Excerpt:
Fifteen community projects will share $1 million in federal funding in a bid to end the brutal practice of genital mutilation of Australian women.
The funding will help establish how many women living in Australia have undergone the procedure. It is not known how many girls are flown out of Australia by their families to be circumcised overseas, or whether the practice is also performed in Australia.
Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said female genital mutilation (FGM) had no medical benefits but posed serious risks, including obstetric, gynaecological and mental health problems.