By — Corinne Segal Corinne Segal Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/nearly-500-people-england-hospitilized-female-genital-mutilation-november Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Nearly 500 people in England hospitalized for female genital mutilation in November World Jan 26, 2015 5:46 PM EDT In November, 466 people were treated in English hospitals for the effects of female genital mutilation, according to a recent analysis by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. These numbers are similar to September’s, when hospitals identified 467 new cases, and October’s, when 455 new cases appeared. John Cameron, head of childhood protection operations at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, has called for an end to the practice. “It is vital all health professionals are trained to spot the signs of FGM and that girls who are subjected to this brutal practice get the post-traumatic support they deserve,” Cameron told The Sunday Times. According to the World Health Organization, over 125 million people have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), a term which covers “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” The UK outlawed FGM in 1985, and in 2003 also passed a law that forbade transporting women out of the country to receive the procedure. No one has been prosecuted for FGM, though Dr. Dhanuson Dharmasena and Hasan Mohamed are undergoing the first FGM trial in the UK for allegedly performing it in London. As many as 60,000 women in the UK are estimated to have received FGM, and 20,000 are at risk each year, according to the National Health Service. The practice of FGM is mainly concentrated in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, though cases have been documented nearly worldwide. Somalia has the highest known rate of female genital mutilation in the world, with 95 to 98 percent of women undergoing the practice, and in seven countries, FGM is inflicted on over 85 percent of women. FGM has no medical purpose and can cause infections, infertility and cysts, among other health concerns. UK Prime Minister David Cameron vowed to outlaw FGM “for everyone within this generation” at the Girl Summit in London last July. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Corinne Segal Corinne Segal Corinne is the Senior Multimedia Web Editor for NewsHour Weekend. She serves on the advisory board for VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. @cesegal
In November, 466 people were treated in English hospitals for the effects of female genital mutilation, according to a recent analysis by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. These numbers are similar to September’s, when hospitals identified 467 new cases, and October’s, when 455 new cases appeared. John Cameron, head of childhood protection operations at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, has called for an end to the practice. “It is vital all health professionals are trained to spot the signs of FGM and that girls who are subjected to this brutal practice get the post-traumatic support they deserve,” Cameron told The Sunday Times. According to the World Health Organization, over 125 million people have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), a term which covers “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” The UK outlawed FGM in 1985, and in 2003 also passed a law that forbade transporting women out of the country to receive the procedure. No one has been prosecuted for FGM, though Dr. Dhanuson Dharmasena and Hasan Mohamed are undergoing the first FGM trial in the UK for allegedly performing it in London. As many as 60,000 women in the UK are estimated to have received FGM, and 20,000 are at risk each year, according to the National Health Service. The practice of FGM is mainly concentrated in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, though cases have been documented nearly worldwide. Somalia has the highest known rate of female genital mutilation in the world, with 95 to 98 percent of women undergoing the practice, and in seven countries, FGM is inflicted on over 85 percent of women. FGM has no medical purpose and can cause infections, infertility and cysts, among other health concerns. UK Prime Minister David Cameron vowed to outlaw FGM “for everyone within this generation” at the Girl Summit in London last July. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now