‘Racism’ blow to FGM drive
BRITAIN is failing to tackle the scourge of female genital mutilation because people fear they will be branded as racist, it was claimed last night.
Baron Pearson of Rannoch spoke out after the Government confirmed there were an estimated 137,000 suspected cases of FGM in Britain today.
These include 2,025 women and girls who were reported by NHS staff between July and September last year.
Despite tightened laws, there have only been four prosecutions and a single conviction of the crime in which the genitalia of pre-adolescent girls is cut, usually by non-medical experts and without anaesthesia.
Lord Pearson said: “It is a horrifying indictment of cultural fear on the part of the authorities that the deliberate mutilation and torture of young girls is taking place on an industrial scale in this country, with the lowest proportion of crime to conviction of virtually any possible crime.
“Campaigners who have been working to drive this barbarism out of these islands have too often faced a fear of being accused of racism and not understanding other cultures. That has allowed the torture to continue.” He said that France, which has adopted a hardline approach to FGM since 1983, has jailed more than 100 people.
Indeed, with conviction there carrying a sentence of 20 years if performed on a child under 15, there have been instances of French children being sent to Britain for the procedure.
Last night the Orchid Project charity said prosecutions are often complicated by issues such as gathering evidence or persuading a daughter to act against her parents. But echoed Lord Pearson’s fears.
Founder Julia Lalla-Maharajh said: “It may feel like progress to secure a conviction for cutting, however the more favourable outcome would be to stop girls being cut in the first place.
“This is where government resources need to be focused. We can do this by engaging meaningfully and respectfully with communities, and funding grassroots activism and programmes which protect girls first and foremost.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said the law has been strengthened to introduce civil FGM Protection Orders, mandatory reporting by front-line professionals and a new offence of failing to protect a victim.
The CPS’s Jaswant Narwal said: “We are determined to hold those responsible for FGM to account and will not hesitate to prosecute where we can.
“However, we can only advise on cases that are referred to us by the police. These are often very complex so it is vital we work to protect girls by trying to prevent FGM happening in the first place.” it