New measures put in place to prevent FGM
Changes in UK Law to protect girls from FGM
Author: Dr. Helen O’Neill
Despite the shift in law and attitude in the UK regarding FGM, an overwhelming number of girls are still forced to fly back to the motherland of their parents in order to be cut or circumcised. The majority of whom are British with circumcised mothers. A new protective law was set to start in October 2015, but was brought forward in order to safeguard more girls over the summer holiday period, a time known for heavy traffic in FGM travel. The new FGM measures include confiscating passports or travel documents of girls who authorities suspect are being taken abroad to be cut.
Despite being banned in the UK and Wales since 1985, the latest figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that there were 1,385 newly recorded cases of FGM in England, 50% of which were in London, all between July and September 2015. To date, only one case has ever been brought to court.
Though there is continued debate about the exact numbers, an estimated 137,000 women and girls have undergone or are at risk from FGM in Britain. The practice, can cause infection, problems in childbirth and even death.
In October it became the law that any cases of FGM in under-18s must be reported by on-call doctors, nurses, teachers and social workers and that failing to do so would result in potential job loss.
It takes a brave person to fight against cultural and societal pressures and contact the authorities, but more and more people are speaking out. With continued campaigning and awareness, people will step hopefully step forward.
Read more:
http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB19113
Photo Credit:https://pub209healthcultureandsociety.wikispaces.com
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