Following the consultation ‘Female genital mutilation: proposal to introduce a civil protection order’ launched by the Prime Minister at the
Girl Summit on 22 July 2014 and which ended on 19 August 2014, the government is taking forward provisions in the
Serious Crime Bill to implement this proposal.
A total of 88 responses to the consultation paper was received. The responses came from a wide variety of respondents, including academics, legal professionals, non-government organisations, healthcare professionals, local authorities, victims and members of the public, police, social workers and others.
A significant majority of those who responded (85%) supported the introduction of a civil protection order for potential FGM victims and agreed that the forced marriage protection order (FMPO) would be a good model for this purpose. The order could include, for example, a requirement for a passport to be surrendered to prevent a girl being taken abroad for FGM. Respondents felt that current criminal legislation was not enough and considered a civil protection order would deter the practice of FGM and provide additional protection to victims.
A majority of respondents (64%) thought that a civil protection order for FGM could protect girls (including babies) or women who had already been subjected to FGM. Most argued for the category of persons who could apply for a FGM protection order to be wide, for the duration of the order to be flexible and for the breach of the order to be a criminal offence.
