http://www.policeprofessional.com/news.aspx?id=26719
Mandatory reporting shows scale of FGM
25 Jul 2016
There were 5,700 newly-recorded cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) reported in England during 2015/16, according to the first ever publication of annual statistics.
The figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), published on Thursday (July 21) show that, between April 2015 to March 2016, 8,660 cases of FGM – which includes both newly-reported instances and existing cases the NHS were already aware of – were recorded.
HSCIC estimates that 43 of the newly-recorded cases involved women and girls reported to have been born in the UK, supporting the view that the practice – which is common in 28 African countries – is now becoming more prevalent in the UK.
In 18 newly-recorded cases, FGM was reported to have been undertaken in the UK, with the age of victims between five and nine.
In October 2015, the Government introduced mandatory reporting, requiring regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report ‘known’ cases of FGM in under 18s that they identify in the course of their professional work to the police.
HSCIC says the figures are not comparable with any previous statistics released on the practice and that the impact of mandatory reporting will become clearer in future publications.
FGM involves the partial or total removal of the external female genital organs for non-medical reasons and can lead to serious consequences for a woman’s health and, in some instances, prove fatal.
The newly-released figures show that 90 per cent of women and girls with a known country of birth were born in an Eastern, Northern or Western African country. Six per cent were born in Asia.
Somalia accounts for more than one third of all newly recorded women and girls with a known country of birth (37 per cent).
Other countries with a large volume of cases include Eritrea in Eastern Africa, the Sudan in Northern Africa and Nigeria and the Gambia in Western Africa.
Peter Knighton, the statistician responsible for the release, said: "This is the first time that annual data have been collected and published to give an insight into the practice and prevalence of FGM in England.
“The resulting data will support the Department of Health's FGM Prevention Programme and improve the NHS response to FGM by raising awareness, enabling the provision of services and management of FGM, and safeguarding girls at risk."
FGM has been illegal in the UK since 1985. However, no one has yet been convicted of the offence.
In 2015, an amendment to the FGM Act 2003 made it an offence to take a girl abroad to commit the practice.
Officers from Bedfordshire Police became the first to secure an FGM protection order in July 2015 – which banned two girls who were at risk of being ‘cut’ from leaving the country.
The NHS estimates that 137,000 women in the UK are affected by FGM.
The four main types of FGM are:
Type 1: Partial or total removal of the clitoris
Type 2: Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora
Type 3: Narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal
Type 4: All other harmful procedures including pricking and piercing.
By Chris Allen
Received on Mon Jul 25 2016 - 03:57:37 EDT