Family Law

There were 5,391 newly recorded cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) reported in England during 2016-17, according to the second publication of annual statistics from this data set.

Female Genital Mutilation: Law and Practice

• 123 NHS trusts and 74 GP practices submitted one or more FGM attendance record in 2016-17. Submissions are only required when there is data to report.
• Almost half of all cases relate to women and girls from the London NHS Commissioning Region - 48 per cent (2,560) of newly recorded cases and also 48 per cent (4,415) of total attendances.
• 139 girls were reported as being aged under 18 at the time of their first attendance, comprising 3 per cent of all newly recorded cases.
• 88 per cent (2,202) of women and girls with a known country of birth were born in an African country. This breaks down as follows - Eastern Africa 1338 (53 per cent), Western Africa 505 (20 per cent) and Northern Africa 339 (14 per cent). 175 (7 per cent) were born in Asia.
• 154 deinfibulation procedures were reported. This procedure is often performed to facilitate delivery during childbirth.