Europe Confronts FGM Crisis as Survivors Face Long Waits for Care

Across Europe, thousands of women and girls endure the long-lasting effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a practice that has been illegal for decades. Despite stringent laws, victims in many EU countries find themselves waiting for healthcare, support, and justice. A recent investigation by The Journal Investigates has revealed that numerous regions lack adequate specialist health services, prosecutions of perpetrators are infrequent, and national data on FGM is often outdated or nonexistent.

In Ireland, demand at the country’s only specialist FGM clinic has surged by 330%, leading to patients facing waits of over 12 months for treatment. Similar scenarios unfold in countries like Spain, France, and Austria, where women and girls with severe injuries rely on overstretched systems for basic medical care.

Statistics Highlight the Scale of the Crisis

According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), approximately 600,000 women and girls in the EU currently live with the consequences of FGM, while an additional 190,000 remain at risk. The practice, often rooted in cultural, social, or religious beliefs about femininity and purity, involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia. It typically occurs in girls between infancy and adolescence, resulting in no health benefits and often causing severe physical and psychological trauma.

Ifrah Ahmed, a Somali-Irish campaigner against FGM, described the lasting impact of the trauma: “Women who have gone through FGM, the first thing they will always remember is the cut. Everything else is second, from becoming a wife to giving birth to your first child.”

Recent years have seen an influx of migration from regions where FGM is common, such as parts of Africa and the Middle East. Thousands have sought international protection, fearing they or their daughters are at risk of undergoing the practice. In Ireland, asylum applications citing FGM as a primary reason for seeking protection have increased tenfold since 2020. However, the actual number of those living with FGM injuries remains uncertain due to a lack of updated national statistics since 2016.

The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), which operates the only FGM treatment service in Ireland, estimated in 2018 that around 5,000 women and girls in the country had undergone FGM. This figure is likely to have risen significantly, highlighting the urgent need for updated data.

Gaps in Reporting and Care Across Europe

In Spain, there is no official prevalence survey of women living with FGM, though the NGO Doctors of the World reported assisting 1,115 survivors last year. Austria published its first official estimate last year, indicating that approximately 11,000 women and girls are affected. France, which has one of the largest populations of FGM-affected individuals, records around 139,000 living with FGM injuries and complications.

As state resources often fall short, grassroots organizations and NGOs are stepping in to provide essential support and medical care. In Dublin, the migrant women’s support group AkiDwA trains midwives, social workers, and teachers to recognize and report FGM. In Vienna, the non-profit women’s center FEM South conducts awareness projects led by trained individuals from affected communities. The Dexeus Mujer Foundation in Barcelona offers free genital reconstruction surgeries for survivors, while Doctors of the World holds “tea time” gatherings where women can discuss sexuality, motherhood, and trauma in a supportive environment.

Amal Hussein, a project leader with Doctors of the World, emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces to discuss taboo topics. “That’s how we start to break the taboo,” she noted. Nevertheless, these crucial programs often rely on limited EU or national funding, leaving their future uncertain once financial support ends.

Despite the growing demand for care, the services available vary significantly across Europe. France’s Montreuil Hospital Unit, near Paris, stands out for offering multidisciplinary treatment, including gynecology, sexology, psychotherapy, and social care. Meanwhile, Austria’s FGM Coordination Centre, established in 2021, coordinates prevention and referral efforts but heavily depends on temporary government funding.

In Ireland, patients face a significant backlog, with the IFPA reporting a waiting time of over 12 months for treatment due to soaring demand. Chief Executive Niall Behan has called for state-funded regional services to alleviate the burden on existing clinics.

Legal Framework and Prosecution Challenges

Although FGM is criminalized in all EU member states, prosecutions remain rare. In Austria, the Protection Against Violence Act classifies FGM as bodily harm punishable by up to 10 years in prison, yet no recorded prosecutions have occurred according to searches of the legal database. France, despite its strict laws and significant affected population, reports only sporadic prosecutions.

Spain has made strides by being the first country to convict parents for FGM committed abroad, but most convictions date back more than a decade. Ireland’s single conviction in 2019 was later overturned, and a retrial fell apart, leaving victims and advocates frustrated.

Campaigners assert that the next phase of Europe’s gender strategy should prioritize accountability, focusing on both prosecution rates and the treatment outcomes for survivors. For Hussein, fostering empathy is crucial. “It’s not just about criminalization,” she stated. “It’s about giving women the right to heal, to talk, and to trust the system that promised to protect them.”

The situation calls for a coordinated response at all levels to ensure that survivors of FGM receive the care and support they need, as well as justice for the crimes committed against them. As awareness grows, so does the urgency for comprehensive action across Europe to address this critical issue.