http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Doing Mixed-Methods Research on Sensitive Topics with Migrant Women in Australia
Experiences of Female Genital Circumcision for African Women
Researching sensitive topics presents significant methodological challenges in all aspects of design, recruitment and interviewing of participants. These challenges are exacerbated when the studies are conducted among ethnic minority populations. Due to global mobility, a growing number of women living with the consequences of female genital circumcision are migrating to Australia and other western countries where the practice is unfamiliar. Even though a few studies have engaged circumcised women in these western countries, the practical methodological challenges that surround researching female genital circumcision among women who might have undergone the procedure in their countries of birth is lacking in the literature. This article reports on a mixed-methods study used to explore female genital circumcision among African migrant women in Australia. Methodological issues related to conducting a survey and interviewing these women included differences between dialects of the same language, complexity involved in the translation or interpreting between two languages and womens fear of documenting their experiences. The positive aspects of the study were that the African women loved to talk and, therefore, provided rich data in the interviews. However, to achieve this outcome, the researchers needed to respect the dignity of the women and the feelings they had because of what they had endured.