Things wot I learned today

Today I learned about professional boundaries and the different types of abuse.
We looked at the professional code of conduct.

I also read an article in the Nursing Standard about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Apparently some women here do NOT know that FGM is illegal, and there is still an expectation for young women and girls to have this procedure carried out to ensure thier virginity is intact for thier husband. For those of you who do not know, FGM is the removal of the clitoris and the labia minora (inner labia) and sometimes the labia majora (outer labia) and the whole lot is stitched together leaving a small hole (sometimes matchstick sized) for menstration and urination. The operation is carried out without anaesthetic, with ceremonial knives or razor blades and there is little or no aftercare or pain relief afterwards. Children are subject to FGM from around age 4, and some start to train in "the trade" from age 5.

On her wedding night the bride is either "cut open" again to allow her husband access, or he simply will keep pounding away until he's in.

What amazes me is that there is a cultural expectation that this is the normal thing to do. Now, having had my interest raised on this, I have ordered a couple of books from t'internet for further reading. It's not really much to do with the course, but like I say, it makes for interesting reading, and given the large influx of immigration that we are having, especially from countries with a high muslim population, I think we might be seeing more of the after effects of it here. I would like to have a bit better knowledge so that if I do come across anything during my time looking at ladies bits, I won't be as fascinated (?) or gawpy but will hopefully have a better understanding.

So yeah, not really nursing related but interesting.

Oooh and I'll have a question type thingy for you all in a few days. Again curiousity given an artice in the Nursing journal, and the discussion that we had in class today afterwards.