FGM in Wales ’largely unreported’, say researchers

Dozens of women and girls in Wales are at risk of Female Genital Mutilation, according to experts at Cardiff University. Last year, one Welsh charity helped 16 women and girls at risk of FGM. But University researchers believe the vast majority of cases go unreported due to the young age of those at risk, their family loyalties, and the reluctance of outsiders to intervene. Today (6 February) marks the United Nations day of zero tolerance on female genital mutilation (FGM), a practise often performed on young girls, most commonly between ages 6 and 8, and seen as a prerequisite for marriage. All forms of FGM increase the risk of infection and haemorrhage, and can cause lasting trauma and lead to heavy scarring. FGM can increase the risk of death in childbirth. FORWARD-UK, a specialist charity campaigning against FGM, estimates that some 6,500 girls in the UK are at risk of FGM each year, particularly those with origins in Africa.