Female Genital Mutilation Increase in England ‘Only Tip of Iceberg’
The number of girls treated for female genital mutilation in England last month rose to 578 in what campaigners said was just the tip of the iceberg.
The latest figures, from the Health and Social Care Information Centre, bring the total of identified cases to 3,963 since data began to be collected on FGM in September. Sixty of the newly identified cases reported involved under-18s.
Tackling FGM has risen up the political agenda since last year, after high-profile campaigns gained public support. A Guardian petition saw the Department for Education write to schools about the dangers of FGM, while steps have been taken by the Department of Health and the Home Office to ensure cases are recorded and victims are better supported.
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