Public Inquiry

Comfort Momoh

Comfort Momoh, midwife and African Well Woman's Clinic founder, has edited a book on female genital mutilation

What prompted you to edit a book on this subject?

I am asked every day for information on female genital mutilation (female circumcision) by health and social work professionals. So many are not aware how to care sensitively for circumcised women, or the legal issues. If professionals don't know the law, how can we expect people from practising communities who are new to this country to know?

What does UK law say?

An act in 2003 made it illegal even if a child is taken abroad to carry it out.

How big a problem is it in Britain?

Research five years ago revealed that there were 74,000 circumcised women and girls living here and 7,000 girls under 16 at risk.

What problems do you see as a result of this practice at your African Well Woman's Clinic?

Recurrent urinary tract infections, abdominal pain, pain during intercourse and psychological problems.

What about pregnancy and childbirth?

Women with type three female genital mutilation cannot give birth naturally. We do two or three reversals every week at the clinic.

What more could the government do?

Fund more research and raise awareness. Midwives need to know what to do when a woman with female genital mutilation comes into their labour ward. We have to monitor and police to protect girls at risk.

What signs are there of risk ?

If a girl tells her teacher she is going back to her country of origin for the summer, for example, and her mother says that when she comes back she will be a woman, the teacher needs to start asking questions. It is too late once the child returns.

Name a president for Britain?

Hilary Benn or Tessa Jowell.

What book are you reading?

Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women, by Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar.

· Female Genital Mutilation is published tomorrow by Radcliffe Publishing, price £19.95. The African Well Woman's Clinic is at Guy's and St Thomas' foundation trust, in south London.

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