'My mother apologised': A survivor's journey after genital mutilation
A woman named Sara Kahsai shares her journey of discovering she is a survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM) after moving to the UK from Sudan. She discusses the physical and emotional impact of the procedure and her efforts to seek medical support during her pregnancy.
Why it matters
The story sheds light on the ongoing global issue of FGM and the importance of specialized healthcare support for survivors within migrant communities.
Image caption, Sara Kahsai wants all survivors of FGM to seek help and not suffer alone
Sara Kahsai grew up in Sudan but moved to Birmingham, England, in 2022 after marrying a bus driver from the city.
But as she settled into married life and her new home, she was coming to terms with a life-changing discovery.
Sara realised she was a victim-survivor of Female Genital Mutiliation (FGM), a procedure she had endured as a young girl.
She was floored by the revelation and, not least, the excruciating pain she was now beginning to fully understand.
"It made it difficult with my physical relationship with my husband - but he was very kind and very patient with me."
Warning: This story contains descriptions of the practices involved in female genital mutilation
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in