Charity wants more action to stop FGM

A children’s charity has called for more action to stop Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), as the latest figures show there have been 30 cases in Kent.

The NSPCC says it is contacted an average of more than once a day by people worried about girls who may have suffered or be at risk of the practice. Since its FGM helpline was launched in June 2013, it has received more than 1,500 calls, with around a third of concerns serious enough to be referred to police or social services.

FGM is believed to affect around 137,000 women and girls in England and Wales.

It has been a criminal offence in the UK for 30 years, and in 2003 it also became an offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to take their child abroad to have female genital mutilation.

Despite this, there has yet to be a successful prosecution for the offence, although the latest NHS figures show 30 cases were recorded in Kent in 2015/16.

Anyone concerned a child is at risk of or has experienced FGM can speak to an NSPCC advisors on 0800 0283550 or email fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk

More details can be found online at www.nspcc.org.uk/fgm