Doctors who treat victims of female genital mutilation should be prepared to report the girls’ plight to bring offenders to justice, London’s top prosecutor said today.
Alison Saunders, chief Crown prosecutor for London, said she feared a large number of cases go unpunished because evidence is not passed to police.
Girls still living with their parents are often afraid to contact the authorities, she said, but she warned the silence of the medical profession also makes it easy for people who organise or carry out genital surgery to “cover up” their crimes.
She claimed doctors are often aware of offences because of the side effects suffered by victims, and said a change of approach is needed. “There is more that we could get from the medical profession,” Ms Saunders said.
“Girls quite often find there are medical side effects. There is not a positive duty on doctors to report that. But if it is as widespread as we think it is, and we are having difficulty getting girls to come forward, then perhaps they should.” Female genital mutilation involves partial or total removal of external female genitalia and can cause lifelong suffering. It is carried out within African and other communities on girls as young as six.
It has been illegal in Britain since 1985 and while girls are often flown abroad for surgery, those responsible can still be prosecuted in this country. The Met has investigated 148 cases in the past three years involving London girls who have been “cut”, or who are at risk of it. No prosecutions have been brought so far, often because girls are reluctant to report relatives or face a court.
Ms Saunders said she will seek to bring “victimless prosecutions”, in which girls will not have to testify, in some cases. Where this is impossible, girls could be allowed to give evidence via video link or from behind screens, she said.
If doctors are reluctant to report to police — and Ms Saunders admitted the balance is “difficult” because victims may stop going to them for treatment — other options, such as contacting social services, could be used. However, Ms Saunders insisted more information was needed from the medical profession. “I think they should consider it,” she added.
The Crown Prosecution Service plans to raise the issue with health ministers and will ask them to investigate whether teachers and social workers who become aware of such cases should refer them to police.
