In this week’s episode, we dissect the serious issues surrounding the practice of non-medical surgeries performed on female genitalia both in the East and the West. Annaig discusses the tradition of ‘cutting’ or female genital mutilation in some countries, the serious health implications this can lead to and the reasons it takes place, even today. Henna then takes a look at the similar, but ‘voluntary’ procedure of labiaplasties in western societies and what may be influencing women and girls to pay for such surgeries.

If you, or anyone you know, is affected by the topics discussed in this episode or this lockdown, please visit - https://www.ifpa.ie/fgm-treatment-service-leaflet/

Crisis helplines - https://www.3ts.ie/need-help/crisis-helplines/

Substance abuse helplines - https://spunout.ie/help/service/drugs-alcohol-helpline

Domestic/sexual/other abuse - https://spunout.ie/help/categories/abuse-support-services

Sources - https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/law-on-naming-child-victims-of-criminal-offences-to-change-1.4480528  https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/10/uber-eats-delivery-driver-texts-student-to-say-he-ate-her-food-14054118/  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation https://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/what-is-fgm/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/15/pornography-culprit-rise-labiaplasty https://legacy.brook.org.uk/data/So_what_is_a_vulva_anyway_final_booklet.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/26/female-genital-mutilation-is-alive-in-australia-its-just-called-labiaplasty https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/labiaplasty/ 

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