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<p>Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. The Government
is clear that we will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong
suffering to women and girls.</p><p>The Home Office’s FGM unit delivers nationwide
outreach on FGM. The Unit is providing outreach support to local areas and working
to raise awareness of resources available to professionals, including training, best
practice examples and information on legislation and policy. Resources include an
e-learning package, various communication materials such as leaflets and posters highlighting
the legislation and health impacts of FGM, and an online resource pack for local areas.</p><p>We
ran a communications campaign between October 2018 and February 2019 to tackle FGM.
The campaign sought to prevent FGM by changing attitudes among affected communities
through raising awareness of the negative long-term health consequences of FGM. The
campaign also raised awareness that FGM is a crime and encouraged communities to report
via the NSPCC’s FGM helpline. The campaign supported the objectives of the cross-government
Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.</p><p>Earlier this year, the Home Office
trained around 1,300 professionals across the country on FGM and forced marriage protection
orders. The events raised awareness of the scope and effectiveness of the orders,
along with a practical guide to applying, with the aim of encouraging professionals
to always consider them in any safeguarding plans.</p>
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