Sexual Health Among Young Somali Women in Sweden: Living with Conflicting Culturally Determined Sexual Ideologies

Sexual Health among Young

Living With Conflicting Culturally Determined Sexual Ideologies

Sara Johnsdotter, PhD Birgitta Essén, MD

Paper presented during the INTACT Network’s annual research seminar,

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Abstract

Young Somali women in Sweden are affected by two conflicting ideologies

on sexuality: on one hand, the traditional values demanding chastity

and modesty in women and, on the other hand, the public sexual ideology

in Sweden, emphasising sexual liberty and the dismissal of sexual

this, they have to deal with national campaigns condemning “female

genital mutilation”. Some of these young women arrived in Sweden

already circumcised. The public message to them is that they are

“mutilated” and, consequently, deprived of their ability

to tradition, Somali women are expected to behave in a shy manner

and to present themselves as indifferent to issues regarding sexuality

and sexual joy. However, there does not seem to exist any idea of

that infibulation (pharaonic circumcision) would erase their ability

to enjoy sex. This should be compared to discourses among Eritrean

and Ethiopian women in Sweden (most of them arrived in Sweden in

the 1970s), among whom many are firmly convinced that female circumcision

– generally clitoridectomy – has ruined their possibilities to have

a truly enjoyable sexual life. These feelings of loss and distress

seem to stem from anti-FGM-campaigns. (This comparison between Somalis

and Ethiopians/Eritreans in Sweden has its basis in previous studies

among these groups; e.g. Johnsdotter, Omar, Carlbom & Elmi 2000;

Essén, Johnsdotter et al. 2000; Essén 2001; Johnsdotter

planned project aims at a deeper understanding of the sexual experiences

among older Somali women in Sweden, who generally have not yet reached

the same level of integration as the Eritreans and Ethiopians (most

of the Somalis arrived in Sweden in the mid-1990s); that is, they

are rather unaware of the fact that they are to be categorised as

“mutilated” and, therefore, unable to enjoy sex. The planned

study also intends to find methods of transferring this positive

self-image when it comes to sexuality prevalent among older Somali

women, to the younger women. Discussing sexual matters is taboo

among Somalis, according to tradition. Even if this situation is

changing in exile, one may assume that many young Swedish Somali

women have to make their sexual débuts in lack of knowledge

theoretical model used in this study is Leavitt’s model on sexual

ideologies. In his view, the sexual experience (how people understand

and experience sex) is a synthesis of the sexual ideology (what

people know about sex from public discourse) and the sexual behaviour

(what people actually do when having sex). People’s actual experience

summary, the study intends to map the various sexual discourses

that young Somali women have to deal with in Sweden. Further, the

study aims at finding best practices when it comes to offering young

Swedish Somali circumcised women a culturally sensitive counselling