Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation by healthcare professionals

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an abhorrent practice. FGM deliberately cuts the female genital organs for no medical reason and can have serious and long-lasting consequences including infertility, an increased risk of childbirth complications, a deleterious impact on maternal and infant mortality during and shortly after child birth,¹ and significant psychological sequelae. The World Health Organization estimates that FGM affects about 100–140 million women and girls worldwide and each year it is estimated that an additional 3 million girls are at risk of being subjected to this practice.

It is believed that approximately 103 000 women and girls aged 15–49 years and 24 000 women aged ≥50 years who have migrated to England and Wales are living with the consequences of FGM. Some 60 000 girls aged 0–14 years have been born in England and Wales to mothers who have undergone FGM and 10 000 girls <15 years of age are likely to have undergone FGM.²

The Department of Health has published data from September to December 2014 that show 1946 newly-identified cases of FGM were reported nationally with 47 cases in women and girls aged <18 years. Currently, all clinicians (including GPs) are required to record in their clinical notes when a patient with FGM is identified, what type it is, and submit these data to the FGM national data collection.³

However, despite its relatively high prevalence and FGM being a serious crime, no successful prosecution has taken place since 1983, although a dentist was struck off the Dental Register in 2013 for offering to perform FGM. Why have so few cases been prosecuted? The police claim it is because very few cases are referred to them.⁴ GPs, in turn, claim that FGM can be a difficult condition to identify …