Support services for female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and "honour" based abuse

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there's no medical reason for this to be done. It's also known as female circumcision or cutting, and by other terms, such as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.

FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts. It is illegal in the UK. FGM is child abuse and is illegal in the UK.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) usually happens to girls whose mothers, grandmothers or extended female family members have had FGM themselves, or if their father comes from a community where it's carried out.

It is often performed by traditional circumcisers or cutters who do not have any medical training. But in some countries it may be done by a medical professional.

Anaesthetics and antiseptics are not generally used, and FGM is often carried out using knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades.

Report FGM

If you are concerned that FGM is going to take place, refer the child to children’s services. If a child has disclosed to you that FGM has taken place, as a social care professional or teacher, you have a mandatory duty to report this to police.

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Forced marriage

Forced marriage is when you face physical, emotional or psychological pressure to marry someone you don’t want to. Forced marriage is illegal in the UK. 

Forced marriages are often organised by parents, family members or religious leaders. Those who do not comply with the forced marriage, can face ‘honour’ based abuse which can sometimes result in ‘honour’ killings.

Forced marriage is different from an arranged marriage. In an arranged marriage, both parties have a choice of whether they want to marry or not. Forced marriage is a form of domestic abuse.

Examples of pressure to force a marriage

• Threats to kill you if you don’t marry a certain person
• Told that your family will be poor if you don’t marry the person they want you to
• Told that you will bring shame upon your family if you don’t marry a specified person
• Told that this marriage is approved of by your religious leaders
• Told that being gay is not acceptable and you need to marry a person of the opposite sex

Potential signs of Forced Marriage in children

• Child may feel worried or anxious about an upcoming holiday. They may even tell you about an upcoming forced marriage.
• Children can be restricted of age appropriate opportunities and experiences that are available to their peers.
• Child may show a drop in performance at school, and often miss days off school.
• Parent may be overly controlling of where child goes and who they are allowed to socialise with.
• Child may be self-harming, and have feelings of depression, attempted suicide or social isolation.
• Child may also show signs of eating disorders or engaging in substance abuse.

Forced marriage protection order

Forced Marriage Protection Order (FMPO) is designed to protect the person being forced to marry/ or someone who is being threatened into Forced Marriage.

You can apply for a Forced Marriage Protection Order that can stop you being taken abroad to be married.

• You do not need a lot of evidence to get an urgent forced marriage protection order.  
• You can get an emergency order without the parents you are making the order against being involved or knowing.
• The order can protect according to individual circumstances:
  • To prevent a forced marriage from taking place.
  • Can require the handover of passports.
  • To stop intimidation and violence.
  • And to stop a young person being taken abroad

It is possible to apply for a FMPO after a young person has left, but it is much more difficult to enforce the order, plus the marriage may have already occurred.

If you suspect a young person may be in danger, you should alert your manager (if you work with children) and contact a member of the legal safeguarding team for urgent advice and assistance.

Email duty lawyer: Legal.SocialCare@towerhamlets.gov.uk 

Tel: 0207 364 4556.

Useful videos and research

• Video on Forced Marriage - by Charity called Karma Nirvana
• Government Guidance Forced Marriage Unit/resources
• Research in Practice Resources on Forced Marriage for frontline practitioners

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"Honour" based violence

So-called "honour" based abuse is Is an incident or crime used to describe abuse committed against a person, who the family or the community feels has not followed what they believe is acceptable behaviour. The perpetrators will justify their abuse by claiming that the person has brought dishonour or shame to the family.

Examples of ‘honour’ based abuse

• Restricting your movements, only being allowed out with members of the family or being followed
• Being forced to marry a member of the opposite sex because you are gay
• Being isolated from your friends/family because they are a ‘bad influence’ on you
• Being threatened when you tell your family you want to divorce your partner
• Being pressured to move abroad because you have become ‘too westernised’
• Being forced to have an abortion because the pregnancy is not within marriage

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Support services for female genital mutilation (FGM)

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Support services for forced marriage and "honour" based abuse:

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VAWG service directory

You can find lots of other useful services on the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) service directory homepage.