Strategies for Sexual Health Promotion: A Qualitative Inquiry Into the Experiences of Female Genital Cutting, Circumcision, or Mutilation Survivors

Although female genital cutting, circumcision, or mutilation (FGC/M) can substantially affect survivors' sexual health, there is limited research on the strategies they use to promote their sexual health. Using intersectionality, this interpretive description study aimed to explore and describe the perspectives and experiences of FGC/M survivors in Canada regarding their sexuality and their sexual health to identify self-driven sexual health promotion strategies. Based on semi-structured interviews with 27 women who underwent FGC/M and were currently living in Canada, we inductively identified three themes: (a) Challenging norms and striving for sexual liberation by educating oneself; (b) Cultivating sexual agency through resilience; and (c) Building a community of care to support sexual empowerment. This study offers guidance to both FGC/M survivors and their healthcare providers on potential sexual health promotion strategies based on education, action, and support. It is a first step toward understanding the sexual health of FGC/M survivors from a global and holistic perspective, moving beyond a narrow focus on anatomical and physiological functioning.