Charity to support children at risk of female genital mutilation
Children and women in Bristol at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) will now be getting extra support from a national campaign group.
FORWARD, the Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development is a campaign group and charity dedicated to supporting and protecting women from FGM and forced and child marriage.
The charity has now been awarded £30,000 to work within Bristol communities to help stop FGM.
FGM is a cultural practice carried out in more than 28 African countries though illegal in the UK.
It involves the partial or entire removal of external female genitalia.
The risks of carrying out FGM include death from bleeding or tetanus, urinary incontinence, infections and pain.
Women who have been subjected to the procedure will need medical help to reverse it before childbirth.
The Bristol Safeguarding Children’s Board is leading an effort to raise awareness of the issue and train relevant professionals to spot signs that a child may be at risk.
FORWARD will be joining the multi-agency effort by working directly within affected communities.
Chair of the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board Dr Ray Jones said: “Female genital mutilation has very serious health implications for girls in this country. Cutting is usually performed before puberty and we estimate that around 1500 girls in Bristol are at risk.
“There are many myths around the practice but there is no religious text that supports or promotes any form of FGM. By commissioning FORWARD to do this work we will help girls and women build confidence, awareness and self-determination to make informed choices and access the services they need.”
Carrying out FGM is a crime with a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
If performed on children, the crime is classed as child abuse.
Avon and Somerset Constabulary Detective Chief Inspector with the Public Protection Unit Dave McCallum, urges anyone with information about a woman or child who may be at risk to report it straight away.
He said: “Anyone considering instigating this procedure, carrying it out or arranging for it to be performed on their children or any other female should be in no doubt that Avon and Somerset Police will thoroughly investigate any suspicion or incident with a view to prosecution.