‘I was mutilated when I was a week old, to supposedly preserve my honour. When I was eight, my sister bled to death after being mutilated in the same manner and all that we were told was: It was her time to go.’ These are the words of a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and they describe, more clearly than I ever could, why we need to end this terrible practice.
Tackling FGM is in no way easy. Although we have made great progress to bring this practice into the open, it remains a hidden crime. It takes great courage for victims to talk about it.
The UK is leading the way in the fight against FGM in Europe. Our work is widely recognised. This is why we recently hosted an FGM European Mutual Learning Forum here to share best practice with other Member States.
Experts from twelve countries came together in London for two days to share learning about what works in combating FGM.
I am proud of what we have achieved, but we cannot be complacent. In England and Wales, it is estimated that there are up to 60,000 girls who may be at risk of FGM and 137,000 women and girls living with its consequences.
FGM is a crime and it is child abuse. This Government is absolutely determined to stamp it out, and we will not allow political or cultural sensitivities to get in the way.
That is why we have significantly strengthened the law on FGM.
This Government has introduced a mandatory duty requiring regulated health and social care professionals and teachers to report known cases of FGM in under 18s to the police.
We have introduced a new offence of failing to protect a girl at risk of FGM. And there is now lifelong anonymity for FGM victims.
Last July, FGM Protection Orders came into force. An order may include a requirement for a passport to be surrendered. To further deter girls from being taken abroad to be subjected to FGM, we have extended our ability to prosecute FGM offences committed overseas.
We know that changes to the law alone are not enough. That is why we are working with frontline professionals, survivors and community organisations through the Home Office's FGM Unit. It is because of our leading work on FGM, that we were invited by the European Commission to host the Mutual Learning Forum, which they funded.
Ultimately, the key to ending FGM is changing attitudes. I am proud that the UK is now a world leader in tackling this crime, but there is more to do. FGM has been carried out for thousand of years, ending it will not be easy.
