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.

[whois]

Appropriate punishment? Castration with a lung stone and no anesthetic for the fathers and sterilisation for the mothers. No one who does this to their child should be in a position to have more children.

[BoohPear]

Signed.

[Gruntfuttock]

Signed, and it's obscene and completely outrageous that such atrocities are still being carried out on helpless babies and children in the 21st century.

[AnyBagsofOxfordFuckers]

Signed.

[Misspixietrix]

VivienneMary yes that's right. For what its worth I think awareness of the Current Statute should be heightened and children at risk kept a close eye on. This is a practice that is already happening underground and to me its about educating these people. DC's DF is African and I assure you it is definately more a Cultural thing than a Religious one (Ex is Roman Catholic!). Apparently in the area where he comes from most women are cut because it 'stops them bring unfaithful' . There was a programme on a while ago where Parents were taking their children out the country to unqualified Doctors/Medics. Apparently France routinely check girls up until the age of 6? At health clinics etc for signs of this.something like that would be a good idea for over here without fearof offending someone.

[Notsobad]

signed

[TheOldestCat]

Signed.

[sashh]

MrsBennington

It has nothing to do with religion.

It is appalling that no one has been prosecuted but not as appalling as British doctors doing this in British hospitals which was happening in the early 1980s.

[SwishAndFlick]

Signed & Shared.

I am in my early twenties and sadly I had not heard of FGM until I joined Mumsnet and read a thread about it neither had a lot of my friends but have been reading about it since. So clearly more needs to be done in spreading this around.

[CormoranStrike]

Sgned, but how shocking that we need to petition and beg to get something done regarding this.

CPP should be prosecuting as a matter of course.

[Mumrose]

Signed

[KittensoftPuppydog]

Signed

[ZillionChocolate]

Signed

[EmpressOfThe7WillowsandTaras]

Signed.

[vixsatis]

Signed

[JackNoneReacher]

IMO if a family mutilates their daughter like this, she should be removed (and any younger girls who are obviously at risk)

But this is taken from the below document from Birmingham Child protection procedures. It seems to infer that if its don't its done, move on. charges may be brought.

wtf??? you can cut bits off your daughter and charges 'may' be brought...

It seems the authorities have their own 'culture' of slightly turning a blind eye because its 'cultural'.


^It is not always appropriate to carry out section 47 enquiries in respect of
a girl who has undergone genital mutilation. When the operation has
taken place, a criminal offence may have been committed and charges
may be brought, but it is likely that there will be no further child protection
concerns in respect of the individual child concerned. In this situation
any action taken should focus on:
• The position of any younger girls in the family;
•^

www.lscbbirmingham.org.uk/child-protection-procedures/downloads/section-17.pdf

[MonkeyGoneToHeaven]

Signed. Thank you OP.

[Astarael]

Signed

[CuttedUpPear]

Signed

[Theimpossiblegirl]

That is a really good point about birthing mothers. it would be a good place to start- if they have girls they need to be educated and watched to help protect them. I'm not saying the mothers would do this to their daughters or want it done, but it would be a starting point in identifying at risk girls.

Signed and shared.

Could Mumsnet as an organisation do more? New campaign? As mums and women we are all keen to be involved.

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

People I talk to about this who've worked in the area say it's not ONLY a case of preventing it happening to girls, but also of helping those who have had it done. Often there are things that can be done both surgically, and in terms of counselling to get over what is basically a horrific attack by your own trusted family.

Too often I think it's seen as if for the girls and women who have experienced this "it's too late, onto the next", whereas more needs to be done to relieve their suffering as well. Also I would bet that improving their treatment would reduce the numbers who are prepared to agree to their own daughters going through this.

[EldritchCleavage]

Apparently France routinely check girls up until the age of 6? At health clinics etc for signs of this.something like that would be a good idea for over here

No, I think it would be hideous and counter-productive.

[JackNoneReacher]

As long as their are no consequences for the people who carry this out it will continue.

[Cailleach]

"FGM has been illegal in the UK since 1985 and there has not been a conviction yet, you're right. "

Imagine for a moment if a native Brit, a "white" person did this to their child: they would be locked up for a considerable amount of time and their offspring would be removed from their care.

Why the double standard? Why are little brown and black British girls not worthy of the same care and attention?

Signed!

[FreudiansSlipper]

if you watch the documentary and listen to what the men are saying you can see where the blame lies

but the woman are doing it out of fear of their daughters not being able to get married. educating the younger generation is the way forward but how to bring about prosecutions is very difficult it has to be both parents not just the one who was there when it happened as that will always be the mother