Date: June 18th, 2026,
Time: 11 am – 12:30 pm PST
As part of Washington States’ Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Prevention and Response Project, we are pleased to invite SANE providers to a live webinar training on understanding FGC and serving survivors. The interactive training will be led and facilitated by our project partners from two national organizations: Sahiyo and the US End FGM/C Network.
Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a form of gender-based violence and a violation of the human rights of women and girls that can result in significant long-term physical, psychological, sexual, and reproductive health consequences. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 230 million women and girls globally have undergone FGM/C, and recent estimates suggest that between approximately 421,000 and 577,000 women and girls in the United States may be at risk of or impacted by FGM/C. In Washington State, estimates range from 18,000 to 25,000 girls and women at risk of or survivors of FGM/C. Counties with the highest estimated populations include King, Snohomish, Pierce, Spokane, and Clark. Survivors may present in a variety of healthcare settings, including emergency departments, reproductive health clinics, labor and delivery units, pediatric settings, and forensic healthcare environments.
Purpose: For Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) in Washington State, understanding FGM/C is critical to providing trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and survivor-centered care. This 90-minute training is designed specifically for SANE providers in Washington State and focuses on best practices for working with survivors of FGM/C. The session will also introduce participants to practical tools, resources, referral pathways, and best practices that can support SANEs in providing compassionate, informed, and holistic care.
Objectives:
- Equip SANE providers with knowledge and training to better understand impacts of FGM/C on girls, women, and communities they might come in contact with.
- Explore FGM/C in the United States through a medical lens and discuss resources available for clinicians, SANEs, and other front-line professionals who may come in contact with women impacted by FGM/C.
- Provide information on how to better provide trauma-informed care while practicing cultural competence and sensitivity.
Questions? Please contact Mariya Taher (mariya@sahiyo.org) and Carolyn House-Higgins (carolyn.house-higgins@doh.wa.gov