Nearly 6,000 New Cases Of Female Genital Mutilation Recorded In Britain: Report

Recently released data collected from medical professionals in Britain reported 5,702 “newly recorded” cases of female genital mutilation. But experts say those figures likely don’t represent a complete picture. A law passed last year requires professionals in England and Wales to report cases of FGM, which helped pave the way for the first-ever survey of medical professionals on the topic. The Health & Social Care Centre collected information between April 2015 and March of this year from hospital providers, mental health providers and general practices, but warned that the figures should be interpreted with “caution.” “Data completeness is often low and varies by submitter,” the report noted. FGM involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs, for non-medical reasons. Consequences from such procedures include urinary problems, increased risks during childbirth and death, according to the World Health Organization.  FGM has been illegal in Britain since 2003. While collecting such data is key to pushing the government to crack down on such cases, experts say the released figures are lacking. “It’s great that reporting of FGM by UK health professionals is now mandatory,” Mary Wandia, of Equality Now, said in a statement released to The Huffington Post, “but the numbers…are still just the tip of the iceberg.” According to...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news