How a Reporter Speaks to Women About Their Most Personal Experiences  The New York Times

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Female genital cutting, a traditional ritual in many countries, can cause lasting harm to women, leaving them with pain, sexual dysfunction and emotional trauma. For a recent front-page article, Pam Belluck, a health and science reporter for The Times, spent time over two years with four women who were cut as girls in Africa and are now living in the United States, where they sought the help of a surgeon, Dr. Ivona Percec at the University of Pennsylvania. The su…