THE PREVALENCE OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION/CUTTING (FGM/C) AND MEN’S ROLE IN ITS PRACTICE IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA

Abstract

Studies on the prevalence and practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) have focused on women alone while no attention has been paid to men’s roles in the practice. This study therefore investigated the prevalence of FGM/C and men’s role in its practice in South-East Nigeria. The mixed methods research design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaire while the qualitative data were generated through In-depth interview. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 1,067 respondents for the quantitative study while 54 interviews were conducted to generate the qualitative data. The quantitative data were processed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0 and was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The QDA Miner software was used to analyse the qualitative data. The stated hypothesis was tested using ANOVA. The findings showed that FGM/C is still practiced in South-East Nigeria even though the extent of its practice is diminishing compared to what it was in the past. The practice has persisted because of men’s financial and moral sponsorship. Men encourage FGM/C-practice because they perceive women with FGM/C as being more sexually appealing than women without FGM/C. It was therefore recommended that FGM/C-eradication efforts should not be gender-biased. Public enlightenment campaigns should also be targeted at the men folk.