Female Genital Mutilation Warning Signs

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www.pshe-association.org.uk Female Genital Mutilation Warning Signs

description

The summer holidays are a time when girls are at higher risk of FGM. This brief presentation can be used to raise awareness with staff. All suspected cases should be reported following the school's safeguarding procedures. FGM is child abuse.

Transcript of Female Genital Mutilation Warning Signs

Page 1: Female Genital Mutilation Warning Signs

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Female Genital Mutilation

Warning Signs

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Using This Presentation

This presentation is designed for awareness raising amongst school staff and other relevant professionals to help highlight

girls at imminent risk of FGM.

We recommend that FGM should be addressed through PSHE as a means to prevent it before it happens and empower

young people to speak out about it. Please see our guidance: www.bit.ly/FGMguidancePSHE

These slides are not designed for use in the classroom

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FGM – Key Facts• FGM includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury

to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.• The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.• Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating,

and later cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.

• More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa and Middle East where FGM is concentrated.

• FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15.

• FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

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Why is it practised?

Reasons given include:• Control over women’s sexuality• Hygiene• Gender based factors (removal of ‘male’ parts)• Cultural identity• Religion

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Who is it practised by?

FGM is a deeply rooted tradition, widely practised among specific ethnic populations in Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia.

FGM has also been documented in communities in Iraq, Israel, Oman, the united Arab emirates, the occupied Palestinian territories, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan.

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What should we do?

FGM is child abuse and if you suspect a child is at risk, you

should always follow the school’s safeguarding procedures

immediately.

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Summer Holidays are High Risk

The summer holidays are a high risk time so we need to be extra vigilant of the risk factors and warning signs presented in the next few

slides and present all concerns to the school’s safeguarding officer.

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Girls Most at Risk

• Member of a community whose country of origin practises FGM and that is less integrated into UK society

• A girl whose sister or other relatives have undergone FGM

• A girl whose parents have withdrawn her from lessons featuring FGM (where other warning signs are also present)

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Families making preparations for the

girl to take an extended holiday,

including arranging vaccinations to the family’s country of

origin.

Extended Holiday

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‘Special Procedure’

A girl talking about a special procedure or

ceremony that is going to take place or that she is

going to ‘become a woman’

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Families may practise FGM in the UK when a female family elder is around, particularly

when she is visiting from the country of

origin

Visiting Relatives

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Mention of FGM

You may hear reference to FGM in conversation, for example a girl may tell other children about it

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Remember…

FGM is child abuse and if you suspect a child is at risk, you

should always follow the school’s safeguarding procedures

immediately.

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NSPCC FGM Helpline

0800 028 3550

24-hour advice and support for anyone who may have questions

about FGM or to report suspected cases

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