MPs attack failure to stop FGM as ‘a scandal’

 

The failure to prevent female genital mutilation in Britain will be condemned by MPs tomorrow as a “national scandal” that has led to thousands of girls suffering barbaric child abuse.

In a hard-hitting report, the Commons home affairs committee will criticise ministers, police, doctors, teachers and other public officials for allowing cutting, and further forms of illegal mutilation, to be inflicted on young victims.

The MPs will call for a national action plan and a raft of reforms to protect girls and bring perpetrators to justice. These are expected to include:

The introduction of “FGM protection orders”, placing girls in danger under the protection of a court;

A possible new criminal offence that would make it illegal for doctors and others to fail to report mutilation;

Regular medical examination of girls who are deemed to be at “high risk” of of mutilation, and a right to anonymity for victims willing to testify in court.

A national publicity campaign stressing that FGM is child abuse and a serious crime.

Tomorrow’s report follows an inquiry by MPs into the scale of FGM in Britain. More than 50 groups and individuals submitted evidence. Ministers, police, doctors, prosecutors and campaigners appeared before the committee.

Its conclusions are expected to include strong criticism of the failure of public agencies. Some of the harshest words will be directed at the medical profession, which will be condemned for its poor record on alerting police and other child protection staff after treating victims or girls at risk.

The Royal College of GPs, which failed to sign a recent agreement by leading medical organisations to improve their reporting procedures, is expected to be singled out for its lack of action.

The committee is expected to criticise headteachers for a widespread failure to read government guidance on how to combat FGM.

MPs are also set to urge ministers to make “personal, social and health education” compulsory in schools, to ensure that children in areas with a high prevalence of mutilation can be taught about its risks and consequences.

The committee, whose chairman Keith Vaz has previously expressed concern about lack of action by police and prosecutors, is expected to back several legal changes. These include closing a loophole under which people living here can escape prosecution if they are not permanent residents.

FGM has been illegal in Britain since 1985 but only two people have so far been charged with an offence. Both are still awaiting trial.

Estimates suggest that as many as 66,000 women in England and Wales have suffered mutilation and at least 24,000 girls are at risk.

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