Suspected Cases of Female Mutilation
Last updated: October 7, 2008
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
The prevention and investigation of the practice of female genital mutilation should take place in a way that is culturally sensitive and with the fullest consultations with community representatives and professional agencies.
Female genital mutilation is a collective term for procedures, which include the partial or total removal of the external female genital organs, or injury to the female genital organs, for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons.
Female genital mutilation is an operation, which is medically unnecessary and extremely painful and has serious health consequences both at the time when the mutilation is carried out and in later life. The procedure is typically performed on girls aged between the ages of 4-13, but in some cases FGM is performed on newborn infants or on young women before marriage or pregnancy. Generally the procedure is carried out on a child who is unable to resist or to consent. FGM is considered to be principally a form of physical abuse. Whilst it is also an emotionally abusive act, some level of emotional abuse is involved in all ill treatment of a child.
The practice of FGM is a physically abusive act as it can cause serious short and long term medical complications. Suspected cases of FGM should be treated as causing significant harm to the child and should therefore be initially investigated under section 47 of the Children Act 1989.
