Recognizing and Responding to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) for Domestic Violence Advocates

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a form of violence found in families and a human rights violation that intersects with domestic and family violence, yet it is rarely named directly in DV/SA casework. This webinar, presented by Sahiyo, equips domestic violence advocates to recognize FGM/C within existing family violence cases and to respond using the trauma-informed skills they already have.

Participants will examine the foundations of FGM/C, how it surfaces in intake, safety planning, and disclosure within DV and SA organizations, and how core DV competencies—safety planning, survivor-centered language, and understanding coercive control—directly transfer to FGM/C survivors. The session also covers the current federal and state policy landscape, including gaps in state-level protections and mandatory reporting considerations, and closes with a curated set of national resources advocates can use immediately in their own practice.