FGM clinic in Doncaster, U.K., will not perform female genital mutilation

Context

A post circulating on X (archived here) states that a new female genital mutilation (FGM) clinic is opening in Doncaster, England, which has led users to believe that FGM procedures will be performed there. 

The post references a news article by the Doncaster Free Press with a headline that lacks context about the clinic's purpose and has been misinterpreted.

The post has received more than 271,000 views and 2,400 shares, prompting comments expressing concern about such practices in the U.K. 

However, the post lacks context. While a clinic for FGM survivors has opened in Doncaster, it will not carry out the practice. Instead, it aims to provide "a safe place for women who have experienced FGM."

In fact

While the full article in the local newspaper, the Doncaster Free Press, accurately explains the clinic's purpose, the headline omits key details about the services provided at these clinics.

The article reports on the new clinic's opening. It states that "any woman who has experienced FGM is welcome to speak with their perinatal worker for questions or support related to the issue." 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) involves the partial or total removal of external female genital organs or other injuries to these organs for non-medical reasons. In the U.K., an estimated 65,000 girls aged 13 and under are at risk, particularly within communities of Somalian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Sierra Leonean, Eritrean, Gambian, and Ethiopian descent.

FGM is illegal in the U.K. and has been a criminal offense since 1985. It is also illegal to take a British citizen or permanent resident abroad for FGM or to assist in doing so.

In the U.K., National FGM Support Clinics provide a supportive environment for women who have experienced genital mutilation. 

These clinics offer physical assessments and treatments, including deinfibulation — a procedure to restore the vaginal opening after FGM — emotional support, counseling, general information, access to FGM Health Advocates, and referrals to specialist consultants. One such clinic operates in the Shamso unit at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, which the post references.

The verdict

The FGM clinic in Doncaster will not perform any gender mutilation procedures. Instead, it is a place for individuals who have experienced such violence. FGM is illegal in the U.K. The post and its referenced article headline are misleading.