faithful. She is satisfied withher husband unlike European women who always wantto have sex. The circumcised women can go weeks and74Listening to African Voices