to CELEBRATE the first FGM prosecutions!

[Sallyingforth]

Breaking news on BBC. Hope they send them down for a long sentence as an example to others.

[bochead]

It's not often I get all religious about anything but yes this is a cause for thanksgiving!

Hideous practice of the most brutal, dangerous, mutilating personal nature that goes against EVERYTHING Britain stands for. It's always been so hard for me to even want to acknowledge that something this terrible happens anywhere in the world, let alone here.

I hope they throw the book at them sentencing wise, in order to act as the strongest deterrent possible. We no longer burn people alive for witchcraft in the public square, and this practice needs to be consigned to the horrors of the history text book as fast as possible too.

Over the last few years I've gradually been losing all faith in "the system's" ability to protect the vulnerable. This has reinvigorated that little flame of hope hidden beneath layers of cynicism in a major way!

[TheBody]

sally yes that's a fair point.

[TheBody]

Lurcio just beggars all normal understanding.

[LurcioLovesFrankie]

Yes, I felt physically sick for quite some time after first reading what was involved. I'm sorry if my post is upsetting by the way, but I think we can't hide from how barbaric the practise is - sadly we have to actually describe, in everyday, straightforward language, just what is involved. Awful doesn't even come close.

[Finola1step]

It should definitely be recognised. I do think it is shocking that this particular charge relates to a woman in a NHS hospital being treated by a NHS doctor. In the very place where she should have felt the safest.

However, this is just a step. Two people have been charged. Still innocent until proven guilty. It's progress but still a long way from a conviction for FGM.

[Sallyingforth]

Reading the latest details, it seems the Met police is bringing up a number of cases but the CPS is having difficulty with starting prosecutions. That's frustrating - it must change and that needs political will to toughen the legislation. I've written to my MP and I would urge others to do the same.

[ukatlast]

Yes it has to be a HARSH sentence as a deterrant. If a medical doctor they should be struck off as well.

[pointythings]

I just can't get my head around the fact that they can manage these prosecutions in France but not in the UK. What am I missing? Is it really obvious or is it just that too few people in the UK give a damn?

[StealthPolarBear]

Indeed OP, this is cause for celebration. Let's hope this has opened the floodgates and many many people are scared today for the RIGHT reasons.

[IamaBreastfeedingTramp]

Cutting bits off healthy children is abhorrent.

That a Dr should be doing it in the workplace is particularly stunning.

A step in the right direction but how long until we see a parent prosecuted?

[DoItTooJulia]

I can't believe what I'm reading. A doctor has re-sewn up a woman whose genitals were mutliated, in the uk, in the 21st century shortly after she'd given birth?

Wtf?

[Onesleeptillwembley]

pointy the right on PC brigade gave created such a climate of fear that anybody speaking out against things that are wrong are racist and bigots. Thank Blair and his cronies for that.
Ffs some twat on here a few weeks ago said that anybody flying a Union Flag is a racist. Automatically, no reasons, just that they're a racist.

[handcream]

This has been going on for years but our country was so scared to be accused of not respecting other cultures we just ignored it. More shame on us.

The issue I guess is that you will need the victim to come forward and in the case of say an 11 year old child its unlikely to happen. They would be taking their OWN family to court.

And dont get me started on the view in some countries that having sex with a baby will 'cure' you of AIDS. If these stupid stupid people continue to practise these attacks on young girls and babies - then lock them up for a long time and make the sentences so high they will be scared into stopping. Otherwise, a smack on the wrist wont stop them.

Another example of women being at the behest of men. Do men have their penis sewn up until ready for a women?

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Also sending aid money to countries that have abusive practices doesn't help. I know this isn't a popular view in some quarters but that is one of the best leverage tools we have. It should be used.

[bochead]

A life prison sentence for the offender, & what the hell is the tax payer funding social services for if they can't remove ALL children born into a family, (boys too in order to stop the intergenerational cycle of abuse for good!) where this has is known to have occurred to one child at birth as a matter of course.

It's total crap to say they can't get the evidence for prosecutions. SS can order a medical examination of any child at any time without having to even tell the parents the reason. Any with parental responsibility should then be held responsible for the crime! Not rocket science, just a total lack of political will to get off their arses and do something as there's no back pocket payment in it for the MP's.

Like modern slavery there is NO excuse for this to continue in a country that likes to consider itself to be "first world, and civilised"

[Linguini]

Great news, been a long time waiting too.

[weirdthing]

Am glad to hear about this prosecution - less glad to hear that some poor woman has been mutilated in order for it to go through :(

[sadbuttryingmummy]

i know what fgm is
but tbh i do not understand what this has actually done

and this is a big part of the problem me and alot of others too need it spelling out to them

[JaneinReading]

Appalling. I would be happy for all primary school girls to be checked once a year by a school nurse.

On this in the BBC link though are we sure this is FMG -
"It was alleged that following a patient giving birth in November 2012, a doctor at the Whittington Hospital repaired female genital mutilation that had previously been performed on the woman, allegedly carrying out female genital mutilation himself."

That sounds like a good doctor doing good, not some doctor abusing a little girl. He may have been correcting earlier errors. I hope we have picked the right and best cases, not someone who perhaps was just doing his duty.

[Amethyst24]

Jane, as posted above, it seems he cut the woman to allow her to give birth, but then restored the infibulation afterwards, and that's the illegal part. What makes it tricky is that the woman requested the procedure be done.

[AnnieLobeseder]

Fantastic news!

But you know what I'd like to see? A thread about FGM where male circumcision isn't brought up within 5 posts.

Do you know how often FGM is brought up on threads about male circumcision? Never. But it's talked about as much, if not more, than FGM, on FGM threads, and even though it's universally agreed that FGM is far, far more dangerous and damaging.

It just highlights how we're conditioned to put the needs of men above those of women.

[Daddypigsgusset]

What should the doctor have done with her then after the birth? I cannot bring myself to Google it

[mousmous]

the dr should have left it 'open' and refered her for further repair (to a healthy state) later.

[SauceForTheGander]

In France if a mother is seen by midwives to have had FGM her DDs are monitored and parents are warned it is illegal. This would be an obvious step to take.

We need a joined up response - education, prosecutions etc. poor midwives have enough to deal with and the government could have increased their numbers and pay - they could be very powerful resource here.

I had my baby at the Whittington within a week or so of this happening.

[Sallyingforth]

Annie
I started this thread about FGM and I regret that MGM was brought into it. But it is nothing to do with male/female needs as you suggest. They are babies and small children who are being cut about for non-medical reasons, and their sex is irrelevant to that. All of them - male and female - are being operated on for the social or religious requirements of their parents and not for the medical need of the children. So you must understand that many, many people are against genital mutilation of babies whatever their sex.
Having said that I hope that MGM will be left out of this particular issue of the current prosecutions.