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10 facts about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Scotland
*We are grateful to The Women’s Support Project for their contribution to this blog
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In the last decade there has been wider recognition of the impact that female genital mutilation (also known as FGM, ‘initiation’, ‘circumcision’, ‘rites of passage’, or ‘cutting’, among other names) can have on girls and women, and how common it is.
But what do we know about FGM in Scotland? In this blog we explore some facts about FGM, key aspects of the law, and the work needed to tackle this form of abuse.
We are adjusting our legal helpline to support more women living with abuse
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From January 2021, we are increasing the capacity of our helpline so more women can contact us for legal advice and information. To do this, we are making some adjustments.
Our Thursday helpline will now become available to women living with any form of abuse or violence (including sexual harassment). This means we will no longer offer a specific sexual harassment helpline.
Instead, women affected by sexual harassment will be able to call our helpline during any of its opening times.
In the fight for gender equality, the rights of migrant women cannot be an afterthought
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The pandemic has exposed the harsh reality for migrant women in the UK and the rights they’ve been losing for years. From the prospect of becoming undocumented after Brexit and the unlawful evictions asylum-seekers are facing to the cruelty of ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF), an immigration condition that essentially forces some women to choose between destitution and staying with the abuser. When you add gender-based violence to this experience, the hostility seems almost insurmountable.
New survey: experiences of reporting stalking to the police
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As part of our work to improve women’s experiences of the justice system, we have published a survey to hear from women who have reported stalking to the police in Scotland and their journey through the criminal justice process.
Stalking is a common form of abuse for women in Scotland, particularly for those living with domestic abuse. Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, there has also been a significant increase in stalking incidents, and we anticipate that this might lead more women to consider reporting the situation to the Police.
How the pandemic is making women more vulnerable to economic abuse
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The economic fallout of this pandemic is undoubtedly hitting women the hardest, with increased unpaid caring and domestic responsibilities, the prospect of losing already precarious and low-paying work, and the hurdles that exist when accessing social security. A hidden consequence of these inequalities is a higher risk of experiencing economic abuse and a worse experience for those already living with it.
