Abuse Survivors Blog

Editor's note: This post was originally written in 2017 and has since been brought up to date in honour of World Mental Health Day 2019.

Secondary mental health problems including compassion fatigue and secondary trauma are especially prevalent among those working in industries that require them to work closely with victims of trauma, or that expose them to trauma on a secondary level. However it's not often given the attention it deserves and as a result, those at risk are not prioritising their own mental health.

Here at Emmott Snell, we've observed first-hand what a challenge it can be to express oneself and carry the weight of an emotional burden. While we learn to develop a professional resilience, it can be frustrating to see a client so close to legal justice, yet so far from battling their emotional demons.

What is it and why is it done?

Female Genital Mutilation (‘FGM’) is a cultural practice which involves the total or partial removal of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons, normally with the aim of inhibiting a female’s sexual feelings. It is also known as female circumcision or ‘cutting’ and is common in parts of Africa but also takes place in the Middle East and Asia. It is usually carried out on girls before they reach puberty but is known to be done on girls as young as 4 years old. The procedure is extremely painful and can cause long term health problems such as:

An ISVA can be described as a specialist advocate who works holistically with victim survivors of sexual assaults.

It's an extremely unique role since they offer all the advice and information (which is non-judgmental and impartial) a victim may need when they come forward, irrespective of whether they have reported this to the police.