Not guilty verdict in FGM case - what do we think?

[Amethyst24]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-31138218

It did seem like an intractable case with which to test the legislation, and it does appear the doctor was put in a position in which he had no idea how best to proceed. But I think it's encouraging that other medical staff are reacting when they see victims of the crime.

What was the verdict on the other person that was accused? I can't see any mention of the other person in the articles i've read.

Oh i've just found an article saying he was cleared.

It's depressing that this is the only UK trial. FGM has been illegal since 1984.

I see this is breaking news.

Woman arrested at Heathrow for conspiracy to commit FGM

gu.com/p/45ta8

I believe genital mutilation so be made illegal unless for medical reasons for both females and males.

Most women who tear or are cut during delivery want any repair work done to make their genitals 'normal' again. If a woman presents with fgm in labour and cuts or tears and post delivery wants to be repaired to her 'normal' what should happen.?

"If he had damaged a penis he would have gone to jail."

I'm not sure if this was what you meant but I do think there is a subtle element of 'women's bodies are confusing' at play here- fwiw I don't think it's the doctor espousing that, I couldn't even say where it's coming from. I think the idea of 'restoring to normal' would be seen as 'clearer' if it involved a penis.

However, we don't know exactly the condition the woman was in and I do think that in THIS case it may genuinely have been unclear what the best way was to proceed. I also don't necessarily think it counts as damage- again haven't seen this specifically stated (but I feel like we would've if it was the case) but I haven't had the impression that the stitch he made left her genitals in a 'worse' state than when she arrived at the hospital or caused her any future issues.

Penises are routinely mutilated by doctors and by various types of folk practitioners and it seems not even to be considered unlawful. Even when it leads to death.

Apparently at the hospital concerned there is a specialist clinic for people IDENTIFIED to be pregnant with FGM allowing for considered treatment before and after childbirth. IIUC that includes, if the woman so chooses, being restored to her infibulated state. And why should it not?

But this doctor had not worked in that clinic and apparently had never even seen an infibulation/FGM before he was called to treat that woman.

He seems nonetheless to have produced a healthy child and mother despite bleeding and an urgent call to a yet greater urgency.

The man should have been praised not prosecuted. Nothing he did stopped her having further treatment.

When I heard about this prosecution I thought " hooray" we are finally taking action but then when I read the full details I was pretty shocked that this Doctor was even charged.
If he had been a white female born here in England I doubt it would have happened.