Standing with Women Seeking Safety from Violence

JRS Australia hosts inaugural Symposium to End FGM

On Tuesday 25 May 2025, JRS Australia’s Finding Safety Project hosted the End FGM Symposium, bringing together over fifty service providers, practitioners, community members, and women with lived experience to shine a light on the continuing impact of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on women seeking asylum in Australia.

While FGM is not commonly performed in Australia, it remains a critical issue affecting many women and girls living in Australia, particularly those from communities where the practice is still prevalent overseas. Some women arrive in Australia as survivors of FGM, having experienced the practice in their country of origin before seeking asylum. Others face the ongoing threat of FGM due to pressure from family or community members, including risks of being sent abroad to undergo the procedure—despite its criminalisation in Australia.

The Finding Safety Project supports women on temporary visas who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence, and FGM is one form of harm that intersects with such experiences of trauma, displacement, and systemic exclusion.

The Symposium aimed to raise awareness of the ongoing impact of FGM, amplify the voices of survivors, and call for a trauma-informed, culturally respectful response that addresses the complex needs of women affected by gender-based violence in Australia and globally.

A Platform for Voices That Must Be Heard

Women with lived experience of FGM courageously shared their stories, speaking openly about the lifelong psychological and physical impacts they carry, such as trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, and broken trust. Many spoke of the deep emotional scars that remain from being subjected to a harmful practice by family members under the guise of tradition or social obligation.

Their testimonies moved many in the room and reinforced the importance of survivor-led advocacy and service design. These are the voices at the heart of the Finding Safety Project.

Understanding the Roots and the Reality

Finding Safety Project Manager Sara Muzamil provided an overview of FGM— its historical roots, why it persists, and the regions where it remains most prevalent. She spoke to how this practice often intersects with conflict, displacement, and gender-based persecution, which are key drivers of the asylum journeys of many of the women JRS supports.

“We can’t address FGM without understanding the deep cultural and social pressures that sustain it,” Sara emphasised. “Legal bans are important, but real change comes from within communities, and through survivor leadership.”

Magdalene Konneh, the Finding Safety Project’s Gender-Based Violence Specialist Caseworker, discussed the cultural and social dimensions of FGM, drawing on her knowledge and experience from Sierra Leone. Her contribution helped to deepen understanding of why the practice continues despite legal prohibitions and global efforts to end it.

Beatrice Sissy, a caseworker at Open Support and survivor of FGM, shared her powerful personal story. She described how FGM is often considered a rite of passage or essential cultural practice, and highlighted the internal conflict many women face when trying to reconcile their trauma with their community’s beliefs.

From a clinical perspective, Dr. Ekhlas Nasser outlined the serious long-term health risks associated with FGM, including infibulation. She also shared how surgical options and specialised care can help restore health and dignity for survivors.

Sector-Wide Collaboration

Feedback from the Symposium was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants expressing gratitude for the opportunity to learn directly from women with lived experience.

Government and community stakeholders alike emphasised the importance of a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach that centres the needs of survivors— particularly those with insecure visa status who are often excluded from mainstream services.

As a result of the symposium, the Finding Safety Project has been invited to join the NSW Community of Practice for FGM, a key step forward in shaping trauma-informed, culturally aware strategies for prevention and support across the state.

Standing with Women

At its core, the Finding Safety Project is about standing with women who are too often pushed to the margins, women on temporary visas, survivors of gender-based violence, and those navigating the asylum system with limited safety nets.

The End FGM Symposium was a reflection of this mission: to elevate survivor voices, build community awareness, and advocate for systemic change.

JRS Australia will continue to work in solidarity with women impacted by FGM and all forms of gender-based violence, ensuring that safety, dignity, and justice are within reach— regardless of visa status or background.

Learn more about our award-winning Finding Safety Project here.