Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – is this fully integrated into your safeguarding policy?

In March of 2013 I reported on the issue of female genital mutilation, following widespread press coverage.  A new report has recently been published, calling for interagency collaboration in the identification, recording and reporting of FGM. 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime that affects some of the most vulnerable young women in our society. FGM is not simply a ‘cultural’ ritual that girls need to undergo, but a practice which has intolerable and unacceptable long-term physical and emotional consequences - it causes death, disability, physical and psychological harm for millions of women.  There is a growing consensus that the system is failing to protect and more needs to be done in the UK to intervene and to safeguard those at risk. 

The recommendations contained in this report call for education providers, health and social care agencies and the police to integrate FGM prevention into national and local strategies for safeguarding young women from FGM abuse. Only by acting together can we work towards eliminating this illegal and abhorrent practice. 

To download the report, click here