Special clinic in Sweden helps victims of female genital mutilation

A special clinic in Stockholm offers help to victims of female genital mutilation.

Every year about 3 million women and girls in Africa and the Middle East undergo this brutal, horrifying, dehumanizing practice. In Sweden, approximately 40,000 women from 33 different countries have been victims. Now there is a clinic in Stockholm designed to help them. There have been 2 cases in which genital mutilation actually took place in Sweden. These cases are being prosecuted. All other cases come from countries outside of Sweden. A doctor at the clinic who was interviewed by Radio Sweden explained that in each case, the damage and needs are different. She said that the most important thing is to listen and offer help with respect and to make women and girls feel safe in coming to the clinic and talking about what happened to them. The clinic offers physical, emotional and psycho-sexual help. I think it's wonderful that, even though genital mutilation is not a traditionally Swedish crime, a clinic has been established to help victims from other cultures.