OPINION - 'The Female Genital Mutilation I had was so invasive that for five years it was slowly killing me' — this is why the fight goes on

Eleven years ago today I gave my first interview about being a survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM). I was scared and knew opening up about my experiences would lead to people attacking me and maybe even that I would lose family and friends. But I also knew that I had a duty to share my story and do more.

I had met serval young women who were in pieces not just as a result of the FGM but also the dismissal they faced by those who were tasked to protect them. I felt guilty when young girls in an inner-city school told me about their experiences of FGM, as though my silence was adding to their suffering.

I was in a position of privilege with the ability to explain what had happened to us but was choosing not to