This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
UK failure to prosecute FGM cases a ‘national failure’, MPs say
The Home Affairs Select Committee has published a report outlining the UK’s failure to successfully prosecute a single case of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The group of MPs said it was ‘beyond belief’ that anyone had been convicted of FGM, 30 years after the practice was made illegal in the UK. The report has called on the government to enforce the duty to report FGM with stronger sanctions.
The committee highlighted that the poor record on prosecutions and convictions would ‘deter those brave enough to come forward’ to report FGM and ‘result in the preventable mutilation of thousands of girls’.
While a lack of data means the scale of the problem is still unknown, the government has estimated that around 170,000 women and girls in the UK have undergone the procedure. The first ever recorded figures for FGM showed that were 5,702 new cases in England between April 2015 and March 2016.
Sarah Newton, minister for Safeguarding, Vulnerability and Countering Extremism, said: "This government is clear that FGM is a barbaric form of abuse that has absolutely no place whatsoever in a Britain that works for everyone, and the criminals who perpetrate it should be brought to justice.
"That's why we are taking world-leading action to tackle FGM by strengthening the law to improve protection for those at risk and remove barriers to prosecution."
“We welcome the report and will carefully consider the recommendations before responding in due course.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "Prosecutors work closely with police, offering advice on their investigations, but when a case is referred to the CPS a prosecution can only be brought where there is sufficient evidence.
"Factors such as the age and vulnerability of FGM victims, who frequently do not want to report offences that could lead to them giving evidence against their family, make it extremely difficult to secure this evidence.
"We welcome the strengthening of the law last year to encourage more victims to come forward."
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