UK mother convicted of FGM

[Seaseasea]

Posted in chat but thought it’s more a feminist issue. First person in the UK to be convicted of FGM, hopefully a push in the right direction but that poor little girl. How awful

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47094707

First conviction since the law came in in 2003. Absolute travesty.

Great that she’s been caught and convicted.
Shite that she’s the first one since the law came into effect

Now for a law to be passed to protect boys as well as girls. Genital mutilation is completely horrific no matter what the reasoning, or the sex of the victim.

It’s a start, hopefully a step in the right direction and eventually no child will be subjected to mutilation

It's actually the first successful prosecution since the original law against "female circumcision" was enacted in 1985- so even worse, unfortunately

Let’s hope there are more convictions. A critical mass needs to be reached, along with community education, to make it simply not desirable to do this to girls.

I think many of these crimes will still go undetected/ unconvicted.
I hope we see mutilated young women coming forward to pursue justice for those whom carried out FGM or failed to protect them in childhood.

Now for a law to be passed to protect boys as well as girls. Genital mutilation is completely horrific no matter what the reasoning, or the sex of the victim.

Male circumcision is a completely different debate and battle. Personally I think it’s really unnecessary to say “but what about males?” in this thread.

I am wondering if any preventative work is being done. Something about imprisoning this girl's mother isn't sitting super well with me, deplorable though FGM obviously is.

Agree Haworthia.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3496287-Uk-mother-found-guilty-of-FGM?msgid=84615696#84615696

About time but I'm a little concerned that it was the mother calling emergency services that lead to the prosecution. We need another way to catch them or there's a danger when the child needs emergency care mothers may not call emergency services.

No idea what the answer is.

I don’t think it is a different debate. Either way it’s a wholly cosmetic, barbaric procedure being carried out on a victim unable to consent to it.
If I were to subject my daughter to FGM, that’s a crime, and I could be prosecuted for it.
If I chose to get my son circumcised at birth, then that’s seen as a valid choice by many.
Why is that? It’s disgusting whether it’s done to a girl or a boy

I am wondering if any preventative work is being done.
I would urge you to follow Hibo Wardere - her book, Cut, is a great insight. Very powerful speaker, she was at FiLiA last year.

No comparison between FGM and male circumcision. It's misleading to say the least.

This is the 2nd thread about this matter with an attempt to derail it with "what about boys"

This is Feminism chat, Eggy. Take your false equivalence elsewhere.

Whilst I don't agree with circumcision, discussing it doesn't have a place on this thread as it is about as comparable to FGM as a stubbed toe is to a broken ankle.

Where are the women trying to derail discussions around men’s issues: prostate cancer, mental health, with “but what about women?”

Exactly. It never happens.

How sad for that poor little girl.

There are training courses that take place in primary schools now, to encourage staff to be aware of the issue and to consider gm as a possibility if children are taken out of school to visit certain countries. I don't know if it's mandatory or at the discretion of the school or authority.

It's obviously not enough.

The difference between circumcision and FGM, in a nutshell, is that circumcised men are fully capable of having a normal, enjoyable sex life as adults and that boys aren't circumcised specifically in order to reduce sexual pleasure due to some bullshit notions of sexual purity. And, yes, I do know what I'm talking about: I'm part Jewish and used to be married to a circumcised man. The impact on an individual's life is just in no way comparable on average.

Having said that, cutting parts off baby penises in order to satisfy some weird notion of what some deity or other wants is morally objectionable and shouldn't ever be entertained. Just because it's a lot less harmful than deliberate mutilation done with the intent to affect sexual function doesn't make it alright.

Having said that, cutting parts off baby penises in order to satisfy some weird notion of what some deity or other wants is morally objectionable and shouldn't ever be entertained. Just because it's a lot less harmful than deliberate mutilation done with the intent to affect sexual function doesn't make it alright.

Exactly.

And surely at least part of the sentence this woman will receive will be in respect if the fact that she hacked at her Dd herself, with no medical qualifications, no anaesthetic, in a non sterile environment.

I don’t know why the father wasn’t found guilty too, unless he genuinely knew nothing about it.

It makes it that bit more awful, doesn’t it, putting your own daughter through that with no sedation.

Someone on the other thread said that fathers have no input or awareness usually with FGM, it is ‘woman’s business’ commited by mothers/aunties/grandmothers so i’d assume/hope this father was unaware and live in hope that 3 year old still has one caring parent around

Men who know their wives have been circumcised, who refuse to marry uncircumcised women are not unaware of the problem. They choose to turn a blind eye.

Surely aware just turning a blind eye? Presumably he would know his own customs?
Apparently the dm told authorities the dd had fallen on a kitchen cupboard and cut her genitals....

I mean at the time it’s taking place, they don’t get involved. In general they will most likely know it will happen at some point.
The whole men being told to get/wanting a ‘cut wife’ as she’s more ‘clean’ is a huge part of the problem though.