9,000 attendances of female genital mutilation reported and still no prosecutions.
MARGOT Parker, UKIP’s Women’s and Equalities spokesperson, has again
called for the full weight of the law to come down on those committing female
genital mutilation.
Figures have shown that there were more than 9,000 attendances to NHS
services in England last year involving the identification or treatment of
female genital mutilation.
She said: “The statistics revealed 9,179 instances in which FGM was
either identified, treatment was given, or a woman with FGM had given birth to a
baby girl. Of these 5,391 were recorded for the first time and 114 were girls
under the age of 16.
“These are truly horrifying statistics and despite a slight fall on the
previous year, these numbers are far too high.
“What is even more sickening is that there have been no prosecutions –
more than 9,000 reports and no-one person brought to justice for these
horrendous crimes.
“Many of these crimes are committed before these women reach the UK but
there are also instances where the procedure is undertaken in this country and
the only way to make it known this is not going to be tolerated is to bring
prosecutions.
“The physical and mental trauma this disgusting practice causes is
heart-breaking for the victims
"FGM has been illegal in the UK for more than 30 years - including cases
where girls are sent 'home' to be mutilated in the name of culture.
"Despite robust legislation existing to stop this abuse from occurring,
there has not been a single conviction in all that time.
"There is no religious requirement for girls to undergo FGM, so even that
flimsiest of excuses is absent.
“This is entirely about keeping women in their place, asserting power
over them and destroying their sexual identities. The practice is abhorrent and
is something we should, as a society, make clear is not acceptable under any
circumstances and politically correct cultural sensitivities be
damned."
