Cutting female genitals

A wonderful female GP in London called Dr Abe is leading a campaign against FGM female genital mutilation.
She is based at the Yiewsley Health Centre.

She fell into the situation when a year ago a patient quietly asked her if it was possible to be given her clitoris back.
She had been "CUT" as a child.

Until then Dr Abe had never seen a patient  with this. Now she discreetly asks all females of African or Middle eastern origin if they have been cut.Word has got round and now she sees one every day  - sometimes more.

It is an unbelievably horrific thing to do to someone, not just because it ruins sex, but because it leads to repeat cystitis/ bladder infection, kidney infection and incontinence of urine and faeces.

Dr Abe has seen horrific cases - with the labia and clitoris removed and the vagina sewn up almost completely.
In her worst case - the poor women had developed so many fistulae because of scarring, that the urine and faeces didn't know which way to go and she was leaking everywhere.

Sometimes the woman's vagina has been sewn up to such an extent that her husband cannot have sex with her - and  leaves her as a result.

How can we stop this happening in the UK
The official figures show, that in just England and Wales there has been a threefold increase in the last 10 years. It is almost certainly more than that.

It needs to be talked about and talked about until  it is heard by the women who need to hear.

It is not a crime done by men to women
It is something that women do to women - that mothers do to daughters
With proper education these women would not do it

I worked for many years as a school doctor in the days when there was a good school health service.
This service no longer really exists in any useful way. Perhaps it is time to bring it back again.

In the school where I worked - a boys school - I examined every new boy. In the primary school this involved checking the boys testicles to  make sure they were properly in the scrotum. A parent was always asked to be present.

If I were working now in a mixed school it would be so easy to examine the genitals of every child - male and female- during their entry medical. It would uncover those already CUT and it would be an opportunity to educate all mothers.It would also probably allow some mothers who were also CUT to ask for help and to be able to refer them to the appropriate places.