In 1985 the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act made it a criminal offence to perform FGM. In 2003 the Female Genital Mutilation Act tightened this law to criminalise FGM being carried out on UK citizens overseas. It is an offence to:
- Undertake the operation (except on specific physical or mental health grounds)
- Assist a girl to mutilate her own genitalia
- Assist a non-UK person to undertake female genital mutilation of a UK national outside the UK (except on specific physical or mental health grounds)
- Assist a UK national or permanent UK resident to undertake female genital mutilation of a UK national outside the UK (except on specific physical or mental health grounds).
Anyone found guilty of the offence faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
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