(GB News) Laws that ban female genital mutilation (FGM) have been deemed harmful and perpetuate stigma towards migrant communities, a group of 25 academics from leading British universities has said.
The essay, published in the British Medical Journal‘s (BMJ) Journal of Medical Ethics, contends that opposition to FGM relies on “sensationalist” narratives and “racialised stereotypes.”
Contributors to the piece include scholars from the University of Cambridge, University of Bristol and Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
The practice, which involves the cutting or removal of female genitalia for non-medical purposes, has been outlawed in Britain since 1985.
International bodies including the United Nations recognise FGM as a human rights violation against women and girls, with the procedure known to cause significant pain and lasting health complications.
