Circumcision in Somali women: The silence broken?

Female circumcision has become a focus of attention in the NL after the arrival of a large number of Somali refugees. The authors discuss the problems around infibulation, the most drastic form of female circumcision. They describe the socio-cultural context of this tradition and relate it to the present position of female Somali refugees. They call for more research into the various aspects of help seeking by Somali women in the NL and recommend that health policy should not be limited to banning infibulation but should address the total situation of these women as refugees and asylum seekers.