Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken by the female genital mutilation unit and Forced Marriage Units to conduct outreach work among communities to highlight issues of female genital mutilation and forced marriages since 2016.

So called 'honour-based' violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, is a terrible form of abuse, and this Government is clear that we will not allow political or cultural sensitivities to get in the way of tackling it. No-one should suffer because of who they are or what community they are born into.

Work to tackle these crimes is an integral part of our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, published in 2016, and we are clear that we will not end FGM and forced marriage until we change attitudes. Our dedicated FGM and Forced Marriage Units are delivering ongoing programmes of nationwide outreach, comprising more than 100 events every year, with communities and professionals to raise awareness of the warning signs and significant harms caused by these practices and how to access support.

The Home Office FGM Unit regularly engages with community based organisations and survivors, including through local forums, to ensure the views and insights of affected communities are considered in current and future policy development. This is done through a quarterly FGM stakeholders meeting, ongoing outreach events and engagement with community based organisations funded through the Building a Stronger Britain Together programme. It is important that any engagement with victims and families is done in a constructive and secure environment so that individuals are provided with the support they need.