Woman's Hour and Female Genital Mutilation

[Childrenofthestones]

I was just listening to Jenny Murray on Woman's hour and they were doing an article on FGM here in the UK and the lack of progress in stopping it happening. (In 30 years since it became illegal not one prosecution for example)
Apparently the French have been getting results with multiple prosecutions not least because of a little girl dying through it, concentrating public opinion, and they carry out compulsory examinations on young girls aged 6.
I suppose this doesn't help the 6 to 12 yr olds who have this barbaric practice carried out on them, but its a start.
While she talked about it going on abroad when girls are taken out of the UK to visit relatives, she shied clear of discussing the numbers of cases going on here, or the cutting parties where several families bring their daughters to a house and get it done together by a woman (often flown in for the occasion) to keep costs down.
The one thing that shocked me though was when a guest in the studio made the point that health officials in this country aren't obliged to inform the authorities when they come across cases of this abuse, indeed in most cases they don't.
Also telling, was when she (the guest) talked of coming across female head teachers in inner London schools claiming to have never heard of FMG or what the practice was.
Maybe it will take a little girl dying here in the UK for something to finally be done about it.

The one thing I admire about the French is their willingness to act over stuff that is just plain wrong - no ifs, no buts. Meanwhiile we pussyfoot around cultural sensitivities and all that garbage. The UK has laws against this. The laws should be obeyed. Same with forced marriage. People who flout the laws should be uncovered, prosecuted and jailed. Perhaps then it will reduce it happening here and families might think twice about sending their daughters to their homeland on 'holidays'. We really are a lily-livered lot when it comes to enforcing the law.

How could any family allow this for their daughter. The very thought sends a chill through my spine. It is so barbaric. Absolutely horrific!

female head teachers in inner london schools may not know it happens, as it does not happen that often? if the school has 100 somali girls in it, is it likely even one has had fgm?

i mean they have more immediate and common issues to deal with which effect a large proportion of children, such as poverty, addiction, gangs, non supportive parents, attendance, and so on