Question
Female genital mutilation is one of the most serious forms of violence against women and girls, yet the Government’s understanding of its prevalence is still based on figures from 2011, estimating that 137,000 women were living with FGM in this country. We cannot tackle what we do not measure, so if Ministers genuinely regard violence against women and girls as a national priority, will they stop relying on 15-year-old estimates and commission an urgent, comprehensive study to establish the true prevalence of FGM in Britain?
Answer
We are going further than ever before to deal with honour-based abuse. On data, FGM is an under-reported crime and there is definitely work that we can all be doing to ensure that we are raising awareness. A campaign to raise awareness is about to be launched, so that we can get victims to come forward and support them.40% vibes
Verdict: RED (12/100)
The reply does not answer the question in substance. It acknowledges that female genital mutilation is under-reported, which touches on the data problem, but it does not say whether the Government will replace the 2011-based estimate of 137,000 victims. It also makes no commitment to commission a prevalence study, mentioning only an awareness campaign. The person who asked would most likely need to submit a follow-up to get a clear answer on either point.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government stop relying on its 2011-based estimate that 137,000 women were living with FGM in the UK, and replace it with a more current understanding of prevalence? | Partially Addressed | Generic | The reply never mentions the 2011-based 137,000 estimate or commits to replacing it; its only related remark is that FGM is an under-reported crime, which gestures at the data problem without answering whether the Government will update its prevalence understanding. |
| Will the Government commission an urgent, comprehensive study to establish the true prevalence of female genital mutilation in Britain? | Not Addressed | Generic | The reply makes no commitment to commission a prevalence study; its references to under-reporting and a forthcoming awareness campaign do not address whether a comprehensive study will be commissioned. |