FGM in the UK, illegal since 1985 but no prosecutions, how can we change this?

[OvaryAction]

I have just read this article stating that two people have been arrested for performing Female Genital Mutilation on a baby less than two months old.

The UK's efforts to end FGM are being seriously held back by a lack of national strategy or action plan. There are plenty of guidelines out there for teachers, midwives, social workers, police and so on, but they are not obligatory reading and many people in positions where they could identify victims and girls and women at risk are simply not aware of the problem or the role they could play in fixing it. this documentary explains this problem very well and the woman presenting it has created a petition asking the home office to act now and create an effective national action plan.

Please, please sign it and share it. FGM breaches numerous human rights including the right to no torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and causes lifelong physical and psychological trauma to it's survivors. In some cases FGM is fatal.

Done Stanislas

Does Mumsnet not have an active and ongoing campaign against fgm? I'm a bit shocked if not.

Seriously WHAT is proposed to be done with mothers who have already endured this agony/torture themselves but are quite prepared to put their little girl through it? Nothing probably which s why there have been no convictions under that law

It doesn't appear so, I just had a look in the campaigns bit and this was posted about a year ago and got 6 replies, none of them from MNHQ

signed it.

To be fair, no mother would choose to put their child through this if they felt they had another option. The people who do this are not monsters, they really do want the best for their daughters. There is usually a huge social stigma in not being cut.

Signed

i have already watched and signed

there are a few campaigns, it is very difficult to get involved in any way with some communities this is why this campaign may have a bigger impact being led by someone who has been through it rather than someone telling people you are wrong our way is right

For tweeters there are @leylahussein , @daughtersofeve , @NimkoAli and @felicitygerry to follow. They've been in the media recently trying to raise awareness of FGM.

signed and shared on FB.

Signed.

Signed

Signed - well done for raising OP

Signed.

There was a programme about this on the other week. I didn't see it all. And people from communities that practice this horrible deed are getting together and speaking out against it. Can anybody remind me if I am right in saying I think I heard on the programme that there has yet to be a prosecution in the UK for this. Although there has been prosecutions in Europe. Thanks.

signed

yes that's right. No prosecutions here yet. There's been murmurs the last year or so of arrests and there being a likelihood of a prosecution happening soon but how soon is soon I have no idea. At one point, earlier this year I read an article which said there were 5 possible cases and it was likely that at least two would result in prosecutions, but it all went quiet again.

Thanks OvaryAction. Let's hope that the raising of awareness will do something to stop this horrific practice.

Signed.

I have not the words to express my horror & repugnanace for this practice.

Signed

But that article admits that they will be getting away with it. I don't think an action plan is going to make any difference. The government can't act against minorities without losing their votes so will let it carry on.

They were only able to make FGM illegal on the basis that they didn't enforce it.

Signed

Signed.

There was an article in the standard this evening talking about how women who have spoken out against it have received abuse online etc. appalling.

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/i-hope-you-die-painfully-vile-abuse-aimed-at-antifgm-women-8939413.html

thanks for sharing murasaki that's awful

Signed

Signed and sickened.