Call for greater protection for girls as FGM cases rise by 15% in England

Hospital and GP attendances about female genital mutilation (FGM) in England have risen by 15%, according to NHS figures, prompting a call for greater protection for girls.

There were 14,355 attendances about FGM in the 2023-24 financial year, according to NHS Digital statistics, compared with 12,475 the previous year.

There was also a rise in the number of individual women and girls who visited NHS services in regards to FGM, from 5,870 in 2022-23 to 6,655 in 2023-24. Attendances are a different measurement as an individual can have several attendances in a year.

The head of Barnardo’s National FGM Centre said FGM was a form of child abuse. “More needs to be done to protect girls – and to offer support for all those affected,” Rohma Ullah said. “That support just isn’t available at the moment.”

The prevention of FGM needed to be treated as a public health issue, she said.

“Change must come from working within communities who are affected by it, and local authorities need to develop strategies that allow for dialogue with their communities.

“It is also vital to introduce mandatory training for anyone who works to support children and vulnerable adults. That training should focus on how to spot the signs of girls who might be at risk or who have undergone FGM – as well as how to alert the relevant support services.”

Read full story

Source: The Guardian, 19 September 2024