Almost 500 cases of female genital mutilation identified in just one month in English hospitals

[Ykcutnek]

An average of 15 cases were discovered each day in November, according to data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Last November 466 cases of FGM were identified; while in October, the first month such figures were compiled, 455 cases were reported. The figures for December are expected this week.

Despite the apparently high number of FGM cases, no one has yet been convicted for the practice, which has been illegal in the UK since 1985.

Dhanuson Dharmasena is currently on trial accused of performing FGM on a patient at the Whittington hospital in north London, it is the first prosecution of its kind.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/almost-500-cases-of-female-genital-mutilation-identified-in-just-one-month-in-english-hospitals-30935618.html

[Rhinodawg]

1. Really ? Really?

its wrong to think one culture is superior to another.

[drm604]

4. I'm not sure if you mean that or if you're being sarcastic.

If sarcastic then I don't get the point. Very few people, if any, claim that all aspects of all cultures are morally equivalent.

[riderinthestorm]

5. This is occurring in the immigrant communities, the British have no history of FGM

So yeah, on FGM the British culture has a better policy on keeping a female intact than the immigrant communities.

Maybe you forgot you sarcasm tag...

[pnwmom]

6. There is a difference between a culture and a specific cultural practice.

And that specific cultural practice is objectively and morally wrong, causing great harm to the girls and women involved without any medical benefit.

There should be criminal penalties for anyone who assaults and maims a child in this fashion.

[Starry Messenger]

9. Are you saying the UK shouldn't prosecute the doctor?

[drm604]

2. Convictions are needed.

People who do this have to be shown that there are consequences. This is a life altering practice applied to non-consenting children.

[Skittles]

11. I agree

this is criminal activity and needs to be prosecuted as such

[riderinthestorm]

3. .

[seveneyes]

7. Put the parents in prison for life and names in the headlines

Let those who abuse their children know they will be jailed for life.

[smirkymonkey]

13. I agree. They need to send a message that this practice will not

be tolerated in western, democratic nations.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. awful

[LeftyMom]

10. My understanding is that the cutting usually happens on visits to the country of origin

So shy of not letting any girl bigger than a bread box out of the country there's not much the UK government can do. They've told teachers and others to report "at risk" (read Pakistani, observant) girls who will be traveling to social services, but they can't exactly put girls in stirrups in passport lines.

As usual part of the problem is that those expressing concern are often doing so less out of a genuine love of women and girls, but as a thin veneer on their xenophobia. This both prevents more effective efforts and leads to further insular and extreme behavior in the communities being attacked, which of course does nothing for those women and girls.

Present company excepted, I'm sure.

[drm604]

12. They can prosecute the parents when they come back.

At some point the girl will be examined by some medical worker for one reason or another, or she'll talk to friends or something. They may not catch every instance, but if they try, convict, and punish in the instances when it is discovered, that will hopefully send a message to others.

Also, the UK government does have diplomatic relations with those countries. They can make it clear that they want them to prevent such things from happening to minors who are British citizens. I don't know if it would do any good or if the UK has any leverage with which to force the issue, but it's worth thinking about.