Fgm; Gbh, Why Do We Need A New Law?

[Khandro]

Why can't perpetrators of female genital mutilation not be prosecuted under the perfectly good laws already in place which deal with grievous bodily harm ?

[RATTER15]

I thought they could?

[ummmm]

Because the message is not coming across. This barbaric practice is still happening.

Doesn't the new law include taking them out of the country to have it done?

[ummmm]

I really cannot understand how a woman lets this happen. A lady on TV yesterday, her grandmother arranged it!

[Khandro]

Section 20 reads;
"Whosoever shall unlawfully and maliciously wound or inflict any grievous bodily harm upon any other person, either with or without any weapon or instrument, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof shall be liable . . . to be kept in penal servitude . . ."

If an English parent were to say, cut off an ear or a finger of their daughter because they thought it was a good idea, wouldn't they be prosecuted?

[ummmm]

Yes....and the child would be taken off them.

[mushroom25]

//I really cannot understand how a woman lets this happen. A lady on TV yesterday, her grandmother arranged it! //

because in the cultures that practice it, an uncircumcised female is almost unmarriageable. prosecution isn't the answer, as perhaps the fact that in 30 years there have been no convictions demonstrates. education is the only answer.

[sunny-dave]

Perhaps the penalty should be to deport all adult relatives to their 'country of origin' - whether or not they were born in the UK - since they seem to prefer that country's customs and practices to ours?

[ummmm]

I know but I still struggle to understand.

In my life half the turn on is the pleasure you give. You deny someone pleasure, you deny yourself pleasure.

A life of only having sex to procreate and not just for fun, because it feels nice.

So sad :-(

[sunny-dave]

Which doesn't mean I think that FGM is OK in those other countries - it's appalling, vile, disgusting.

Just that it might concentrate a few minds if they were faced with having to live there, rather than importing their barbaric practices here.

[Orderlimit]

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been a specific criminal offence since 1985, with the introduction of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. However a 'loophole' was identified in the legislation, in that taking girls who were settled in the UK abroad for FGM was not a criminal offence. It is this 'loophole' that the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 ('the Act') intended to close.

Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003

The Act affirms that it is illegal for FGM to be performed, and that it is also an offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to carry out, or aid, abet, counsel or procure the carrying out of FGM abroad on a UK national or permanent UK resident, even in countries where the practice is legal.

Here you go http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/d_to_g/female_genital_mutilation/

[Khandro]

Orderlimit; So if the legal loophole was dealt with in 2003, why then is Cameron talking about 'new legislation', isn't this just politics? As many specific cases are known, why hasn't someone been prosecuted during the last 11 years since the act I wonder.

[black_cat51]

the new legislation is as follows:
•new legislation that will mean parents can be prosecuted if they fail to prevent their daughter being cut
•new legislation to grant victims of FGM lifelong anonymity from the time an allegation is made

[zoe76]

whoever does this needs hanging - end of

[Ric.ror]

'prosecution isn't the answer'

Sorry - but oh yes it is

[mushroom25]

//'prosecution isn't the answer'
Sorry - but oh yes it is //

everybody tells us that the uk is multicultural, that it's right to be multicultural, and that all cultures must be accommodated - so how can it be right to legislate against a particular practice because we find it distasteful?

[zoe76]

err because its viciously harming a child???? because it can cause death of a child??? because its barbaric???

[black_cat51]

seriously? "Distasteful"????
you woulkd find having your bits chopped off "distasteful"?

[mushroom25]

so we're not really multicultural then? we're just playing, and cherry picking those bits that we happen to agree with?

[zoe76]

mushroom I think having the streets filled with people celebrating the Festival of Lights' or similar is a whole different ball game to this. Its same with the crazy muslims who cut their children up, shall we allow this too?

[hc4361]

Other cultures have rituals that are absolutely illegal here and should remain illegal whomsoever carries them out.
I for one don't want bodies burned on open air pyres as demanded by some religions. I don't want criminals to be beheaded, nor have their hands chopped off. I don't want children to be married at 8, 10, 12, or even 15.

The GBH laws don't work if parents (or guardians) send or take the girls abroad to have it done. These new laws will.