PERCEPTION OF NEW MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION BY ISOKO WOMEN

Mutilation. The study was anchored on Perception and Technological Determinism theories. The study adopted the survey research design to generate quantitative data with the questionnaire as instruments. The data generated were analyzed using Likert scale (weighted Mean Score). The study population comprised all female residents of Isoko Local Government Area; a sample size of 382 was drawn from the population using the Krejcie & Morgan sample size determination table. Multi- stage sampling technique was used. Result showed amongst others that: Isoko women are largely exposed to Female Genital Mutilation contents and other related issues on new media platforms. The result further revealed that the new media platforms with high frequency of issues on female genital mutilation are Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp and Instagram. It also found out that new media platforms present FGM as harmful and uncivilized cultural and traditional practice that needs to be eradicated. The study recommended that health organizations should adopt a means of disseminating information about female genital mutilation. Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp and Instagram should be employed more in the campaign against female genital mutilation by government health agencies such as; WHO, FMOH, NGOs and other stakeholders in health as well as more robust campaign targeted at the cultural practices of the Isoko’s in order to change their perceptions and beliefs.