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.

Signed

Signed

You see this is what happens as soon as we suggest actually taking some action against this. Accusations of racism

Oh for heaven's sake, my post was not an accusation of racism of any kind. How very dim.

Signed and shared. Thanks for drawing attention.

There's a point. You can share this petition via FB, Twitter etc.

What should be done?

Very very clear education policy on the definition of abuse. Everyone, children and parents need to know quite clearly that if you do this to your child, or allow it to be done to your child, you will lose your children into care. It is one of the most serious types of abuse - cutting out a part of someone's body. It needs to be taken away from the context of religion and culture and seen for what it actually is.

And children should be taught more about the definition of abuse, they are the only ones that see exactly what goes on behind closed doors. Older children in particular could be very helpful in exposing these things but need support and education.

Signed

signed and shared

I'm totally against FGM but I do wonder why circumcision of boys is considered totally ok? Surely it is just as - or nearly as - bad? But for e.g. in the US and Australia it is the norm for all newborn boys.

Horse. Shit.
On both counts. How can you possibly equate the removal of the foreskin, which reduces some sensitivity with the removal of the clitoris, and the infibulation of the entire genital area? (done in the most extreme form)? Do you actually know what FGM entails? There is no pleasure in sex for a woman who's been mutilated, the rates of death and disability from either the procedure or issue later on is horrendous, and normal function (menstruation, intercourse, childbirth) is severely affected. They are just not even close to the same thing.
And I have two generations of Australian males in this house, neither of whom have been circumcised, and this is far from uncommon.
Perhaps in the US, yes, but not Australia.

And unfortunately I can't sign, as I'm neither citizen or resident.

Signed and shared

Madasafish, ok it's no longer the norm in Oz but it was until the 1970s. And even if it is not as bad as FGM, I still don't understand why it should be considered 'ok' anywhere to mutilate a child for no medically justifiable reason. I am not trying to diminish the importance of campaigning against FGM. I just think people generally should think about male circumcision in a more negative light as well instead of accepting it as normal because it has certain religious groups (and the USA) behind it.

Signed. Some degenerate people obviously do think 'cultural practice' excuses this. I don't. I am proud to be a citizen of the first country to outlaw the historical cultural practice of slavery, for instance. And stop Indian suttee.

Signed It doesn't feel like enough though.

Just a thought, but is this discussed in schools? Or is child abuse even discussed at school? I've given my dc's (7 & 5) a few chats about abuse (in very low key, easy language) but it's not occurred to me to mention FGM. I think I will tell them when they are a little older.

Newsround should cover it in an age appropriate way.

Meglet I went on a course as a supply teacher (it was for all teachers) about recognising abuse and it was specifically mentioned,so yes is the answer to your question.

ppeatfruit that's good to know. I suppose some parents put off sex education for years, so the chance of them discussing abuse or FGM are slim. It needs to be brought out into the open at a younger age IMO, without worrying children too much.

I taught EYs so it's (hopefully) being discussed in every school, and the signs are being recognised e.g. a girl talking about going to a 'special party' in her parent's homeland. Because of course it's best to PREVENT it. But more difficult.

it really really pisses me off when people compare circumcising a boys foreskin, with the removal of a girls entire clitoris, labia, and sewing the wound together leaving a tiny hole for menstruation and urination, that has to be torn open on her wedding night, and then again in childbirth.

what the fuck are you talking about???

Signed

Thankyou, Branleuse, for being more forceful and succinct than I was.

Madasafish, ok it's no longer the norm in Oz but it was until the 1970s

No. It. Wasn't. One of the previously cited examples was born in 1970. Where are you getting your information? And have you looked up exactly what the differences are between FGM and male circumcision yet? For it to be the same, it would involve cutting off the head of the penis (aaaaaa, even typing that makes me cringe). You'd probably have some kind of functionality left, but not much, and it would hurt like hell.

Yes Branleuse FGM is worse than MGM.
Just as murder is worse than assault.
But you can't excuse punching people by saying you didn't kill them.
So you can be 'pissed off' all you like, but BOTH are wrong, unnecessary, and should be stopped.

Sorry, you (Branleuse / Madasafish) seem to be getting very wound up about this and I think you're missing the point. I don't think anyone posting here is seriously suggesting that male circumcision is as brutal as FGM or that the consequences are as appalling. But just because one is a lesser evil shouldn't mean it is ok. Branleuse you are surely referring to people who argue that FGM is ok because male circumcision is ok. I am saying quite the opposite.
Believe it or not, it is possible to think that both FGM and male circumcision are wrong.
Madasafish, I got the 1970s thing from a) Aussie men I know born in the 1970s who were circumcised as a matter or routine, and b) www.circinfo.org/ which is about circumcision and FGM in Australia - a quite informative website which states that the practice began to be disapproved in the 1970s, having been prevalent for the preceding 4 decades.

But this is a campaign and a petition about FGM. It is rightly focused on the particular issues (of health, culture and misogyny) that surround FGM, and how we can stop it happening.

The minute you dilute that focus to talk about (unrelated, culturally different and specifically religiously mandated) male circumcision you are going to render the FGM campaign less effective.

I think it is annoying posters because FGM and male circumcision are not equivalent and are undertaken for different reasons and have very different effects. Also, it seems to many people that whenever we move to try and effect change on an issue concerning women and girls someone jumps up to say 'Oh, but what about the men, we must include them!' Why? Start a separate campaign if you feel strongly, but please don't derail this one.

I don't see it as men v. women but as adults v. babies (of both sexes). Anyway, I certainly don't want to derail this campaign and that was not my intention in asking the question, so apologies to all those offended by it and I won't say any more!