University Learning and Teaching
Conference
Thursday 12 June 2014
Students as Partners
Sensitive and ethically challenging research:
students working as partners and lead researchers
exploring perceptions, impact and prevalence of FGM
(female genital mutilation) in Portsmouth and
Southampton
Dr Tamsin Bradley – Reader in
International Development Studies
David Carpenter – University Ethics
Adviser
What is FGM?
•  Type 1: Involves the removal of the prepuce with or without
excision of all or part of the clitoris.
•  Type 2. Excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of
the labia minora (FGM types I and II constitute 80% of FGM
performed world-wide).
•  Type 3. Excision of part or all of the external genitalia (the
clitoris, labia minora and labia majora) with stitching/
narrowing of the vaginal opening (infibulation). This is the
most extreme form of FGM, Involving removal of almost
2-3rds of the female genitalia. This type constitutions 15% of
all FGM performed world-wide.
•  Type 4. Unclassified includes pricking, piercing, incising of
the clitoris and/or labia, cauterisation by burning of the
clitoris and surrounding tissue, scraping of tissue surrounding
the vaginal orifice or cutting into the vagina introduction of
corrosive substances r herbs into the vagina to cause
bleeding or for the purpose of tightening or narrowing it.
Prevalence
•  The WHO estimates that between 100 -140
million girls and women have been subjected
to FGM and that each year a further 2 million
girls are at risk.
•  Most of these girls live in 28 African countries,
a few in the Middle-east and Asia and among
immigrant communities in Europe, Australia,
New Zealand, the United States and Canada
•  In the UK conservative figures estimate that
there are 65,790 victims of FGM in the UK and
30,000 girls at risk.
Research Challenges
•  Highly sensitive
•  Highly political
•  Numerous stakeholders – interests sometimes
conflicting
•  Most important stakeholders – African
Communities – must be ‘heard’ and ‘listened
to’
•  Numerous ethical / legal / governance issues
The Activist Battleground
•  A push for
prosecutions is
the driving force
of the UK
movement, less
so internationally.
•  FGM has been
illegal for 28
years.
•  Community
groups anxious
about top-down
interventionalist
approach.
•  Want to be given
space and support
to challenge
mindsets on their
own terms.
Views of African women
•  “When it comes to
discussion surrounding
FGM its not about
women of colour
having autonomy over
their own bodies but
rather creating a space
where white women
can find selfactualisation through
women of colours
struggles.”
•  Chandra Mohanty’s
critique of white, MC
liberal feminism as
culturally essentialist
resonates.
•  The FGM discourse and
has shaped public
opinion through the
construction of a
‘victim’ that in turn
emerges from the
sexualisation of the
black female body.
Ethics, Law and Research Governance
• 
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The confidentiality challenge
Safeguarding
Reporting crime
The right framework
– 
– 
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– 
individuals vs communities
common good vs individual rights
research as a vehicle for change
research with communities
A Note of Caution!
•  We haven’t resolved all of the challenges
•  Students-as-researchers
–  Have helped to identify challenges
–  Resolve or mitigate some challenges
–  Lead to further challenges
Stakeholders
Local
Council
Police
Sudanese,
Senegalese,
Gambian,
Guinean,
Somalian, Nigeria
NHS
Midwives,
GPs
African
Communities
Social
Services
Safeguarding
children,
public health,
community
partnerships
Voluntary
Sector
Aurora New Dawn, SDAS,
AWF, Badardos
The Students
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Aba Bodian
Victoria Cummings
Sam Dawes
Naomi Deller
Ittis Mubaiwa
Tabitha Wheatly