Brook and FPA response to Home Affairs Committee report on FGM

Published: 3 July 2014

Responding to the publication today (3 July 2014) of the Home Affairs Select Committee report, Female genital mutilation: The case for a national action plan, the Chief Executive of Brook, Simon Blake OBE and Acting CEO of FPA, Dr Audrey Simpson OBE, said:

“Brook and FPA agree with the report’s finding that urgent action is needed.

“We strongly believe that health and education professionals have a vital role to play in safeguarding young women and girls who may be affected by FGM, particularly to identify those within at-risk communities. Empowering girls to understand their rights, and training professionals to recognise the warning signs, and take appropriate action, must be a national priority.

"We echo the Committee's call for compulsory PSHE education, to include teaching about FGM as part of a wider curriculum on tackling violence against women and girls."

Brook and FPA’s submission to the Committee can be read here.

Ends

Notes to editors

Key facts taken from the report are:

• It is estimated that 125 million women and girls worldwide have undergone FGM.
• It is estimated that 3 million girls are subjected to FGM every year.
• It is estimated that 170,000 women and girls are living with FGM in the UK.
• It is estimated that 65,000 girls aged 13 and under are at risk of FGM in the UK.
• Over 200 FGM-related cases investigated by the police nationally in the last five years.
• It has taken 29 years since the criminalisation of FGM for the first prosecutions to be brought.

About Brook
Brook is the young people’s charity specialising in sexual health and wellbeing. Our mission is to enable young people to make informed, active choices about their personal and sexual relationships so they can enjoy their sexuality without harm. Brook has 50 years’ experience providing services, support, advice and education which make a real difference to young people under the age of 25.

Brook reaches more than 270,000 young people across the UK every year. Services include free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and outreach and education work. legacy.brook.org.uk. 

About FPA
The sexual health charity FPA gives straightforward information, advice and support on sexual health, sex and relationships to everyone across the UK. FPA educates, informs and supports people through our work in the community, our helpline and information service, our counselling service, our training and publications and our public awareness campaigns. www.fpa.org.uk. 

For media enquiries please contact Brook's press office on 07789 682831 or email press@brook.org.uk

Notes to editors

Brook believes that young people should have access to great sexual health services and wellbeing support.

Brook provides free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and education programmes, reaching nearly 235,000 young people nationwide every year.
 
Read our Strategic Plan 2017-2020 and learn more about the difference we make in our latest Success Report.