Mandatory medical examinations to identify victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) may have to be considered in the UK, the head of Britain’s biggest police force has said.
The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said there had been a lack of referrals from schools and medical professionals about girls who had undergone the procedure, as an operation was launched at airports to identify possible victims.
An estimated 66,000 women in the UK have undergone FGM and more than 20,000 girls under 15 are thought to be at risk of the practice, which is classed as torture by the UN.
The first UK prosecution for alleged FGM began earlier this year, while there have reportedly been 100 FGM-related convictions in France.
Speaking at Heathrow airport, Hogan-Howe said: “They have a slightly different system in France so they can have mandatory medical examinations. We believe that’s one of the things that makes a difference for them. We have to rely on getting our message out through the media and encouraging members of the public to come forward.”
Asked whether mandatory medical examinations should be introduced in the UK, he said: “It’s one of the things I think probably the government is going to have to consider at some point. The first thing we have to do is make sure we’ve explored all opportunities the existing legislation provides.”
Hogan-Howe said it was important for schools and medical professionals to contact police with information about FGM victims to ensure those responsible were prosecuted.
He said: “We’re not getting an awful lot of referrals from the community, from medical professionals or from educational professionals. We need those because without that we can’t start an investigation. Of course the victims could come forward eventually. But what we do know is that’s quite difficult. If you have to report against your parents, that’s obviously quite a challenge.
“It’s really important they understand the barbarity of this act and it is a criminal offence which is punishable by 14 years’ imprisonment.”
Police this week launched Operation Limelight at airports across the country which targeted flights to and from countries known to carry out FGM.
Under the joint-force operation, officers at Heathrow spoke to passengers on 13 outbound flights to “high-risk” countries. Passengers were warned that FGM is illegal in the UK and if caught, offenders face a large fine and a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Flights to Heathrow from Nigeria and Sierra Leone were also targeted as officers sought to identify children subjected to FGM and anyone who may have arranged the procedure.
The week-long initiative at airports across the country aimed to identify girls who may have been mutilated as well as warning UK passengers that it was illegal to arrange for a child to be flown abroad for the procedure.
DC Supt Keith Niven, head of the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse (SOECA) Command, said: “FGM is an abhorrent offence which includes violent assaults upon children. This is an illegal practice and it will not be tolerated in the United Kingdom. It’s really important to educate people who engage in this practice so they are aware that this is not a legitimate way to bring children up.
“This is child abuse … and people will be prosecuted if we find evidence of this.”
Operation Limelight was supported by UK Border Force and the National Crime Agency, as well as officers from the Met, Essex, Avon and Somerset, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Sussex and West Midlands police forces.