Hansard

I, too, welcome the debate, which gives valuable time in the chamber to an issue that so many of us have long been deeply concerned about. It is 16 years since I lodged a motion in Parliament on so-called honour-based violence in support of UN resolutions 55 and 56, and it is more than 15 years since I lodged a motion condemning female genital mutilation. It is both shocking and distressing that, all these years later, it is still an issue that is faced by countless women and young girls around the globe.

In my 2001 motion, I said that FGM is

“a violation of the human rights of girls and women as it represents an attempt to control women’s sexuality and subordinate their status in society.”

That point stands as strong as ever today, and is something that we must bear in mind as we move forward to eradicate FGM.

In another motion that I lodged in 2012 on the international day for the elimination of violence against women, I stated that

“society is left all the more impoverished when it allows violence in any form to hinder any girl or woman from realising her full potential.”

Some five years later, I am sure that that message resonates deeply with all of us in the chamber. FGM, without a doubt, is a form of violence that hugely threatens so many women’s lives. It is thought—as we have heard from other members—that some 200 million women worldwide have been affected by FGM at some point in their lives, and that every year, another 3 million girls become at risk of that appalling procedure. Those numbers are so staggering that they are hard to comprehend. The sheer cruelty of FGM, combined with those figures, can make it an issue with which it is extremely difficult to come to terms. It is vital, however, that we do not shy away from this important issue. Only by facing it can we take action and move towards a safer and fairer place for women and girls all over the world.

Perhaps one of the most shocking aspects for us is that FGM could occur here in the United Kingdom. It has been suggested that the most common age for girls in Britain to go through the horrifying process is when they are between seven and nine years old. Girls who are forced through the dangerous and traumatising process, wherever it occurs, are then left to deal with life-long consequences. Of course, FGM causes many immediate dangers through mutilation, including haemorrhage and infection, particularly when the process is done in unsafe and non-sterile conditions, often without even anaesthesia for the young girls who are going through the process.

In the long term, there are many health risks and mental health problems that the girls go on to face for the rest of their lives. I am particularly concerned about the lack of available research and information about the psychological and psychosexual impacts of FGM. It seems to be obvious that there will be many long-term psychological consequences of what is, for many, childhood trauma. Because FGM is most likely to be inflicted by close family members of the young girls, they are likely to have to deal for the rest of their lives with problems of trust and confidence in their family. How could they trust anyone—no matter how close to them—who has inflicted such appalling violence on them?

Mental health issues arising from FGM, including psychosis, anxiety and depression, have been widely reported. There is much to be done to provide for women who have been through the trauma of FGM. We must try to understand it as best we can in order that we can offer young girls the support that they need so much. We must also offer it to them as they grow older and become women, because I think that the trauma of FGM will never go away, for those who have suffered it—it cannot go away. I am not talking about physical consequences, but about psychological consequences.

Although there is still a long way to go, over the past 15 years key steps have been taken here in Scotland and further afield, around the world, to improve the lives of women who have suffered such torture, and to prevent it from happening to others. Here in Scotland, FGM has been unlawful since 1985 and, over the years, further legislation has continued to improve our society’s approach to the matter. It was particularly strengthened by the Serious Crime Act 2015, and the Scottish Government has worked to improve the lives of potential victims since my motion way back in 2001.

I am proud to be of a country that is taking progressive and important steps towards eradicating gender-based violence. In June last year, the Scottish Government announced £20.3 million of funding to tackle discrimination across Scotland. That was divided among 224 projects across a variety of groups in order to help families, communities and individuals to address discrimination and inequality. In my constituency, that included North Ayrshire Women’s Aid, which is based in Saltcoats, and which carries out invaluable work to protect and support vulnerable women, including women who have suffered the atrocities of FGM.

For many women who have suffered this horrific torture, there may be feelings of shame and fear of speaking out about the terror that they have been through. Often, they face intense pressure from within their cultural groups, but there are many factors that can hold women back from speaking out and looking for the support that they so desperately need. They often fear the stigma that could attach to them if the issue were to be raised, and so they suffer in silence for much—or perhaps even all—of their lives.

It is therefore imperative that we take the opportunity of the international day of zero tolerance for female genital mutilation to make it clear to all those, of every age and background, who have been through such horrific torture, that they can find a safe place here in Scotland. We are a country of inclusivity and acceptance. It is vital that we continue to do everything possible, both here in Parliament and as a nation, to work towards being an even safer place for women to come forward and live their lives in peace and safety.