UK Medics 'offered genital mutilation'

UK Medics 'offered genital mutilation'

As many as 100,000 women in Britain have undergone female genital mutilations (FGM), with medics in the UK offering to carry out the illegal procedure on girls as young as 10, it has been reported. Investigators from The Sunday Times said they secretly filmed a doctor, dentist and alternative medicine practitioner who were allegedly willing to perform circumcisions or arrange for the operation to be carried out.

The doctor and dentist deny any wrongdoing. The practice, which involves the surgical removal of external genitalia and in some cases the stitching of the vaginal opening, is illegal in Britain and carries up to a 14 year prison sentence. It is also against the law to arrange FGM. Known as "cutting", the procedure is traditionally carried out for cultural reasons and is widespread across Africa.

It is thought to be needed as proof of a girl's "purity" for when she marries, but victims are rarely given anaesthetic and frequently suffer long-term damage and pain. Research suggests that every year up to 6,000 girls in London are at risk of the potentially fatal procedure, and more than 22,000 in the UK as a whole. The Metropolitan Police said since 2008, it had received 166 reports of people who fear they are at risk of FGM.

It is the same story for all 43 forces across England and Wales with no convictions for the offence ever taking place, according to The Sunday Times. The newspaper added that only two doctors have been struck off by The General Medical Council since 1980.

According to Forward, a charity which campaigners against FGM, an estimated 100,000 women in the UK have undergone mutilation. Supermodel Waris Dirie, who was mutilated as a child, is a vociferous opponent of the practice. Calling for a crackdown on FGM, she said: "If a white girl is abused, the police come break down the door. If a black girl is mutilated, nobody takes care of her. This is what I call racism."

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Patriots & Peacemakers

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Arab Americans have been an integral part of the United States of America since its inception, contributing in a myriad of ways, including public service. Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country is an exhibition, which tells true stories of heroism and self-sacrifice, that reaffirms the important role which Arab Americans have played throughout US history.

Patriots & Peacemakers highlights three specific areas of service: the U.S. Armed Forces, diplomatic service and the Peace Corps.The exhibition also encourages visitors to consider how commitment to service impacts them in their daily lives. The exhibition was created to honour Arab Americans who have served in the U.S. and reflects on their contributions.

The exhibition is the fruit of four years of research; where hundreds of interviews were conducted across the country. The men and women whose stories are told are representative of the thousands of Arab Americans who have served with dignity, loyalty and sacrifice. The exhibition was also designed to consider those who have served the U.S. in any capacity, and to inspire individuals to get involved in any form of community service.

A 1924 study by Princeton professor Philip Hitti, found that 13,965 Arab Americans served in World War I. Most of these soldiers were from what was then called Greater Syria. Hitti claimed that a higher percentage of Syrians served in WWI than any other ethnic community in the U.S. Many scholars state that around 15,000 Arab Americans served in World War II.

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According to the Association for Patriotic Arab Americans in the Military, there are around 3,500 Arab Americans in the military today.

Patriots & Peacemakers has been put together by The Arab American National Museum, the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. By bringing the voices and faces of Arab Americans to mainstream audiences, they continue to dispel misconceptions about Arab Americans and other minorities.

A companion exhibition, Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We” in “We, the People”?, also highlights the stories of seven diverse individuals, their service to their country during World War II and their civic engagements that helped to change America for the betterment of all.

This exhibition uses World War II as a case study to begin a discussion about how women and minorities have expanded the meaning of “we”, in “we the people.” It looks at the experiences of seven individuals and traces their stories throughout the pre-war, war, and post-war periods, as examples of the millions whose lives were affected.

Both exhibitions are free with admission to The Arab American National Museum and are on display through to June 10th, 2012. You can also download and print the Patriots & Peacemakers brochure.

About the author: Hussein Al-Alak is a British based journalist and is chairman of the Iraq Solidarity Campaign UK. You can read more articles by Hussein on his blog Totally Hussein Al-alak