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First UK prosecution for female genital mutilation moves a step closer

BMJ 2013; 346 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f2981 (Published 08 May 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;346:f2981
  1. Ingrid Torjesen
  1. 1London

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is examining five cases of alleged female genital mutilation as part of its effort to try to finally bring the first successful prosecution for the offence in the United Kingdom.

Female genital mutilation has been a criminal offence in the UK for almost 30 years under the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. The law was made tougher in 2003 when the Female Genital Mutilation Act made it an offence for UK citizens to take a child abroad for the procedure.

Each year more than 20 000 girls under the age of 15 years living in the UK are believed to be subjected to female genital mutilation or “cutting,” and 66 000 women are living with the consequences.1 However, …

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