about to consider prosecuting someone for performing Female Genital Mutation.
Now here we are two weeks later and the St Georges Hospital in Tooting has just released some
figures.
So far in 2013 the specialist FGM treatment team has dealt with 80 cases, in 2010 they dealt with
200 cases of FGM on girls (the most in a single year at this hospital). In 2012 161 women who had
been subject to FGM gave birth in the maternity wards. In 2011 the number was 163. Since they
started keeping records in 2002 they have treated 1,546 girls in this hospital.
The statistics were provided to the Evening Standard following our report this month on figures
showing that more than 2,000 victims have been treated at seven other NHS trusts with specialist
services for women with FGM since 2002.
Karen Lewis, a midwife at St George’s who specialises in helping FGM victims, said the figures
highlighted the prevalence of the practice.
Just a minute.
Specialist services for women with FGM.
A midwife at St George’s who specialises in helping FGM victims.
The NHS has specially trained nurses and midwives to deal with FGM. Something that has been illegal
since 1985. Against the Law for 28 years and still so common here in the UK that hospital trusts
maintain specialist services for dealing with it.
1,546 cases in ONE single Hospital here in the UK.
The United Nations has recognised female genital mutilation (FGM) as a human rights violation.
The Same Human rights that allow rapists, murderers and Terrorists to remain in the UK or to
escape prison because they have a right to a family life or to a pet cat and yet:
Not One Prosecution.
The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women expressly states in its article 2:
“Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including dowry related
violence, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women ” .
UN General Assembly, 85th plenary meeting, 20 December 1993.
Not One Prosecution
The 2002 UN Special Session on Children, endorsed by 69 heads of states and governments,
which include the United Kingdom, set a goal to end female genital mutilation by the year 2010.
Not one Prosecution.
Here we are. In the 21st Century. In the western world. In rich, civilised Britain. In a country
with a vast range of Laws against Torture, discrimination, and gender equality. A forward
thinking society where the very idea of treating women in this way should be anathema.
Not one single Prosecution.
Why is that? For 28 years FGM has been illegal and yet not one single person has ever been
prosecuted. Why?
Is it because the victims are almost totally from Africa and the Middle East. Is it because they
have dark skin that the plight of these girls is ignored?
Is it because they are girls that a blind eye is turned to this torture and mutilation?
Is it because our MPs, Government and Police are all so busy falling to their knees and
worshiping at the altar of Multi Culturalism that a little thing like thousands of children being
abused can be ignored?
Is it because the CPS and our Government are so terrified of offending minority cultures that
they are prepared to ignore something which Offends every civilised person in this country?
Illegal for 28 years. 1546 cases in a single Hospital.
The NHS trains staff to deal with it because it is that common.
Not one single Prosecution.
In a civilised country it would be stopped. In a nation that valued Freedom and protected its weak
and helpless it would not be permitted. In the enlightened 21st century it should not be allowed.
But we live in Britain, which is not civilised and does not protect its weak and helpless.
I challenge our MPs, even just one of you, to stand up before the cameras in Parliament and
demand to know why there has not been One Single Prosecution.
To demand why this evil is permitted to continue in Britain.
Not the usual weasel words addressed to the honourable member but a demand, plainly spoken
and clearly pronounced.
Will even one of you stand up and ask the question? Just one.
The nation is waiting.