Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation Speak Out on Lasting Trauma and Broken Relationships

By Diafa Doubra,

Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) across Nigeria have opened up about the lifelong emotional and physical scars the practice has left on them, saying it has destroyed their confidence, relationships, and sexual lives.

Several women described how FGM often carried out in their childhood robbed them of the ability to experience intimacy normally. Many said they continue to struggle with depression, marital problems, and deep psychological trauma years after undergoing the harmful practice.

One survivor, Amina (not her real name), recounted how the pain from the procedure affected her marriage. “My husband could not understand why I was always in tears whenever he tried to touch me,” she said. “It ruined our relationship completely.”

Health experts and women’s rights advocates have repeatedly condemned FGM as a dangerous and outdated practice with no health benefits. According to the World Health Organization, over 20 million Nigerian women and girls have been subjected to FGM, making the country one of the highest contributors to the global total.

Advocacy groups are calling on community leaders, traditional rulers, and parents to end the practice and protect future generations from similar pain. Despite existing laws banning FGM in Nigeria, activists say more enforcement and education are needed to fully eradicate the practice.